by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - A new report by the Article 18 persecution watchdog draws attention to the plight of “faceless” Christians facing intense government persecution in Iran.
Reporting annually on the situation facing Iranian Christians, Article18 is a UK-based non-profit “dedicated to the protection and promotion of religious freedom in Iran and advocating on behalf of its persecuted Christians.” The group’s latest report for 2023 is titled ‘Faceless Victims: Rights Violations Against Christians in Iran’ and was released on Feb. 19 in collaboration with Open Doors, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), and Middle East Concern.
According to the Article 18 report, many Christians in Iran cannot have their faces or names publicized for fear of government retribution.“Despite a comparable number of Christians being arrested in 2023 as in previous years – 166 arrests were documented in 2023, compared to 134 in 2022 – fewer names and faces could be publicised,” the report says.
The report notes that the second half of 2023 saw a surge in the number of Christians arrested by the Tehran regime, compared to “just a handful reported prior to June, then over 100 within the next three months, before a further rash of arrests at Christmas.”
Article 18 notes in particular that one third of those arrested were Christians in possession of multiple copies of the Bible.
In addition to arrest and imprisonment, Iranian Christians are subjected to “monitoring and harassment; denial of employment and education; and new charges or reopened cases” which make it “increasingly difficult for Christians to remain in Iran,” Article 18 said in its report.
The Islamist government of Iran has placed the country at 9 on the US Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.