For some years the Bet- Tamraz family has been persecuted in Iran because of their religious activities. Ramil, the son of pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz, was accused before the courts on false charges and was recently sentenced to four years imprisonment.  

The sentence handed down on the 8th of July was for his “illegal activities in churches.” In 2016, Ramil had already been arrested and was given a four-month prison sentence. A friend of Ramil organised a conditional release at a cost of €28,000. Ramil did not wish to accept the offer.

Ramil’s family are disputing what they believe to be false accusations. Several members of the Bet-Tamraz family have already been accused of “working against the national security and the government with their illegal Christian events.” They have also been accused of “spying on behalf of the Christian church in Iran”.  According to the family, the accusations against them are groundless; they are but tactics used by the Iranian government who wish to destroy the Christian churches that function in private houses.

In 2017, Victor Bet-Tamraz- pastor of the Pentecostal church in Tehran- was sentenced to ten years in prison for ‘evangelising’ and for ‘illegal activities in the houses which function as churches’ and for other invented reasons.

On the 27th of June 2018, the sister of Rami, daughter of Victor Bet-Tamraz, filed a complaint to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations in Geneva. She objected to the false accusations made against her family members and hopes to have their convictions overthrown.

On the 6th of January 2018, Victor’s wife Shamiram was sentenced to five years penal servitude. She is currently appealing the sentence.

Translator: Ildikó Ungvári

Source: Portes Ouvertes