For Artemis Ghasemzadeh, a 27-year-old Iranian lady, embracing Christianity was each a non secular awakening and a life-threatening selection.
Born right into a conservative Muslim household in Isfahan, Iran, her journey into Christianity started in 2019 when she first stepped right into a church whereas visiting Turkey.
Overcome by a deep sense of peace, she bought a small Bible, smuggling it again residence wrapped in her garments. What began as curiosity developed right into a full conversion, culminating in her baptism three years in the past – a second she describes as being “reborn”.
Ghasemzadeh has stated she cherished her Christian neighborhood and her older brother, Shahin, 32, has additionally transformed to the religion.
In Iran, Christianity is tolerated just for these born into it. Nevertheless, underneath Sharia legislation, changing from Islam is taken into account blasphemy, punishable by dying.
Regardless of the dangers, Ghasemzadeh joined Iran’s underground Christian motion, attending secret Bible research classes on-line and in clandestine places.
The precautions have been excessive – worshippers acquired one-time passwords to entry digital conferences, and gatherings have been continuously relocated to keep away from detection.
Artemis Ghasemzadeh’s religion strengthened amid Iran’s 2022 protests, sparked by the dying of Mahsa Amini in police custody.
Like many ladies defying the hijab legislation, she let her lengthy hair circulate freely in public and took to the streets, chanting: “Ladies, Life, Freedom.” However authorities warnings adopted, summoning her to courtroom for violating Islamic gown codes. She ignored them.
With the noose of persecution tightening, she made the painful determination to flee.
In December 2024, Ghasemzadeh and her older brother Shahin left Iran, sure for the US. The route was perilous: Abu Dhabi, South Korea, then Mexico Metropolis, the place they paid smugglers $3,000 every to information them to Tijuana. Underneath the duvet of darkness, they scaled the border wall into the US.
“When my toes touched American soil, I burst into tears,” she recalled in an interview with The Instances. “It is over. We’re lastly right here.”
However the reduction was short-lived. US border brokers shortly detained them, separating the siblings. She has not seen or spoken to Shahin since. Her mom later knowledgeable her that he was being held in a Texas facility.
Ghasemzadeh repeatedly informed officers she was a Christian convert looking for asylum. Nevertheless, a Division of Homeland Safety spokesperson later claimed: “Not a single considered one of these aliens asserted concern of returning to their residence nation at any level throughout processing or custody.”
Ghasemzadeh contests this, stating she was by no means interviewed about her asylum declare. As an alternative, on February 12 – her twenty seventh birthday – she says she was shackled, positioned on a navy airplane, and deported to Panama.
Ghasemzadeh now finds herself in a migrant detention camp on the outskirts of the Darién jungle, alongside 9 different Iranian Christian converts, together with three kids. Circumstances are dire. The sleeping space is muggy, blankets are scarce, and migrants are given one bottle of water day by day, refilled from a rest room faucet.
Panamanian authorities insist detainees are effectively cared for, however their accounts say in any other case.
“We do not deserve this. We’re in a spot the place we really feel helpless,” Ghasemzadeh stated. “I’m ready for our voices to be heard, for somebody to assist us.”
She has taken to social media, sharing movies that element their plight. Considered one of these movies has gone viral in Persian media, drawing vital consideration to their predicament.
Each night time, Ghasemzadeh finds further solace in writing Christian reflections in her pocket book. One web page, written in Persian, pleads, “I’m sure you possibly can hear my voice from up there. So please assist.” Subsequent to it, she has drawn a small pink coronary heart.
Ali Herschi, an Iranian-American human rights lawyer, has taken up their case professional bono. His rapid precedence is stopping Panama from deporting them again to Iran, the place they may face imprisonment or execution. His long-term objective is to persuade the US authorities underneath the brand new Donald Trump administration to reverse course and grant the group entry on humanitarian grounds.
