On Wednesday, September 1, Bah’ai citizen Arsalan Yazdani was arrested and transferred to an unknown location by security forces in Tehran.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, security forces searched Mr. Yazdani’s home and confiscated some of his personal belongings at the time of the arrest.
According to unofficial sources, 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 beeen systematically violated for years.
This deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a violation 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.
No information is available on the detainee or his whereabouts as of this writing.