Salar Salehi Arrested by Security Forces in Sanandaj

On Monday, September 27, Salar Salehi, who is from Sanandaj in Kurdistan Province, was arrested by security forces.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, Mr. Salehi is said to have been transferred to a security detention center for questioning following his arrest.

As of this writing, the exact whereabouts and the charges against Mr. Salehi are not known.

Inmate Executed in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan

Earlier this Wednesday, September 29, an inmate was executed in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, has identified the prisoner as 42-year-old Abbas-Gholi Salehi. According to HRANA, Salehi had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

According to an informed source, Mr. Salehi was executed while his family and relatives gathered in front of Dastgerd Prison requesting that the sentence be suspended. In a short video posted on social media, the prisoner’s family explains the death sentence should not be carried out in this forbidden (haram) month.

Mr. Salehi was arrested about 20 years ago on drug-related charges when he was just 22 and had been in prison ever since.

Iran ranks first in the world in executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death. According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

The execution of Mr. Salehi has not been announced by Iranian media or official sources as of this writing.

Salah Hossein-Panah Detained in Baneh

On Wednesday, September 22, Salah Hossein-Panah was arrested by security forces and taken to an unknown location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, Hossein-Panah is from Baneh City in Kurdistan Province.

According to this report, the security forces searched Mr. Hossein-Panah’s house and confiscated some of his belongings.

As of this writing, the whereabouts of the detainee and the charges against him are unknown.

Baha’i Citizen Sheida Taeed Arrested in Ghaemshahr

On Thursday, September 23, Sheida Taeed, a Baha’i citizen living in Ghaemshahr in Mazandaran Province, was arrested in her home by security forces.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Taeed  was taken by security forces to an unknown location following the arrest.

Security forces also raided her home and confiscated a number of her belongings, including her mobile phone, electronics, books, photographs, and manuscripts.

According to an informed source, the security forces initially put Farideh Taeed, Sheida’s elderly mother, in the car as well, and dropped her off somewhere along the road.

Ms. Taeed has a history of detention and conviction. She was arrested in the city of Noor in January of 2013 and was finally sentenced to one year in prison in 2015, which she served out in Babol Prison.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Because their faith is not considered legitimate by authorities, the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

This deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a breach of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Arman Asadi Arrested by Security Forces in Divandarreh

On Monday, September 27, Arman Asadi was arrested by security forces and transferred to the Sanandaj Intelligence Detention Center.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Asadi, who is a native of Divandarreh in Kurdistan Province, informed his family  yesterday that he had been transferred to this security detention center.

“Mr. Asadi was detained by security forces when he was closing his shop for lunch,” an informed source told HRANA.

The reasons for Asadi’s  arrest and the charges against him are not known as of this writing.

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Nine Citizens Arrested in Qom, Alborz, and Tehran Provinces for Supporting Erfan-e-Halgheh

The IRGC in Qom recently announced the arrest of nine supporters of Erfan-e-Halgheh (Circle of Mysticism).

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Fars, the arrests took pace in the three provinces of Qom, Alborz, and Tehran.

According to Fars, nine “main members of Erfan-e-Halgheh” were arrested and sent to prison with a court order. The report does not mention the identities or whereabouts of these citizens.

Inter-universalism is known  as Erfane Halgheh (Circle of Mysticism) in Iran.

Two Citizens Violently Arrested by Security Forces Without a Warrant in Zahedan

On September 26, Yaser Narouie and Yasin Narouie were beaten and arrested by security forces in Zahedan.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Baloch Activists Campaign, the report quoted an informed source as saying, “Agents beat and arrested the two citizens in Khavar mall of Zahedan in Sistan and Baluchestan Province without showing a court order and transferred them to the office of C.I.D Police of NAJA in handcuff and shackles.”

As of this writing, no information is available on the reasons for the detention of these citizens.

Teachers Union Activist Aziz Ghasemzadeh Arrested in Gilan

On Sunday, September 26, Aziz Ghasemzadeh, the spokesman of the Gilan Teachers and Education Staffs union, was arrested at his father’s house.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Coordination Council of Iranian Education Associations’ channel,  agents searched the house and confiscated Mr. Ghasemzadeh’s personal belongings during the arrest.

As of this writing, the whereabouts of the detainee and the charges against him are unknown.

 

Baha’i Citizens Hayedeh Forootan and Mehran Mosallanejad Arrested in Shiraz

On Thursday, September 23, two Baha’i citizens were arrested at the office of CID by NAJA police.

According to HRANA, the news agency of human rights activists, the citizens have been identified as Shiraz residents Hayedeh Forootan and her son Mehran Mosala-Nejad.

On Wednesday, September 22, agents searched the home of these citizens and confiscated some of their belongings, however, were not able to detain Ms. Foroutan as she was not home at the time. Ms. Foroutan and her son were summoned to the Shiraz CID Police of NAJA office to give explanations, and were arrested upon their arrival.

On Wednesday, September 22, Moin Misaghi and Negareh Ghaderi, two other Baha’i citizens, were also arrested by security forces and taken to an unknown location.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Because their faith is not considered legitimate by authorities, the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

This deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a breach of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Seven Baha’i Citizens Barred from Continuing Education

Seven citizens who attended this year’s national university entrance exam were barred from access to education because they were Baha’is.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the citizens have been identified as Nasim Shahriari Zavareh, Mahsa Forouhari, Elena Gholizadeh Roshankoohi, Nora Nabipour Klankari, Parsa Charkhand, Mesbah Misaghi, and Forouzan Nikukar.

Every year, numerous reports indicate that Baha’is are being barred from continuing their studies at Iranian universities. Students are even sometimes dismissed from universities while on the verge of graduation if administration learns that the student is a Baha’i.

According to an informed source, when Ms. Shahriari contacted to follow up on this issue, she was told that the Ministry of Intelligence had given them her record.

She was also asked questions about her religious beliefs, and was told, “If you insist that you are a Baha’i, your problem will probably not be solved at all.”

Despite the explicit wording in the constitution in which the right to education is a fundamental right, according to a resolution of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution of Iran, Baha’is are barred from university education, besides being barred from holding public office.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Because their faith is not considered legitimate by authorities, the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

This deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a breach of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.