The U.S. State Department has classified Iran as a “country of particular concern” for “having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom.”

“Concern for Christian convert after two weeks’ detention in unknown location,” Article 18, June 12, 2024:

A Christian convert arrested last month remains in detention in an unknown location, as his wife and two daughters grow increasingly concerned.

Farrokh Kakaei, who will celebrate his 55th birthday later this month, was arrested at his home in Karaj on 26 May by four plainclothes officers of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, before being taken away to an unknown location.

It is also unknown whether Farrokh has received any formal or informal charges, but the arresting agents confiscated a framed image of Jesus, alongside his laptop, mobile phone, and computer hard-drive.

Farrokh, who grew up in a Yarsani family in Kermanshah, has been able to call home twice during his detention, but could not say where he was being held.

At least 14 Iranian Christians have been arrested so far this year, but few have given permission to publish their cases, leading to a continuing sense of “faceless victims” – a trend that inspired the title of Article18’s latest annual report….