Wednesday, 11 September 2013
Initial trial of Iranian-Armenian pastor, Vruir Avanessian, was held behind closed doors in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. Iranian authorities had arrested him last Christmas. This opens up a new chapter in Iranian regime's crackdown on Armenian Christian leaders.
According to Iranian Christian news agency, "Mohabat News", Pastor Avanessian's trial was held in the morning of September 7, 2013 in branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.
Accroding to the report, the initial trial was held behind closed doors.
It has been reported that his charges announced in the court session included "action against national security" and "proselytizing Farsi-speaking citizens".
The report adds that the court banned him from any form of contact with Christians or holding any worship services until the judge issues his final verdict in future court sessions.
Vruir Avanessian is an official Iranian-Armenian pastor. Plain-clothes Iranian security authorities had arrested him on December 27, 2012, in an organized raid on a Christmas celebration for worship held in a house in Tehran.
Also in this raid, 50 other Farsi-speaking Christian attendees had been arrested. They were all released after filling out some prepared forms.
Another Christian convert arrested that night was Mohammad-Hadi Mostafa Bordbar. On June 9, 2013, branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to ten years in prison for spreading Christian thoughts intended to undermine Islamic regime through underground Christian gatherings.
When Pastor Avanessian, who is 61 years old, was arrested he was in immediate need of medical attention. He was subjected to severe interrogation during the time of his detention. Also, he was transferred to hospital a few times in prison uniform, although his charges had not been proven. After Christian communities and Human Rights activists protested against Pastor Avanessian's arrest and the news had been spread by Farsi and English news services, he was temporarily released on bail. He remained under detention for 15 days.
He is now retired after having served 17 years as an official Pastor at Persian and Armenian churches. He is suffering from severe heart disease and has undergone several surgeries. Besides being a pastor he was also a Christian singer. However, high doses of medications has had negative effects on his vocal cords making him unable to continue singing Christian songs and preaching at church.
Before coming to faith in Jesus Christ, and in his younger years, Pastor Avanessian was a popular and widely known Armenian singer. He saw amazing miracles in his life through Jesus and consequently dedicated his life to the church. Being a talented young artist, he became a worship leader at the Central Assemblies of God Church in Tehran and used his art to glorify God ever since.
- Pressure on Armenian Christian Leaders
After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iranian-Armenian citizens were banned from taking most political and military positions and faced a growing restriction on their religious activities.
Recently Iranian authorities escalated pressure on Armenian Christians leaders to the same degree as Iranian Christian converts and arrested, threatened and restricted those Armenian Christian leaders who were actively evangelizing among Farsi-speaking Iranians. Arrest of several Armenian Pastors in recent months was a dark new chapter in the Islamic regime's crackdown on Christians. Pastor Robert Asseriyan, pastor of the Central AOG Church was among those arrested, and his arrest resulted in the closure of the largest Farsi-speaking church in Iran.
According to the received reports, in recent months, the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence summoned several Armenian pastors and Christian leaders asking them to either completely abandon their Christian activities, or quietly leave the country within three months.
As a result of restrictions imposed on Iranian-Armenian citizens since the Islamic Revolution, a great number of them have emigrated to other countries. From 200,000 to 250,000 Armenian population in Iran, only a small number of 60,000 are still in the country.
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