33 Protestant ministers killed in Iran, monitoring group says

Iran has stepped up its crackdown on Christians in recent months, and at least 33 Protestant ministers have been killed, according to figures from Iran Alive Ministries cited by Catholic Connect, a portal linked to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India.

Iran Alive Ministries is based in Texas and monitors religious persecution in Iran.

Of the 131 Christians arrested by Iranian authorities in that period, 14 remain in prison, and some of them are at imminent risk of the death penalty.

The group says the killings and arrests are not isolated incidents but a coordinated campaign against Protestant religious leaders.

Impact on the faithful and religious life

The crackdown extends to ordinary believers as well as to religious leaders. The families of those executed and imprisoned face stigma and restrictions on their freedom of movement and association. Protestant congregations, forced underground, are severely restricted in their ability to meet, pray and practice their faith openly.

Governments, human rights organizations and religious networks around the world have called on Iranian authorities to respect religious freedom and fundamental human rights. Those rights are set out in international instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Political context

The Iranian state has historically regarded Christianity as a threat to its religious and political authority, and its policies of ideological control have hardened in recent months. Authorities have treated conversion to Christianity and Protestant practice as forms of political and cultural subversion.

According to reports from faith organizations, Iran's Christian community continues its evangelization and pastoral work underground. It is seeking international support, appealing to human rights bodies and governments to apply diplomatic pressure on Iranian authorities.