Iranian prisoner Joseph Shahbazian freed from Evin Prison

Joseph Shahbazian has been officially pardoned and released from Evin Prison in Tehran. He is an Armenian Christian who was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison for acting against state security for holding church services in his home, but it was reduced to two years in May.

Iranian Christians are thankful for the release of Joseph Shahbazian and ask for prayer that the Lord will enable him to recover from his imprisonment, and that other Christians in prison or facing detention will be encouraged and strengthened.

Thank you for your prayers for Joseph. He is now back at home with his family, but he is also suffering from a serious illness – please continue to pray for his full recovery.

Shahbazian was imprisoned on 28 May 2022 in the notorious Evin Prison. The initial accusations against him included acting against state security through his involvement in the home church of evangelical Christianity, inciting the population, and insulting holy things.

You may remember his story, alongside Mina Khajavi’s and Malihe Nazari’s, which we reported last June. They were among at least 38 Christians arrested in a coordinated operation by intelligence agents in the summer of 2020. Malihe Nazari was released earlier this year to be with her son, who has leukaemia – it is believed that the Supreme Court granted her release due to her son’s condition. Mina Khajavi’s sentence currently remains unchanged.