Standing Up for the Rights of Iranian Christians

While we continue to work to protect your religious and constitutional freedoms here at home, I want to inform you about an important decision in a case from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) - a case that involved our international affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ).

The European court has ruled in favor of an Iranian family who converted to Christianity - a family who is seeking asylum in the country of Turkey.  The Turkish government previously denied the family asylum and sent them back to Iran.  Such a move, of course, puts the family at great risk because of their conversion to Christianity.

In its decision, the ECHR found that Turkey had violated Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights which prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment when they ignored international mandates and sent the family back to Iran.

The family was granted refugee status by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and in the decision issued by the ECHR, the court noted that the UNHCR correctly concluded that the family had "a well-founded fear of persecution" because of their Christian faith.

It's an important case and the ECLJ filed an amicus brief in support of the Iranian Christians.  The ECHR cited the ECLJ brief noting that Christian converts in Iran face grave danger because of their faith.

You can read more about this case here.

Standing up for the rights of Christians - in this country - and around the world.  It's the work and mission of the ACLJ and our international affiliate organizations.