Last updated:

January 28, 2025

Campaign Introduction: The Church is the Right of Christians (Khamma)

This is a caption

This is a caption
Fatemeh Mohammadi

We all, as human beings, deserve to have peace, security, and equal rights. Before we are born and before we choose our beliefs and ideologies, we inherit a distinct and unchangeable identity, and then through growth and exploration, we choose our path. Before we are Christian, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Kalimi, Baha’i, Muslim, atheist, or followers of any other religion or ideology, we are Iranian and we have a share of Iran’s water and soil, and above all, we are human beings.

As an Iranian citizen, regardless of our beliefs, we are obligated and responsible to abide by the laws and regulations, including paying taxes, in Iran. Consequently, we must also be entitled to a set of rights within the framework of written and enforceable laws.

Discrimination against Persian-speaking Christians in Iran

According to Articles 18 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which emphasize freedom of belief and expression, as well as principles 13, 14, 19, 22, 23, and 26 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic and Articles 10, 13, 25, 36, and 118 of the Citizenship Rights Charter of Hassan Rouhani’s government, Iranian Christians of Persian descent are recognized as religious minorities and must, while ensuring their security, have equal rights as other citizens. However, unfortunately, these rights are only on paper and there is no practical evidence of equal rights. The violation of the rights of individuals, groups, and different classes is a clear example of discrimination and violence against them.

One of the most fundamental rights of Christians, which unfortunately has been violated in Iran, is the right to have a designated and official place for conducting religious ceremonies and personal affairs such as marriage, under the name of church. Participation in these ceremonies is a normal and accepted practice in the world, except in a few third world countries that violate human rights. This issue remains a red line in the governing system of Iran.

Persian-speaking Christians in Iran, due to the lack of an official Persian-speaking church and unfamiliarity with Armenian and Assyrian languages, and the ban on entering Armenian and Assyrian churches by court order, have resorted to forming and holding home churches.

A home church is a place where Christians gather and perform their religious ceremonies, including reading and analyzing the Bible, singing worship songs, and other rituals. The location of a home church is usually the home of one of the Christians.

The formation of house churches in Iran is considered a threat to national security and has resulted in Christians facing punishments such as deprivation of social rights, exile, fines, and even being prohibited from leaving the country, in addition to facing long-term imprisonment.

Despite the commitment of the Islamic Republic to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Constitution and the Charter of Citizenship Rights, Christians are being detained and faced with false political and security charges and heavy punishments. Due to their Christian beliefs, Christians in Iran do not feel safe and are worried and anxious about a future that may involve at least one arrest, interrogation, solitary confinement, imprisonment, humiliation, insult, threat, defamation, deprivation of social rights, filing of cases, involving close relatives of the accused in punishments, entering and violating their personal privacy in the name of security, searching and insulting their beliefs, searching their homes and personal belongings, and forcing them to deny and abandon their beliefs.

These pressures and violence have led to the suppression and lack of protest against restrictions and the silence and oppression of Iranian Christians living in Iran due to fear of increasing violence by the ruling regime. One of the actions taken by Christians to escape this injustice and persecution is seeking refuge in accepting countries.

With the description, the problems of Christians have turned into a case of non-Christian asylum seekers and the abuse of it has resulted in turning the problems of Christians into a burned case and depriving them of peace, security, and a true refuge, both in their homeland and in the host countries. They are condemned to exile and accepting injustice and discrimination. This is happening while the absence of the church and the presence of Christians in Iran leads to the continuation of home churches and the increase in arrests or attacks against Christians towards host countries and accepting various dangers, including dangers that sometimes target their lives, and the non-acceptance and deportation of them overall intensifies the oppression and violence against Christians.

According to reliable statistics presented by the organization Open Doors, which is a non-governmental and people-based organization, the Islamic Republic of Iran ranks tenth in the world for persecution, hostility, and violence against Christians in 2017. The countries ranked one to nine, in order, are: North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Pakistan, Eritrea, Libya, Iraq, and Yemen. However, the difference in the level of violence against Christians in Iran compared to countries ranked one to nine is very small.

According to the report of this organization, the number of Christians in Iran in 2017 was announced to be 800,000, with a high level of persecution and torture against Christians being reported. Due to the crime of apostasy in the Islamic Republic system, which is in contradiction with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (which the Islamic Republic has also committed to implementing), there is no accurate statistic of Christians in Iran. Therefore, the number of 800,000 Christians in Iran is certainly much lower than the actual number.

The mentioned cases are just a small part of the numerous obstacles and difficulties faced by Christians in Iran.

The campaign of Khama

My insistence is on achieving the rights of the oppressed, because we must claim our rights rather than giving up on them and paving the way for the increase and promotion of violence.

For this reason, I have started the movement (campaign) “Church is the Right of Christians (Khamma)” which its main theme and content is the necessity to stop violence against Christians by addressing one of the major problems of Christians, which is the lack of church and security, which according to “Maslow’s hierarchy of needs” is one of the basic human needs and is placed in the lower levels of the hierarchy.

The opening of Persian-language churches in all provinces of Iran, considering the high number of Christians, is seen as a step towards reducing discrimination and oppression against Christians and eliminating one of the main factors contributing to violence against this religious minority (the lack of an official Persian-language church).

Supporting the Christian community in Iran, who are under severe oppression and suppression and are completely banned from freedom of belief and expression, is considered a civil and human rights movement. It is not necessary to be a Christian to support those who are under pressure, injustice, and suffocation, because we are all human.

Created By: Admin
November 22, 2018

Tags

Christians Fatima Mohammadi Home church Kahma Monthly Peace Line Magazine peace line