Tehran: An Iranian Christian woman, Laleh Sati, who was unjustly sentenced to two years in prison, has been released on parole after spending 15 months behind bars. The 46-year-old was freed on May 31, though strict conditions have been imposed on her release. She has been prohibited from contacting foreign nationals or speaking to the media and is barred from leaving the country for the next two years.

Human rights groups have raised concern about her mental health, reporting that she had been experiencing psychological distress in recent weeks while confined in Ward 209 of Tehran’s infamous Evin Prison—a section controlled by Iran's Ministry of Intelligence.

Laleh Sati converted to Christianity while living in Malaysia and returned to Iran in 2017 to reunite with her elderly parents and seek asylum in her homeland. Her conversion, however, made her a target for Iranian authorities. On February 13, 2024, she was arrested at her father's residence in Tehran and taken to Evin Prison. During her detention, interrogators presented photographs and video footage of her Christian activities in Malaysia as alleged evidence of “anti-state behavior” under Iran's Sharia-based legal framework.

Following her initial confinement, she was moved to the women’s ward of the prison. On March 16, 2024, she stood trial before the Tehran Revolutionary Court. According to the persecution watchdog Open Doors, the Iranian regime regards Muslim conversions to Christianity as part of a broader Western conspiracy to destabilize the Islamic Republic.

Despite the risks, reports indicate a growing number of Iranians are embracing Christianity. This spiritual movement continues to gain momentum, even in the face of heavy surveillance, legal threats, and the disapproval of conservative clerics. Laleh Sati’s story underscores the ongoing challenges faced by converts in Iran, where faith remains a matter not just of the soul—but of state control.