On Tuesday, July 25, 2017, the Mehr government news agency announced the arrest of a “large network” of people described as “religious deviators” by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to this report, the Tehran Province IRGC Intelligence unit has arrested these people on Tuesday morning in Tehran, Ray and Pardis.
Based on the report, Brother Vahic, David Isaeian, Amir Hosein Etelaei, Fariba Sharifi, Maryam Tavasolly, Vahid Zahraei, Hamed Emadi, Isa Mivechee, Vahid Shrizad, Hadi Bazahr, Raouf Hoseinzadeh, Zahra Piryaei, and one unidentified person, were arrested by IRGC Intelligence Agents, taken to an unknown place.
Mehr News Agency nevertheless claims that “the detainees have resorted to destroy Islam and deviating public opinion in public and in cyber space with the pretext of promoting evangelical Christianity and house churches”.
The report indicates that the arrests were made following a sophisticated intelligence operation and in this regard, a number of the accused were handed over to judicial authorities with obtained documents.
The maltreatment of religious minorities, especially new Christians, mentioned in this report, has continued for many years.
