Pastor Joseph, an Armenian-Iranian, was initially arrested on June 30, 2020. On June 6, 2022, Pastor Joseph was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of “acting against national security” for leading home churches attended by Muslim converts to Christianity. Iranian authorities view those who attend and lead house churches as “enemy groups.” Pastor Joseph began serving his 10-year sentence on August 17, 2022, when his appeal was denied.
In September 2023, thirteen months later, Pastor Joseph received a pardon and was released along with numerous other Christian prisoners during a general amnesty. Throughout his time in prison, Pastor Joseph suffered from a medical condition.
Pastor Joseph Shahbazian was rearrested in his home on February 6, 2025, and taken to Iran’s notorious Evin prison. In late 2025, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for activities related to his faith. The prosecutor wrote, “In accordance with the teachings of the Protestant and Assemblies of God churches, the defendant considers the purpose and motivation of his evangelistic activities to be fulfilling the command and will of Christ to deliver the message of the Gospel to all nations and peoples of the world.”
