9th February, 2015
An Iranian Christian has been released after nearly three years in prison in southern Iran, BosNewsLife learned last week.
Christians and activists told BosNewsLife that Vahid Hakani, who converted to Christianity, was released last week at Adel Abad Prison in Shiraz city.
He and fellow Christian inmates had reportedly gone on hunger strike several times, demanding their conditional release amid concerns over their poor health condition.
Hakani was detained by Iran’s feared intelligence agency on 8th February, 2012 in Shiraz with nine other Christian converts, Christians said.
His detention has been linked to his Christian conversion and activities.
Before his 26th January release, he was reportedly forced to sign a document pledging to "no contacts with house churches and Christian communities".
Christian activists suggested that his future remains uncertain as he was released on parole. "A prisoner parole means that any time the court can again summon a person and sent him to prison," said the Voice Of Iranian Christians advocacy group.
Iran has launched a crackdown on converts, including many former Muslims, and home churches across the country, according to activists and local believers.
Despite the reported crackdown, missionaries estimate there are at least 100,000 evangelical Christians in the strict Islamic nation.
