Iranian-Armenian Christians Detained On Visit

Elisa Shahvardian, an Armenian Christian, has been detained along with her husband during a visit to her family.

The couple were apprehended by Iran's Ministry of Intelligence agents on August 24, taken from a friend's residence in Tehran, and transported to Evin prison.

Elisa was eventually released on bail. Her husband, Hakop Gochumyan, remains detained in Evin, exceeding four months since their initial arrest during their visit to Iran with their two children.

The family had personal belongings confiscated including Christian books. While the children were entrusted to an aunt, Elisa and her husband faced prolonged interrogations in solitary confinement.

Despite their tribulations, neither Elisa nor Hakop received official charges, a clear violation of international human rights standards.

Elisa, accused of participating in "illegal Christian activities," steadfastly refuted in a post on X any wrongdoing during their visit to Iran. Christianity, Judaism and Islam are legal in Iran where minorities such as Bahai are not.