9. Februar 2018

 

Laut den vorliegenden Quellen gehört die Armenisch-Apostolische Kirche (auch Armenisch Orthodoxe Kirche[1]) im Iran zu den vom Staat anerkannten Religionsgemeinschaften (DIS, 23. Juni 2014, S. 32-34; ICHRI, Jänner 2013, S. 20; USDOS, 15. August 2017). Zur Armenisch-Apostolischen Kirche gehöre die Mehrheit der iranischen Christen, die Kirche basiere auf nationaler und ethnischer Grundlage („national and ethnically based“) und verwende Armenisch als Liturgiesprache (Landinfo, 7. Juli 2011, S. 8). Mehrere ältere Quellen stimmen darin überein, dass die Armenisch-Apostolische Kirche nicht missionarisch tätig sei bzw. keine muslimischen Konvertiten akzeptiere (Landinfo, 7. Juli 2011, S. 8; IWPR, 27. August 2010; DIS, 23. Juni 2014, S. 32-34; ICHRI, Jänner 2013, S. 18-19). Die Kirche halte sich damit an ein Verbot der Missionierung (DIS, 23. Juni 2014, S. 32-34) bzw. folge den Vorgaben der Behörden (Landinfo, 7. Juli 2011) und vermeide so Probleme mit dem schiitischen Establishment (IWPR, 27. August 2010) bzw. der Regierung (ICHRI, Jänner 2013, S. 18-19).

 

Die Armenisch-Protestantische Kirche hingegen gehe missionarischer Tätigkeit nach, die vor allem von muslimischen Konvertiten durchgeführt werde, was den islamischen Klerus sehr verärgere (IWPR, 27. August 2010). Darüber hinaus werden im Iran auch andere protestantische Gemeinschaften genannt (ACCORD, 14. Juni 2017). Obwohl die Protestanten theoretisch neben den Armeniern und Assyrern zu den von der iranischen Verfassung anerkannten Christen zählen, seien sie in der Praxis diskriminiert und verfolgt worden und seien mit aggressiveren staatlichen Restriktionen und Menschenrechtsverletzungen konfrontiert als die ethnischen christlichen Gruppen (ICHRI, Jänner 2013, S. 20). Das norwegische Herkunftsländerinformationszentrum Landinfo weist auf den Zusammenhang zwischen missionarischer Tätigkeit unter Muslimen und staatlichen Restriktionen hin. Während traditionelle Kirchen auf ethnischer Grundlage, die es unter Armeniern und Assyrern gebe, ihre Religion im Rahmen der islamischen Republik Iran ausüben dürften, sei die Evangelisierung von Muslimen und organisierte Aktivitäten unter Konvertiten durch Kirchenschließungen, Festnahmen und Strafverfolgung bekämpft worden (Landinfo, 29. November 2017, S. 4).

 

Auch das US-Außenministerium schreibt in seinem jüngsten Bericht zur Religionsfreiheit im Iran, dass die Verfassung Christen als religiöse Minderheit anerkenne, die „im Rahmen der gesetzlichen Grenzen“ religiöse Riten und Zeremonien ausüben, religiöse Gemeinschaften bilden und ihre persönlichen Angelegenheiten und Religionserziehung entsprechend ihrem religiösen Kanon regeln dürften. Evangelikale würden hingegen nicht als Christen anerkannt. Da das Gesetz es Bürgern verbiete, vom Islam zu anderen Religionen zu konvertieren, anerkenne der Staat nur jene Bürger als Christen an, die armenische oder assyrische Christen seien, da die Anwesenheit dieser Gruppen im Iran in vorislamische Zeit zurückreiche. Berichten zufolge würden auch Bürger als Christen anerkannt, die beweisen könnten, dass ihre Familien vor der Revolution 1979 bereits Christen gewesen seien (USDOS, 15. August 2017).

