ACLJ Files Urgent UPR at U.N. Human Rights Council Urging Intervention for Innocent Christian Pastor Locked Up in Infamous Iranian Prison for His Faith

Iran is the number one state sponsor of terrorism around the world. It sponsors deadly terrorist attacks around the world, including the horrific October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. But Iran is not just endangering the lives of Israelis and putting Jewish people – and Christians and American troops – around the world in danger. Christians in Iran face alarming abuse, harassment, imprisonment, and even death because of their faith.

Right now, a Christian pastor is locked behind bars in a nightmare prison in Iran simply because of his faith. We’ve gone to the United Nations urging international intervention to save this innocent Christian.

Pastor Matthias Abdolreza Ali-Haghnejad was arrested when his house church’s Christmas party was raided by the Iranian government. His wife was later charged with “propaganda against the state.” Sadly, Pastor Matthias has already endured multiple arrests and imprisonments for his Christian faith, beginning as far back as 2006.  Now he’s been wrongfully sentenced to 6 more years in prison for a “crime” that he was supposedly acquitted of in 2014.

We submitted our Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC) through our European affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), detailing the unconscionable treatment of Christians in Iran and urging action to help overturn the injustice against Pastor Matthias.

We’re fighting for his life, just as we fought for years to save Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani – a friend of Pastor Matthias – who, as we told you, was charged with apostasy – abandoning Islam for Christianity – and sentenced to death.

After we launched a massive international advocacy campaign for his freedom, Pastor Youcef was set free. Sadly, just a few years later, Iranian authorities stormed Youcef’s home and brutally beat him in front of his family before hauling him off to jail.

Pastor Youcef was then sentenced to Iran’s Evin Prison, sometimes labeled a “torture factory.” We went to the U.N. on behalf of Pastor Youcef – and all endangered Christians in Iran – and urged international intervention to free him and hold Iran accountable.

Thankfully, Pastor Youcef is once again free, but his friend Pastor Matthias is now suffering brutal imprisonment for his faith.

Iran’s own constitution states that: “the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and all Muslims are duty-bound to treat non-Muslims in conformity with ethical norms and the principles of Islamic justice and equity, and to respect their human rights.”

But Iran’s actions historically show another story – one that completely disregards its own constitution, as well as its obligations to human rights as a U.N. member state. It’s clear that while Iran’s constitution paints it as a bastion for religious freedom, that’s just another deception thinly masking a darker truth. Hence, that’s why Pastor Matthias remains locked away in a nightmarish facility, exiled almost 1,000 miles from his wife and daughter in another notorious Iranian prison facility, Minab Prison – known for executions and inhumane conditions – because of his Christian faith.

Iran’s Minab Prison has been publicly condemned by Amnesty International for its disgusting, inhumane facilities and abusive treatment of inmates:

Prisoners in Minab prison suffer from overcrowding and bed shortages forcing many prisoners to sleep on the floor including in the prison corridors. Meals provided by the prison are low quality and contain very little nutrition.

For all its constitutional claims of treating “non-Muslims in conformity with ethical norms . . . and to respect their human rights,” this is where Iran sends you if you dare proclaim the Gospel – and that’s if you’re lucky. Iranian authorities are known to punish Christian prisoners with this severe isolation.

According to Amnesty International:

Prosecution and prison authorities in Iran routinely deny prisoners access to adequate medical care, in many cases as an intentional act of cruelty intended to intimidate and punish them. Dozens of cases of suspicious deaths in custody with suspected links to the denial of medical care have been reported in recent years amid a crisis of impunity for violations of the right to life.

This prison is another hotbed of human rights violations. Pastor Matthias has already endured harassment, interrogations, exorbitant fines, and imprisonment. There is no justification for moving him to such a horrific facility except retaliation. But let’s be honest: a callous disregard for humanity should be expected from Iran.

We have submitted our UPR to the U.N. highlighting the plight of Pastor Matthias and urging the international community to place maximum pressure on Iran to honor its charter and its constitution and set him free.

Iran must be held accountable. No one should be targeted and imprisoned for peacefully practicing their faith. And no prisoner deserves to endure such horrid conditions and psychological (and likely physical) abuse – especially not an innocent Christian pastor.

Take action with us to demand Pastor Matthias’ freedom now.