Mehdi was arrested along with three other Christians on charges of “acting against national security” and “forming an illegal evangelical Christian group” in January 2019. They were also condemned for collaborating with missionary groups in Russia, Georgia, Turkey and Armenia.

The Christians were interrogated and detained in solitary incarceration for 30 days. Judge Mohammad Moghiseh – infamous for impending harsh sentences – increased the bail amount before releasing them. Each one of them had to pay 7 billion tomans – the equivalent of USD 140,000. The judge also shouted at them: “Your actions are worthy of death! Who set this low bail amount for you, so you could be free to roam about on the streets?”

Three of the Christians received a prison sentence of 10 years each, and the fourth one was punished with a five-year-prison term. Mehdi was stunned by the outcome and stated: “I don’t know what to say if someone asked me how I acted against national security. I only know that I am, and will remain, a Christian, and that I will preach about the light of God and kingdom of heaven to everyone.”

He was treated terribly in prison. He had to endure harsh circumstances and constant torturing. Whilst incarcerated, he received the terrible news that his only son had died from complications in relation to his congenital cerebral palsy in 2021. Mehdi was forced to spend lengthy periods of time in solitary confinement whilst battling with the guilt of not being able to be with his dying son. He was permitted a short visit to his son’s hospital just before the boy’s death. Mehdi referred to this as “20 golden minutes”. He also stated: “When Amir-Ali saw me in handcuffs and prison clothes, he was reassured that I had not abandoned him. … I consider the best moment of my life to be the last time I hugged my Amir-Ali.”

Mehdi appealed against his sentence several times. Eventually he was pardoned on the 24th of September this year. 

According to a report released by Amnesty International in 2022: “Iranian prisoners were subjected to floggings, electric shocks, mock executions, waterboarding, sexual violence, suspension, force-feeding of chemical substances, and deliberate deprivation of medical care”.

Source: https://www.christianpost.com/