 

Bürger, die Mitglieder von anerkannten religiösen Minderheiten seien, müssten sich bei den Behörden registrieren. Diese Registrierung verleihe gewisse Rechte, wie zum Beispiel den Gebrauch von Alkohol für religiöse Zwecke. Konvertiten seien nicht als Christen anerkannt und könnten sich nicht registrieren. Der Besuch von Kirchen durch nicht-registrierte Personen könne zur Schließung der Kirche und der Festnahme der Kirchenleitung führen. Das Ministerium für Kultur und islamische Führung, das Sicherheits- und Geheimdienstministerium würden religiöse Aktivitäten überwachen und die islamischen Revolutionsgarden (IRGC) würden auch Kirchen überwachen. Die Behörden würden muslimische Konvertiten daran hindern, armenische oder assyrische Kirchen zu betreten. Laut Angaben von Kirchenführern würden die Behörden armenische oder assyrische Kirchen schließen, wenn sie herausfinden, dass sie Konvertiten taufen oder in Farsi predigen. Auch würden die Behörden Berichten zufolge nicht registrierte oder nicht anerkannte Christen daran hindern, Kirchen zu betreten und würden Kirchen schließen, die den Eintritt ermöglichen. Laut christlichen Interessensgruppen („advocacy groups“) habe die Regierung durch diesen Druck und durch Kirchenschließungen in den letzten Jahren bis auf eine Handvoll alle in Farsi abgehaltenen Gottesdienste in Kirchen eliminiert und Gottesdienste auf die armenische und assyrische Sprache eingeschränkt. Sicherheitskräfte würden Gebetsstätten überwachen und Identitätskontrollen durchführen, um sicherzustellen, dass Nicht-Christen und Konvertiten nicht an Gottesdiensten teilnehmen. Als Reaktion würden viele Bürger, die zum Protestantismus oder anderen christlichen Glaubensrichtungen konvertiert seien, ihre Religion heimlich praktizieren (USDOS, 15. August 2017).

 

Weitere Quellen erwähnen ebenfalls die Überwachung von armenischen Kirchen (DW, 25. Jänner 2016; Christians in Parliament, März 2015, S. 6; ICHRI, Jänner 2013, S. 18-19), Zutrittsbeschränkungen bzw. Zutrittskontrollen (Christians in Parliament, März 2015, S. 6; ICHRI, Jänner 2013, S. 18-19; Tripadvisor, 11. November 2016) und Kirchenschließungen (Christians in Parliament, März 2015, S. 6; DIS, 23. Juni 2014, S. 32-34).

 

Im Folgenden finden Sie Ausschnitte mit Originalzitaten aus den oben verwendeten Quellen, mit weiteren Informationen zur Fragestellung:

„The vast majority of the Iranian Christians are Armenian and belong to the Apostolic Armenian church. The Armenian church is a national and ethnically based church, which uses Armenian as its liturgical language. The church does not evangelize, nor does it accept Muslim converts. […] Like the Armenian church, the Assyrian and Chaldean churches loyally follow the Iranian authorities’ instructions of restricting their religious activities to their own ranks. Also like the Armenians, the Iranian Assyrians are highly aware of their ethnic affiliation and their religious and cultural heritage.“ (Landinfo, 7. Juli 2011, S. 8)

„As a matter of principle, the main faith group, the Armenian Apostolic Church, does not engage in proselytising, and so avoids running into trouble with the Shia establishment. Nor does the smaller Armenian Catholic Church. The Armenian Protestant church does do missionary work, though this is mostly carried out by its Muslim converts, a fact that has greatly annoyed senior Islamic clergy in Iran.” (IWPR, 27. August 2010)

„According to Journal Chrétien, Protestant communities in Iran include the Presbyterian Church of Iran, the Assyrian Evangelical Church (Tehran), the Armenian Evangelical Church, the Assyrian Pentecostal Church (Tehran and Urmia) and the Church of Iran (Journal Chrétien, 12 January 2017).” (ACCORD, 14. Juni 2017)

„Theoretically, Protestants, along with Armenians and Assyrians, are among the Christians recognized in the Islamic Republic’s constitution. In practice however, they have been persecuted and discriminated against, and have faced significantly more aggressive government restrictions and human rights abuses than ethnic Christian groups.” (ICHRI, Jänner 2013, S. 20)

