Report: Iranian Courts Hand Christians Over 280 Years in Prison in 2025
Hussain Hazbavi 
Iranian courts sentenced Christians to more than 280 years in prison in 2025, according to a joint report by four rights groups, amid what advocates describe as an expanding use of national security laws to suppress religious dissent.
The report documents 254 arrests during the year nearly double the number recorded in 2024 and says authorities increasingly label Christian converts as “security threats” following regional tensions.
Titled Scapegoats, the report says the Islamic Republic is using national security frameworks to intensify pressure on religious minorities, particularly those who have left Islam.
The study was compiled by Article 18, Open Doors, Middle East Concern, and Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
