Iran: Elderly Christian couple die after physically assaulted by police

A 62-year-old church leader and his wife have died as a result of injuries sustained from a police raid on their home in Isfehan, Iran.

Abbas Amiri died in hospital on 30 July 2008, in Isfehan, Iran, according to Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN). Mr Amiri was one of a number of church members who was physically assaulted by police officers who raided his home in Malek Shahr on 27 July 2008 during a Sunday gathering of the house church.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) also confirmed that Mr Amiri's wife, Mrs Sakineh Rahnama, died on 3 August 2008 in Masjid-Soleiman, from the injuries and emotional stress she suffered during the police raid and as a result of the loss of her husband.

2008 has seen a serious increase in the number of detentions and physical mistreatment of non-Muslims in Iran. Two church leaders who were arrested in Shiraz in May 2008 are still being kept in poor conditions, with no charges brought against them.

CSW said it was deeply concerned by the deteriorating religious freedom situation in the country.

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of CSW, said "It is devastating that gross human rights abuses continue unabated in Iran without the appropriate scrutiny and condemnation from the international community.

"At a time when the world's attention on Iran is focused on her nuclear ambitions, the suffering of religious minorities goes largely unnoticed. We call upon the British Government and the European Union to urge the Iranian Government to conduct an independent enquiry into the deaths of Abbas Amiri and Sakineh Rahnama and to cease arbitrary arrests, detention and mistreatment of religious minorities in the country."