„While the traditional ethnic-based churches found among Armenians and Assyrians are allowed to practise their religion within the framework of the Islamic Republic of Iran, evangelization among Muslims and organized activities among converts have been combatted by closure of churches, arrests and criminal prosecution.” (Landinfo, 29. November 2017, S 4)

„The constitution states Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians are the only recognized religious minorities. ‘Within the limits of the law,’ they have permission to perform religious rites and ceremonies and to form religious societies. They are also free to address personal affairs and religious education according to their own religious canon. The government does not recognize evangelicals as Christian. Because the law prohibits citizens from converting from Islam to another religion, the government only recognizes the Christianity of citizens who are Armenian or Assyrian Christians, since the presence of these groups in the country predates Islam, or, reportedly, of citizens who can prove that they or their families were Christian prior to 1979 revolution. The government also recognizes Sabean-Mandaeans as Christian, even though the Sabean-Mandaeans do not consider themselves to be Christians. Any citizen who is not a registered member of one of these three groups or of Judaism or Zoroastrianism or who cannot prove that his or her family was Christian prior to 1979 is considered Muslim. Citizens who are members of one of these recognized religious minorities must register with the authorities.

Registration conveys certain rights, including the use of alcohol for religious purposes. Failure of churchgoers to register and attendance at churches by unregistered individuals may subject a church to closure and arrest of its leaders by the authorities. Christian converts are not recognized as Christian under the law; they cannot register, and are not entitled to the same rights as recognized members of Christian communities.

The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security monitor religious activity, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also monitors churches. […]

The government continued to regulate Christian religious practices closely. The authorities prevented Muslim converts to Christianity from entering Armenian or Assyrian churches, according to UN Special Rapporteur Shaheed. According to Christian community leaders, if the authorities found Armenian or Assyrian churches were baptizing new converts or preaching in Farsi, they closed the churches. The authorities reportedly also barred all unregistered or unrecognized Christians from entering church premises, closed churches that allowed them to enter, and arrested Christian converts. Christian advocacy groups stated the government, through such pressure and through church closures, had eliminated in recent years all but a handful of Farsi-language church services, restricting services to the Armenian and Assyrian languages. The government continued to ban Farsi-language churches, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Security officials monitored registered congregation centers to perform identity checks on worshippers to confirm non-Christians or converts did not participate in services. In response, many citizens who had converted to Protestantism or other Christian faiths practiced their religion in secret.“ (USDOS, 15. August 2017)

„Armenian and Chaldean churches are allowed to hold services, as long as they are not conducted in Persian, and they are observed by the police. Distributing Christian literature in Farsi is strictly forbidden, in order to prevent evangelization.“ (DW, 25. Jänner 2016)

„It is not only the house church Christians that face monitoring, but also religious institutions. Most of the remaining registered churches have government security cameras installed outside of them. Although these institutions are registered and recognised by the government, religious minorities continue to be viewed with suspicion. Armenian and Jewish churches and synagogues respectively are under intense government surveillance. Sohrab Ahmari, Wall Street Journal, Westminster hearing, 16 December 2014 […]

Since the 1979 Revolution, the government has not granted a licence for the establishment of a new church organisation or allowed the construction of any church building, Orthodox, Protestant, or other. It has required recognised churches to limit attendance to those who are not from a Muslim background, and to conduct services only in the minority languages of Assyrian or Armenian. Churches have also been closed down, and had leaders arrested, if they refused to comply with these restrictions.” (Christians in Parliament, März 2015, S. 6)

„Particular attention in these reports has been paid to the treatment of individuals who convert from Islam to Christianity. Most of these individuals join Evangelical Christian churches, as opposed to the Armenian and Assyrian Christian denominations, which comprise the majority of Christians in the country, but don’t generally proselytize, or accept new converts; reportedly due in part to security reasons.” (Christians in Parliament, März 2015, S. 17)

„When considering the major recent changes in Iran when it comes to conditions for Christians, an international organisation in Turkey mentioned that authorities have reportedly continued to put more pressure on the AOG [Assemblies of God] churches. Initially, the authorities demanded that churches provide the names of the church-goers. Recently, the churches have been closed, with the excuse of renovation. When asked if any AOG churches in Iran remained open, the source stated that most are closed or have been closed at some point. Whether or not some of the AOG [Assemblies of God Church] churches, for example the one in Rasht, have been reopened is unknown to the source.

