Category: Religious Minorities

Gonabadi Dervish Arash Moradi Arrested in Kashan

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News, Religious Minorities
Arash Moradi, Gonabadi Dervish, great tehran penitentiary, HRANA, Kashan

On October 17, Arash Moradi, a Gonabadi Dervish, was arrested by security forces in Kashan and promptly taken to an undisclosed facility.

A source with close ties to his family has informed HRANA that Moradi’s arrest unfolded at his place of work, where the agents conducted a search and confiscated some of his personal belongings.
The motivations behind Moradi’s arrest, his current whereabouts, and the specific charges brought against him remain shrouded in uncertainty.
Moradi was previously detained during the 2018 Dervish protests and subsequently sentenced to one year in prison. After serving his sentence, Moradi was released from the Great Tehran Penitentiary.
This development takes place against the backdrop of a broader pattern of suppression and persecution faced by the Gonabadi Dervish community in Iran, who have long struggled against government restrictions on their religious practices and their peaceful expressions of dissent.

Four Baha’i Citizens Sentenced to Twelve Years on Appeal

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News, Religious Minorities
Ataollah Zafar, Evin Prison, HRANA, Mansour Amini, Shadi Shahidzadeh, Tehran Revolutionary Court, Valiollah Ghadamian

In a recent development, the Tehran Court of Appeal has issued a collective 12-year prison sentence to Baha’i citizens Shadi Shahidzadeh, Mansour Amini, Valiollah Ghadamian, and Ataollah Zafar.

Presiding over the case, Judge Abbasali Hoozan has pronounced the following sentences: Shahidzadeh will serve five years, while Zafar and Ghadamian will each serve two years, and Amini will face a three-year term.

It is worth noting that initially, the Tehran Revolutionary Court had sentenced all four individuals to five years in prison on charges of “membership in illegal groups aimed at disrupting national security.”

These Baha’i citizens were apprehended by security forces on May 1, 2023, and subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

HRANA’s annual report has highlighted a concerning trend where, in 2022, 64.63% of reported human rights violations against religious minorities are directed toward the Baha’i community.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both 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.

Sanaz Tafazoli’s Prison Sentence Upheld on Appeal

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News, Religious Minorities
Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan Province, Sanaz Tafazoli, Vakilabad prison

The Court of Appeal in Razavi Khorasan Province has upheld the ten-year and nine-month prison sentence of Baha’i citizen Sanaz Tafazoli. Tafazoli is currently incarcerated in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad.

According to information provided by a source closely associated with her family, the court session was held on Thursday, October 5, in the absence of both Tafazoli and her legal counsel.

Previously, the Mashhad Revolutionary Court had sentenced Tafazoli to six years and six months for “forming a group to act against national security,” three years and seven months for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and eight months for “educational/promotional activities against Sharia.”

On Tuesday, November 22, 2022, intelligence agents apprehended Tafazoli, aged 45, in Mashhad. A search of her residence resulted in the confiscation of belongings belonging to both her and her son.

After multiple extensions of Tafazoli’s detention period, she was incarcerated at Vakilabad Prison on December 29, 2022.

In February, she was granted a ten-billion-toman bail. However, judicial authorities declined her release on bail, returning this heavy bail to her family.

According to the HRANA annual report, a significant portion, accounting for 64.63%, of human rights violations against religious minorities were related to the infringement of Baha’i rights.

The denial of the freedom to practice a religion constitutes 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 asserts that every individual possesses the right to religious freedom, the freedom to convert, and the freedom of expression, both individually and collectively, openly or privately.

Baha’i Citizen Ahmad Naeimi Arrested in Yazd

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News, Religious Minorities
Ahmad Naeimi, HRAHA, Yazd

On October 5, 2023, Ministry of Intelligence agents apprehended Baha’i citizen Ahmad Naeimi (Naeemi) in Yazd and subsequently transported him to a detention facility.

According to a source closely connected to Naeimi’s family who informed HRANA, two agents detained Naeimi at his workplace. As of now, the exact reasons for his arrest and the specific allegations against him remain undisclosed.

HRANA’s annual report has highlighted a concerning trend where, in 2022, 64.63% of reported human rights violations against religious minorities are directed toward the Baha’i community.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both 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.

Baha’i Citizen Iman Rashidi Detained in Yazd

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, Iman Rashidi, Yazd

Iman Rashidi, a Baha’i citizen, was taken into custody on October 5, 2023, by agents from the Ministry of Intelligence in Yazd, and subsequently transported to an undisclosed detention facility.

