Christians in Iran Reportedly Sentenced to 80 Lashes for Drinking Wine During Communion
By Sharona Schwartz
A court in Iran has sentenced four Christian men to 80 lashes each for drinking wine during a communion ceremony, a Christian advocacy group and international news outlets reported.
The sentencing coincides with a government crackdown on so-called "house churches" -- unofficial spots in which Christians gather in Iran to practice their faith undetected. The arrests and harsh sentences suggest that despite the moderate image of President Hassan Rouhani and the outreach to Iran by the Obama administration, religious persecution of Christians in the Islamic Republic continues.
Despite Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's moderate image, the crackdown on Iranian Christians appears to be continuing. (AP)
The four men -- Behzad Taalipasand, Mehdi Reza Omidi (Youhan), Mehdi Dadkhah (Danial) and Amir Hatemi (Youhanna) -- were convicted of drinking alcohol and possessing a receiver and a satellite antenna, according to a statement issued by Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
Read more at http://news.yahoo.com/christians-iran-reportedly-sentenced-80-lashes-drinking-wine-122213900.html
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