Morning Star News, 16 October 2022 (excerpts)
When authorities in Iran summoned a Christian couple in Tehran on Aug. 13, the house-church members supposed it concerned the return of their confiscated belongings.
Instead, Homayoun Zhaveh and his wife Sara Ahmadi were detained in Tehran’s Evin Prison, notorious for its harsh treatment of people deemed political enemies of the state.
Christian Solidarity International recently issued a call for prayer for Zhaveh, 63, and Ahmadi, 44. Middle East Concern reported they were first arrested in June 2019 for belonging to an “illegal organization” – Zhaveh spending a month in Evin Prison and Ahmadi held there for 67 days – half in solitary confinement.
In November 2020, Ahmadi was sentenced to 11 years in prison for her alleged role in leading a house church and Zhaveh to 2 years for house church membership, including a 2-year ban on membership in any social or political group, a 2-year ban on foreign travel and 6 months of community service.
The convictions were upheld on appeal in December 2020, but Ahmadi’s prison sentence was reduced to eight years. They expected to start their sentences on June 15, 2021, at Evin in the COVID-19 pandemic, but were told they could return home for an indeterminate time.
Now when “Homayoun and Sara answered a summons to the prison, expecting to have confiscated property returned,” MEC stated. “They were both detained.”