With regard to the current situation of existing Protestant and Evangelical Churches in Tehran and other cities in Iran, Mansour Borji informed the delegation that the Iranian authorities shut down the last three churches offering Farsi services in Tehran last year (in 2013). The source further explained that the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church and St Peter’s Evangelical Church in Tehran were the last two official churches offering Farsi-language services. There are still a few churches in Rasht, Shiraz and Esfahan with a very small congregation but according to the source, the church in Rasht for example is closely monitored and the pastor is obliged to make regular reports to the authorities. They are not allowed to baptize or accept new Farsi-speakers into membership. The source concluded that there are essentially no churches offering services in Farsi over ground anymore. […]

Mansour Borji explained that the demands from the Iranian authorities/MOIS on the Farsi-speaking churches have been increasing since 2010, starting with prohibition against baptism of new converts and having services on Fridays (the official weekly holiday) and the demands on churches to provide the authorities with IDs and other details of their Farsi-speaking members. The churches have also been asked to provide minutes from meetings of the church leadership and the church leaders have had to ask for permission to travel outside Iran. It was added that the demands put towards the Protestant churches since 2010, are similar to those that the churches endured in the 1990’s.

The source further explained that the Emmanuel Church in Tehran was forced to minimize its activities a couple of years ago. The pastor tried to comply with some of the demands of the authorities while rejecting to provide the authorities with ID of the church attendants. The pastor was consequently forced to abandon his position and move to a smaller church with an Armenian congregation. In May 2013, the authorities required that the church services only be allowed in other languages than Farsi.

In May 2013, the Central Assemblies of God Church in Tehran, Iran’s largest Persian language Evangelical church, was forcibly closed down and all its activities ceased. Prior to closure of the Central AOG Church in Tehran in May of 2013, the security forces arrested the pastor, Robert Asserian, and the church and his home were raided. The contents of AOG church library was confiscated by the authorities. Several books and other Christian literature in Farsi was taken away by the security forces and never returned. The pastor is still awaiting trial. The source said that many pastors are forced to leave Iran as they are pressured by the authorities through threats to family members, for example kidnapping of family members, rape of their daughters and similar violence.

The source said that since 2010, the Iranian authorities’ actions against the Farsi-speaking churches have intensified. The source was of the opinion that the Iranian National Security Council at that time had made a decision to stop Farsi-speaking churches. In late 2010 and early 2011, the demands against the churches started and finally in 2013 the largest remaining churches were shut down.

According to the source, the task of implementing the decision taken by the National Security Council was handed to the Special Intelligence Branch of the Revolutionary Guard which has taken charge of dealing with Iranian Farsi speaking churches and converts to Christianity. […]

Elam Ministries stated that in Iran there are recognized Christians, namely the Assyrian and Armenian Orthodox churches. These are not permitted to carry out evangelism and do not do so. Therefore conversion of Iranians - that is of Persians - is happening through the underground house churches in Iran because of the persecution Christians who convert face.” (DIS, 23. Juni 2014, S. 32-34)

„In fact, the persons who are less free in Iran, are those who do not belong to an ethnic minority but for example come into Christianity through mixed marriages or conversion. They could be held at a distance both from their own Christian community and from the Muslims among whom they live. An Armenian Church for example, would never accept a convert and simultaneously a convert would always be considered an apostate by the Muslim community.“ (DIS/DRC/Landinfo, Februar 2013, S. 12)

„However, Armenians and Assyrians in Iran also suffer government restrictions. Ethnic denominations are not allowed to hold services in the Persian language and authorities expect them to exclude non- Armenians and non-Assyrians from services. Many churches have experienced surveillance or have been forced to report their activities to the government. […]

‘Armenians and Assyrians who belong to an Orthodox church enjoy certain liberties within a framework that Iranian security forces have set: you speak in your own language, you preach to your own community, and you don’t have anything to do with the Muslim, non-Christian community,’ explained Mansour Borji of the Iranian Christian rights group Article 18.