According to a source close to his family, HRANA has learned that Rashidi’s wife was leaving their residence when she was confronted and encircled by intelligence agents. Under duress, she was compelled to lead the agents to Mr. Rashidi’s location, resulting in his arrest.

During the operation, the agents also conducted a search of his residence and confiscated some of his personal belongings.

As of now, the reasons behind Rashidi’s arrest and the specific allegations against him remain unknown.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both 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.

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Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Abbas Lisani’s Exile Term Extended

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News, Religious Minorities
Abbas Lesani, Abbas Lisani, Ardabil, Yazd

The Ardabil Court of Appeals has extended the mandatory residence period in Yazd for Azerbaijani-Turk activist Abbas Lisani (Lesani) by one-third.

Branch 1 of the Ardabil Court of Appeals made this decision due to allegations that Lisani had violated the terms of his exile.

In a previous retrial, Branch 1 of Iran’s Supreme Court had sentenced Lisani to eight years in prison and two years of exile in Yazd County. This sentence was based on charges of “creating and leading groups with the intent of undermining national security.” However, he was acquitted of the charge of “acting against national security,” for which he had initially received a five-year prison sentence.

Lisani was placed in exile after his release from Ardabil prison on February 21, 2023.

Lisani has a long history of arrests and convictions stemming from his peaceful activism.

Four Baha’i Citizens Arrested in Yazd

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizens, HRANA, Jamal Ghadirzadeh, Mojgan Basiri, Shokoofeh Basiri, Vida Ahrari, Yazd

On Sunday, October 1, 2023, security forces detained Baha’i citizens Vida Ahrari, Mojgan Basiri, Shokoofeh Basiri, and Jamal Ghadirzadeh in Yazd and transferred them to undisclosed locations.

According to an insider source who informed HRANA, these individuals were guests at Mrs. Basiri’s residence when security agents conducted a raid and apprehended them. Additionally, searches were carried out at the residences of all four Baha’i individuals.

The motives behind their arrests, as well as their current whereabouts, remain unknown.

HRANA’s annual report has highlighted a concerning trend where, in 2022, 64.63% of reported human rights violations against religious minorities are directed toward the Baha’i community.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both 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.

 

Four Baha’i Women Detained in Shiraz

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News, Religious Minorities
Bahareh Ghaderi, Roxana Vojdani, Sahar Moheb Pour, Setareh Ta'ami, Shiraz

On September 26, 2023, agents from the Ministry of Intelligence apprehended four Baha’i individuals Sahar Moheb Pour (24), Roxana Vojdani (25), Setareh Ta’ami (57), and Bahareh Ghaderi (45), in Shiraz transferring them to an undisclosed facility.

A source intimately connected with one of the detainees’ families informed HRANA that Moheb Pour and Vojdani were taken into custody at their workplace, while Ta’ami and Ghaderi were apprehended at their Shiraz residences. During these arrests, authorities conducted thorough searches of their homes, confiscating various personal belongings.

Presently, the reasons behind their detentions, their current whereabouts, and the specific allegations against these Baha’i women remain shrouded in uncertainty.

It is worth noting that Bahareh Ghaderi had previously faced arrest and imprisonment due to her activist pursuits.

Tehran Revolutionary Court Sentences Baha’i Citizen Nazila Haghar to Five Years in Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, Nazila Haghar, Tehran, Tehran Revolutionary Court

Nazila Haghar, a Baha’i citizen, has received a five-year prison sentence from the Tehran Revolutionary Court, a verdict that was subsequently affirmed on appeal on August 20, 2023.

In a trial in absentia, Haghar was handed down a five-year sentence for “membership in an illegal group aimed at undermining national security.”
The court cited her involvement in organizing educational programs for children as evidence of this charge.
In July 2022, security forces conducted a thorough search of her residence and confiscated some of the items belonging to her and her family.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both 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.

 

Baha’i Citizen Susan Badavam Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, irgc, Rasht, Susan Badavam, Susan Farhangi

The Rasht Revolutionary Court has handed down a verdict against Susan Badavam (Farhangi), a Baha’i citizen, sentencing her to a total of four years and 47 days of imprisonment, coupled with additional social restrictions.

The court’s ruling, delivered to Badavam on Monday, August 21st, includes a sentence of three years, six months, and one day for her alleged “educational activities associated with religious sects and groups contrary to Islamic Sharia,” alongside an additional seven months and 16 days for purportedly “disseminating propaganda against the regime.” Additionally, she has been deprived of some civil rights for a duration of ten years.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, three years and six months for the first count will be enforceable to her.

Badavam’s arrest dates back to December 19, 2022, when she was apprehended by intelligence agents from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Gilan Province.