HRANA – Morteza Faghanpour Sasi, a Christian convert from Varamin, has been sentenced by Branch 1 of the city’s Revolutionary Court to eight years and eleven months in prison.

The verdict, issued on July 16 by Judge Ashkan Ramesh, includes seven years and six months in prison on the charge of “educational and promotional activities deemed deviant and contrary to Islamic Sharia, in connection with foreign countries.” He was also given an additional 17 months for insulting the Supreme Leader. Following his appeal, the case has been referred to Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, presided over by Judge Ahmad Zargar.

A source close to the Faghanpour family told HRANA: “Evidence presented against him included the alleged illegal distribution of Christian literature, enrollment in several online foreign universities to study evangelism, and publishing a caricature of the Supreme Leader on social media.”

HRANA has also learned that a separate part of his case, concerning the charge of insulting sacred beliefs, has been referred to Branch 104 of the Criminal Court II in Varamin, presided over by Judge Mohammad Hossein Esmail Morineh. The trial on this charge is scheduled for October 7.

Morteza (Calvin) Faghanpour Sasi, son of Abbas, was arrested on June 14 by security forces and transferred to Evin Prison. After his arrest, agents searched his residence and confiscated books, religious images, and his mobile phone.

He spent one month under interrogation in Ward 240 of Evin Prison, followed by 20 days in Ward 209. Unable to post bail, he remained for four months in Ward 8 before being temporarily released after providing two salary slips.

It should be noted that HRANA recently reported on the sentencing of Hesamoddin (Yahya) Mohammad Joneydi, another Christian convert from Varamin and a co-defendant in this case, who received eight years and one month in prison.