Additional Name(s): محمد اسلامدوست
Gender: Male
Current Location: محمد اسلامدوست
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Acquitted
Sentence: Originally 5 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: February/15/2019
Date of Sentencing: October/13/2019
Date of Release: January/1/2022
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Practicing Religion as a Convert Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Illegal Assembly
Shahrooz Eslamdoust was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert.
On February 15, 2019, authorities arrested Eslamdoust at a house-church. Other members of the Church of Iran in Rasht were reportedly arrested around the same time.
On July 24, 2019, a judge reportedly set an exorbitantly high bail for Eslamdoust forcing him to remain in prison. During this hearing, it is also reported that Eslamdoust was not allowed to choose his own lawyer.
On October 13, 2019, Eslamdoust was sentenced to five years in prison for “assembling and colluding to act against national security" (Art. 610 IPC).
In March 2020, Eslamdoust's appeal was rejected after he and his lawyer were reportedly not allowed to attend the hearing.
On January 1, 2022, Eslamdoust was reportedly conditionally released from Evin Prison pending a review of his case.
In February 2022, a court of appeals acquitted Eslamdoust.
Photo attributed to Article 18
"Case closed: Christians’ house-church worship was not ‘action against national security’" Article 18
"Nine Christian converts conditionally released following Supreme Court ruling" Article 18
"Mohammad Eslamdoust" United for Iran
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"Christian converts lose appeals against five-year sentences" Article 18
"Nine Christian converts given five-year sentences" Article 18
"‘Judge of Death’ increases converts’ bail tenfold after they insist on choosing lawyer" Article 18
"Arrests of Rasht Christians continue, taking total to 9 in a month" Article 18