After thirteen years of marriage, a converted Christian couple, Sam Khosravi and Maryam Falahi adopted Lydia, a three-month-old child. But when the couple was convicted for patronising a house church, the Iranian courts decided to take their child away, because they did not raise her appropriately. The controversial decision was made on the 19th of July and came into force on the 22nd of September.

In addition to the parents’ crime, the judge discovered that the biological mother of the child was a Muslim woman, and this fact also contributed to his choice, to forbid her continued adoption by Christians.

The couple approached an influential Islamic leader of the country, and got a document, according to which, due to the health conditions of the child, and to her attachment to her adoptive parents, it would be impossible to find another adoptive family. However, the court ignored their request, and the child is going into state care.

The “sin” of this couple was participating in a house church, and possessing books entitled, “Who is Jesus” or “Get to know the Bible”.

Even though the Ministry of International Affairs of Iran declared that no one goes in prison for his faith, this couple, apart from losing their child, lost their job, were obligated to pay a fine of 400 dollars (a four monthly salary in Iran), and the man was condemned to one year prison, and two years of house arrest.

Source: Open Doors Brazil

Photo: Article 18