Orthodox Armenians and Assyrians tend to avoid conflict with the Iranian government. They do not carry out any proselytizing activities and they try to prevent Muslims from entering their congregations.” (ICHRI, Jänner 2013, S. 18-19)

„Today one of my expatriate friend of mine and me decided to tour Armenian life as a minority living in Tehran. More or less I was acting as the tour leader, we started from St. Sarkis Orthodox Cathedral, which is the main Cathedral of Armenian community. Our visit started at 10:30, which the mass is started. Entering the church, the security guard asked for Id of my friend, which was surprising for me, it was evident that she is European, but insisting to check everything was a bit odd to me.” (Tripadvisor, 11. November 2016)

 

Quellen: (Zugriff auf alle Quellen am 9. Februar 2018)

·      ACCORD – Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation: Query response on Iran: House churches; situation of practising Christians; treatment by authorities of Christian converts’ family members [a-10094], 14. Juni 2017
https://www.ecoi.net/de/dokument/1402694.html

·      Christians in Parliament: The persecution of Christians in Iran, März 2015
http://www.christiansinparliament.org.uk/uploads/APPGs-report-on-Persecution-of-Christians-in-Iran.pdf

·      DIS - Danish Immigration Service: Update on the Situation for Christian Converts in Iran; Report from the Danish Immigration Service’s fact-finding mission to Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey and London, United Kingdom, 23. Juni 2014
http://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/1226_1403600474_rapportiranffm10062014ii.pdf

·      DIS/DRC/Landinfo - Danish Immigration Service/Danish Refugee Council/Landinfo: Iran; On Conversion to Christianity, Issues concerning Kurds and Post-2009 Election Protestors as well as Legal Issues and Exit Procedures; Joint report from the Danish Immigration Service, the Norwegian LANDINFO and Danish Refugee Council’s fact-finding mission to Tehran, Iran, Ankara, Turkey and London, United Kingdom; 9 November to 20 November 2012 and 8 January to 9 January 2013, Februar 2013
http://www.nyidanmark.dk/NR/rdonlyres/A8C2C897-1CA9-49D1-BA32-EC3E599D646D/0/Iranendeligudgave.pdf

·      DW – Deutsche Welle: What it's like to be a Christian in Iran, 25. Jänner 2016
http://www.dw.com/en/what-its-like-to-be-a-christian-in-iran/a-19002952

·      ICHRI - International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: The cost of faith- Persecution of Christian Protestants and Converts in Iran, Jänner 2013
https://www.iranhumanrights.org/wp-content/uploads/Christians_report_Final_for-web.pdf?x96855

·      IWPR – Institute for War and Peace Reporting: Armenians Torn Over Emigration from Iran, 27. August 2010
https://iwpr.net/global-voices/armenians-torn-over-emigration-from-iran

·      Landinfo – Norwegian Country of Origin Information Centre: Iran: Christians and Converts, 7. Juli 2011
https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1061943/1788_1317648012_1772-1.pdf

·      Landinfo – Norwegian Country of Origin Information Centre: Iran: Kristne konvertitter og hjemmekirker (2) - arrestasjoner og straffeforfølgelse, 29. November 2017
https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1419558/1226_1513008114_3652-1.pdf

·      Tripadvisor: Armenian life in Tehran (Autor: Edmond_m), 11. November 2016
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g293999-d7976783-r436415427-Saint_Sarkis_Orthodox_Cathedral-Tehran_Tehran_Province.html

·      USDOS – US Department of State: 2016 Report on International Religious Freedom - Iran, 15. August 2017
https://www.ecoi.net/de/dokument/1406998.html