Christian Solidarity Worldwide says Matthias Haghnejad's arrest is another example of an escalation in the state's campaign against converts to Christianity.
It understood Pastor Matthias Haghnejad was arrested on July 5th, after Iranian security forces raided his home in Karaj and confiscated bibles, pamphlets and his personal computer. According to reports received by CSW, on August 3rd Pastor Matthias was interrogated by Judge Mohammad Yari of the Sixth Branch of the Revolutionary Tribunal of Karaj for two hours before being charged with "Moharebeh".
Although the new Islamic Penal Code, which came into effect in 2013, prohibits capital punishment for "Moharebeh" in cases not involving the use of a weapon, the charge is regularly levelled against political activists from ethnic minority communities.
According to CSW, an ongoing spike in executions under the Rouhani presidency has seen eight men executed for "Moharebeh" this year, including Ahwazi Arab poet and cultural rights activist Hashem Shaabani and his colleague Hadi Rashedi. Those accused of this crime generally complain of having been tortured to elicit false confessions, of the denial of access to legal assistance, and of unfair trials conducted in the absence of witnesses.
CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said, "We urge the Government of Iran to end its harassment of Pastor Matthias. Levelling a charge of warring against God against a man whose role and calling precludes violence and emphasises service and obedience to God is unjustifiable, implausible and tantamount to an indictment of Christianity itself. These charges constitute a worrying escalation of Iran's campaign against Christians, adding a sinister new component to the regime's appalling litany of religious freedom violations".
The organisation has also called on the international community "insist on discernible and consistent improvements" in human rights, and on the upholding of rights stipulated in international covenants to which Iran is party, as benchmarks for improving bilateral and multilateral relations.