US Deports Iranian Christians, Despite Safety Fears

US Deports Iranian Christian Converts, Despite Safety ConcernsThe US has been deporting Iranian Christian converts back to Iran, despite fears for their safety. One man, Danesh, was shackled and flown to Nicaragua before being routed through Venezuela and Turkey, ending up in Iran. He had fled Iran in 2024 due to his involvement in protests and conversion to Christianity.Danesh is one of several Iranian Christian converts whose asylum claims have been rejected by the US in the past year. Their experiences highlight inconsistencies in how US authorities assess risks for Iranian returnees and handle sensitive religious information in asylum files.The US arranged a rare chartered flight to Iran in late September, with the wife of an Iranian Christian convert among the passengers. She has since been contacted and summoned by Iranian intelligence, raising concerns about her safety and the safety of others in similar situations.For Christian converts in Iran, returning is particularly dangerous. Conversion from Islam is considered apostasy, leading to arrest, interrogation, and prison terms. Arrests have increased sixfold between 2023 and 2024, with authorities increasingly branding converts as agents of Israel, framing their religious practice as a national security threat. The Daily News Now! — Every city. Every story. AI-powered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.