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Officers seize Christians from their home, leaving ill 4-year-old girl
unattended. LOS ANGELES, June 28 (Compass Direct News) – Security police officials
in Tehran this month tortured a newly converted couple and threatened to
put their 4-year-old daughter in an institution after arresting them for
holding Bible studies and attending a house church.
A Christian source in Iran said that 28-year-old Tina Rad was charged
with “activities against the holy religion of Islam” for reading the
Bible with Muslims in her home in east Tehran and trying to convert
them. Officials charged her husband, 31-year-old Makan Arya, with
“activities against national security” after seizing the couple from
their home on June 3, forcing them to leave their 4-year-old daughter
ill and unattended. Authorities kept them in an unknown jail for four days, which left them
badly bruised from beatings, with Rad “very ill” and unable to walk,
said the source. Rad was released on bail of US$30,000 bail, and her
husband was freed on payment of US$20,000. “The next time there may also be an apostasy charge, if you don’t stop
with your Jesus,” a female security police officer told Rad during
interrogation, according to the source. Under Iran’s strict Islamic
laws, Muslims who convert from Islam to another religion can be executed. A draft law before the Iranian parliament would make the death penalty
mandatory for “apostates” who leave Islam. “They went to a court hearing just for show,” the source said, “as
secret police had already taken their signatures by force with a
statement that they had not changed their religion.” The charges, however, are still open, said the source, a close friend of
the couple. The female security police official warned Rad that if she and her
husband continued attending a house church and holding Bible studies,
they could be imprisoned “for a very long time” and would lose their
daughter, Odzhan Arya. An officer also told Rad that authorities could
concoct a drug case against them, “and you will be punished as drug
smugglers.” A male security police official also threatened Rad, who along with her
husband received Christ as savior about three months ago, the source said. “He told Tina during the interrogation that if she doesn’t cooperate and
tell some names and addresses, she won’t see her daughter for a long
time,” the source said. “They said, ‘Next time if we catch you, you are
going to miss your whole family forever.’” An officer also told Arya that authorities could place his daughter “in
a protected religious institution.” The charge against Arya of “activities against national security” was
based on his allowing Bible sessions with Muslims in his apartment and
trying to go to the house church, the source said. Confirmation from the couple’s denomination of their arrest and
mistreatment was not immediately available. Forced Statements The couple was forced to sign a statement, the source said, that they
wouldn’t go back to their house church and that they would have no
contact with other Christians – and that if they did, “they will be
punished by the law of Islam.” The charges and forced statements seem to contravene the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a party, giving
it the force of law. Article 18 of the covenant stipulates that everyone
shall have the right to adopt a religion or belief, as well as freedom
individually or in community in public or private to manifest one’s
religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching. The couple would forfeit their bail and their freedom if secret
religious police catch them engaged in Christian activities, they were
told in the court before their release. “They were tortured psychologically and physically,” the source said.
“There are a lot of blue places on their bodies. Tina can’t walk well
and is very ill, and her husband Makan is still very shocked.” The couple was arrested after a relative of Arya informed security
police of the couple’s Christian activities. According to the friend of
the couple, officers confiscated their personal computer, satellite dish
and television set, as well as all books, videos, CDs, DVDs and even a
photo album. “Tina is very sick, and because of the pain on the right side of her
head from the torture, and the shock of the whole situation, she can’t
leave the house and their daughter,” the source said. “She knows for
sure that they are monitored in all their communications.” Societal Hostilities Following their arrest, the husband and wife also suffered at the hands
of family and area Muslims. In order to make the bail payments, Arya obtained financial help from
his father – on the condition that he promise to divorce his wife. “So he did [promise], and now of course he refuses to divorce,” the
source said. “So his father gave him an ultimatum. There is
discrimination even in the family against them.” Rad, Makan Arya, daughter Odzhan Rad, Makan Arya, daughter Odzhan
After their release, the couple found the window of their clothing shop
had been smashed. “Almost the whole street knows about them, so imagine how difficult
their business is,” said the source. “They want to change the shop and
go somewhere else. Every day and night they get some calls from unknown
people, and their life at this moment is under invisible and visible
surveillance.” On Monday (June 23) Arya received letters at both the clothing shop and
his home stating that he must place evidence on his new window pane
indicating his Islamic faith by displaying a statement and photos, or
else he would have to buy a new window every day. The source said Arya displayed a photo of Islamic leaders on the window,
“but they want to go somewhere else.” Arya went to area police asking for protection, the source said, “but
they told him not to lie and to ‘go do something about it if you are a
real believer of Islam.’”
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