Dokument #1228326
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
Several sources have reported on the right
of Armenian Christians to maintain their Christian identity
(The Christian Science Monitor 3 Feb. 1998; IRNA News
Agency 12 June 1997; UN 16 Jan. 1995) and the continued existence
of Christian schools (ibid.; The Armenian Reporter. 22
June 1996; US Department of State 1997). Christians, and other
minority religions, are able to elect representatives to
parliamentary seats reserved for this purpose (ibid.).
According to both the UN and Iranian
Christians International (ICI) the language of instruction in
Christian churches is either Armenian or Syrian, but not Farsi (UN
16 Jan. 1995; ICI 15 Dec. 1998). However, Human Rights Watch states
that while Armenians, Assyrians and Chaldeans conduct their
services in their own languages, other Christians conduct their
services in Farsi (Sept. 1997, 15).
During a 15 December 1998 telephone
interview the Executive Director of Iranian Christians
International, an evangelical Christian organization that
disseminates information and acts as an advocacy group for Iranian
refugees, said that Armenian schools are "closely controlled" by
the Iranian government. He said that the books they are permitted
to use are edited and published by the government and that some of
their principals are Muslim. He said that some Armenian Orthodox
churches do not allow Muslims to attend services for fear of being
accused of proselytizing. The Office Manager of the Armenian
Missionary Association of America (AMAA), which maintains relations
with the Armenian Evangelical Church, in a 16 December 1998
telephone interview, also stated that some principals of Christian
schools are Muslims. Moreover, he said that the government
supervises and directs school programs, including the setting of
curricula.
While the ICI claims that there has been an
"escalation of persecution of ordinary Iranian Muslim converts to
Christianity and other Evangelical Christians in Iran" since the
May 1997 elections (May 1998, 2), the Office Manager of the AMAA
stated that the government treatment of members of the Armenian
Evangelical Church is not as bad as previously, particularly during
the time when three pastors were killed in 1994 (15 Dec. 1998). He
stated that a pastor from one of the church's three affiliates in
Tehran visited the AMAA in Paramus, New Jersey in the fall of 1998
and that previously the government would not have allowed this
person to leave Iran.
ICI rates the greatest concentrations of
Armenian Christians in order of numbers as: Tehran, Jolfa and in
Azerbaijan, near the border with Armenia (ICI 15 Dec. 1998).
According to Iran: A Travel Survival Kit , "the greatest
Christian communities are in Orumiyé, Tabriz, Tehran
(especially around Kheyabun-é Nejatollahi), Esfahan
(especially in the suburb of Jolfa), Shiraz and throughout
Azarbayjan" (1992). This publication reported that the inhabitants
of Jolfa "have always been predominantly if not exclusively
Christian" and that there are 14 Christian churches in that area
(150). One of these is the Vank Cathedral (Kelisa-yé Vank)
which is "the historic focal point of the Armenian church in Iran,
although it has to a certain extent been supplanted by the recent
Armenian cathedral in Tehran" (ibid.). In Azerbaijan many Armenians
live in towns west of Lake Orumiyé (ibid., 276). The town of
the same name (also known as Urmiyé) is the centre of a
"long-established Christian community" and Armenian churches are
among the largest in the area (ibid., 279). The Church of St.
Thaddaeus (also known as Black Church, Kelisa-yé Tatavus and
Kelisa-yé Tadi) was named after an Armenian martyr and is
next to the settlement of Ghara Kelisa (Black Church) in the
Azerbaijan region (ibid., 285). Services are held only once a year
at this church when Armenians from all over Iran attend for a
three-day ceremony (ibid.). Eighteen kilometers west-north-west
outside of Jolfa is the Church of St. Stephanos (Kelisa
Darré Sham) which is an Armenian monastery on the Azerbaijan
border (ibid., 294).
On 22 June 1996, The Armenian
Reporter reported that the Armenian Evangelical Church only
had three remaining churches in Iran which were located in Tehran.
It named the churches as: St John's Central Church, "Hokeshounch"
Church, and "Shnorhali" Church. Each of these churches was trying
to maintain a Sunday School, a Youth Group, and Bible Study classes
(ibid.). There is also a School of Theology at St. John's that
trains church workers, as well as Gohar-Mesrob Armenian Evangelical
School, beside St. John's, which had 300 students at the time of
the report (ibid.). It is under the jurisdiction of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, but Armenian Evangelicals also participate
(ibid.). The Office Manager of the AMAA confirmed the names and
existence of the three churches in Tehran and said that they are
the only churches of the Armenian Evangelical Church that are left
in Iran (16 Dec. 1998). He also confirmed the existence of the
Gohar-Mesrob Armenian Evangelical School, but reported the spelling
as Kohar Mesrob. He agreed that it was under the jurisdiction of
the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church but also indicated that a
number of Armenian evangelicals attend.
The Iranian company, Apadana, has posted a
list of 33 Christian churches in Tehran on its Internet Website,
one of which is clearly identified as Armenian - The Armenian
Evangelical Church (St. John) - and one of which is indicated as
being located in the Armenian quarter - St. Minas Church. Please
see the attached text of the list for the names, addresses, and
telephone numbers of all the Christian churches.
For information on Iran's treatment of
religious minorities please see Iran: Religious and Ethnic
Minorities (HRW Sept. 1997), United States Policies in
Support of Religious Freedom: Focus on Christians (DOS 1997)
and World Report 1997 (HRW 1998) available in Regional
Documentation Centres.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is
not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any
particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Apadana, Iran. "Churches, Synagogues,
Adrians." [Internet] www.apadana.com:80/iran/minority.htm
[Accessed on 15 Dec. 1998]
The Armenian Reporter. 22 June
1996. "Armenian Evangelical Ordination in Iran." (The Ethnic News
Watch 16 Sept. 1996/NEXIS)
The Christian Science Monitor.
3 February 1998. Michael Theodoulou. "Jews in Iran Describe a Life
of Freedom Despite All Anti-Israel Actions by Tehran." (NEXIS)
Human Rights Watch (HRW). September
1997. Iran: Religious and Ethnic Minorities: Discrimination in
Law and Practice. New York: Human Rights Watch.
Iranian Christian International (ICI),
Colorado Springs. 15 December 1998. Telephone interview with
Executive Director.
IRNA News Agency [Tehran, in English].
12 June 1997. "Foreign Minister in Talks With Iranian President in
Tehran." (BBC Summary 17 June 1997/NEXIS)
United Nations. Economic and Social
Council, Commission on Human Rights. 16 January 1995. (General
E/CN.4/1995/55) Question of the Violation of Human Rights, With
Particular Reference to Colonial and Other Dependent Countries and
Territories: Report on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic
Republic of Iran Prepared by the Special Representative of the
Commission. [Internet] www.unhchr.ch [Accessed 11 Dec. 1998]
United States Department of State. 1997.
United States Policies in Support of Religious Freedom: Focus
on Christians. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Affairs: Washington.
Attachment
Apadana, Iran. "Churches, Synagogues,
Adrians." [Internet] www.apadana.com:80/iran/minority.htm
[Accessed on 15 Dec. 1998] Four pages.