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UN experts condemn confiscation of church and eviction of Christians in Tehran
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

UN experts condemn confiscation of church and eviction of Christians in Tehran

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • UN experts condemned the confiscation of a church complex and the forced eviction of 27 Christians from their homes in Tehran.
  • The experts warned that residents, many of low-income, were given only two weeks to vacate the premises, which included schools and housing.
  • This incident is part of a broader pattern of measures against the Christian community in Iran, with many Persian-language Protestant churches now non-operational.

A group of independent UN experts has condemned the confiscation of the San Pedro evangelical church complex in Tehran and the forced eviction of 27 Armenian and Assyrian Christians who resided there. The complex housed two schools and residential units.

The experts expressed concern that approximately twenty families, many of whom are low-income and had lived in the complex for years, were given a mere two weeks to leave their homes. Church officials reportedly faced threats of arrest if they did not comply with the order. The last resident departed on July 12, amid fears the site could be demolished.

"The forced eviction of people is incompatible with international human rights law and can leave members of recognized religious and ethnic minorities homeless," the rapporteurs stated. They noted that this case represents the culmination of a long-standing pattern of measures targeting the Christian community in Iran, particularly those who worship in Persian.

The experts recalled the closure of churches in Tabriz and Mashhad and pointed out that out of 50 Protestant churches that previously held services in Persian, none are currently operational. The last three Anglican churches permitted to preach in Persian, located in Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz, were unable to reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The complex, which also housed the office of the Council of Evangelical Churches of Iran, was transferred in 1998 to a state entity under the Supreme Leader's office. The UN rapporteurs urged Iranian authorities to allow the residents and congregation to return and to cease threats and intimidation against the community. They also reported that Christians continue to face arbitrary arrests, imprisonment, and mistreatment, with at least 79 individuals currently imprisoned, many of whom are converts.

The forced eviction of people is incompatible with international human rights law and can leave members of recognized religious and ethnic minorities homeless.

— UN ExpertsCommenting on the confiscation of the church complex and the eviction of residents in Tehran.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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