Category: Religious Minorities

Growing Concerns about Baha’i Prisoner Badi Khazei Following Evin Prison Fire

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Badi Khazei, Baha'i, Evin Prison fire

Since the Evin Prison fire, Baha’i prisoner Badi Khazei has not yet contacted his family. His family’s frequent inquiry has remained unanswered by prison officials.

An informed source told HRANA that, last week, Khazei travelled to Tehran from Bandar Abbas for some administrative work. On October 7 or 8, several plainclothes agents arrested him in the street and took him to Great Tehran Penitentiary. They transferred him to Evin prison once they realized he was a Baha’i. Since the Evin Prison incident on October 15, he has not contacted his family.

Baha’i Citizen Parisa Roohi Zadegan Imprisoned

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News, Religious Minorities
Adel-Abad Prison, HRANA, Parisa Roohi Zadegan, Shiraz

On October 10, 2022, Baha’i citizen Parisa Roohi Zadegan was arrested at her house in Shiraz to serve her two-year sentence in Adel-Abad Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Parisa Roohi Zadegan was arrested and transferred to Adel-Abad Prison for sentencing.

In 2016, security forces arrested Roohi Zadegan and then released her on bail. Her trial began on June 15, 2020, until May 18, 2022, when the Shiraz Revolutionary Court sentenced her to two years in prison on the charges of “propaganda against the regime, forming anti-regime groups and collaboration with hostile countries in the form of Baha’i organization.”

 

Baha’i Citizen Aida Rasti Arrested 13 Days after Release from Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
Aida Rasti, Baha'is Citizen

On September 28, 2022, security forces arrested Baha’i citizen Aida Rasti at her house and took her to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. During the arrest, the agents searched her home and confiscated some of her personal belongings.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on September 28, 2022, Baha’is citizen Aida Rasti was arrested by security forces.

An informed source close to her family told HRANA that she was arrested again just 13 days after release from prison. According to this source, Rasti has been denied access to her lawyer and family visitation. The judicial and prison officials have unanswered her family’s frequent enquire.

The reason for this arrest and the charges are still unknown.

Baha’is Citizen Enayatollah Naeimi Arrested

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News, Religious Minorities
Afif Naeimi, Bahais, Enayatollah Naeimi, Fariba Kamal Abadi, Mahvash Sabet

Last Wednesday, September 28, security forces arrested Baha’is citizen Enayatollah Naeimi in Isfahan. The agents searched his house, workplace and garden in the Isfahan suburbs. Naeimi was a member of a now-disbanded Baha’i group known as the “Yaran e Iran” or “Friends of Iran,” which addressed the spiritual and social needs of the Baha’i community.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on September 28, 2022, the intelligence agents arrested Baha’is citizen Enayatollah Naeimi in Isfahan.

An informed source told HRANA that Naeimi underwent surgery last year and is now in poor health condition, making him hard to endure jail.

On July 31, 2022, three other members of the “Yaran e Iran” Afif Naeimi, Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamal Abadi were arrested.

More than 300 Christians Express Solidarity with Iranian Protestors

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
HRANA, Iranian Christians, KHMA, Mahsa Amini

Iranian Christians released an open statement announcing their solidarity with the nationwide protests in Iran and condemned the police brutality.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, based on the initiative of KHMA (The Church Is the Right of Christians, more than 300 Iranian Christians issued an open statement supporting the nationwide protests after the death of Mahsa Amini.

According to the statement, Iranian Christians showed support regardless of their location, stating their solidarity with the people. 

The signatories also stated that showing sympathy and verbal consolation is not enough, stressing that people should take action against the Islamic Republic’s43-year oppression.

KHMA has been active since 2018 and strives for the Christians’ freedom of association through establishing the church as a necessary means to protect these individuals against violence.

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Women Rights Activist Avin Rasti Arrested

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News, Religious Minorities, Women
Avin Rasti, Keyvan Mousavi, Leila Abbasi, Nazanin Jalil, Neda Mousavi, Samku Mohammadian, Sooran Mohammadian, Yamin Daneshi

Security forces arrested women rights activist Avin Rasti and transferred her to an unidentified location on September 20, 2022, for her participation in protests after the death of Mahsa Amini.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, women rights activist Avin Rasti was arrested in Mariwan, Kurdistan Province.

Since the nationwide protests began after the death of Mahsa Amini on September 16, numerous individuals have been arrested.

So far, HRANA has identified several individuals who have been arrested, including Mehdi Hamidi Shafigh in Tabriz, Shoja Roushan in Sanandaj, Nazanin Jalil, Neda Mousavi, Keyvan Mousavi, Yamin Daneshi in Yasuj, Sooran Mohammadian, and Samku Mohammadian in Divandarreh, and Leila Abbasi in Bijar.

Additional 19 individuals have been arrested and jailed in Saqqez Prison, and the deputy police chief of Gilan Province announced the arrest of 22 protestors in Rasht.

Baha’is Citizen Jila Shahriari Imprisoned

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'is Citizen, Evin Prison, Jila Shahriari

Jila Shahriari started her sentencing at Evin Prison on September 11, 2022.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Baha’i citizen Jila Shahriari started her sentencing at Evin Prison.

An informed source told HRANA that Evin Prison officials called Shahriari to appear at Prosecutor’s Office to answer questions, but she was taken in.

In September 2016, intelligence agents arrested Shahriari at her house in Tehran. She was released on bail after 31 days of interrogation.

The Tehran Revolutionary Court later sentenced her to five years imprisonment. This sentence was reduced to two years and six months on appeal.

Baha’i Individual Fariba Ashtari Arrested in Yazd

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i, Bahais, Faez Bagheri, Fariba Ashtari, Naser Bagheri, Revolutionary Court of Yazd s

On September 7, 2022, the intelligence agents arrested Fariba Ashtari and transferred her to Yazd Prison.

An informed source told HRANA that Ashtari has been arrested to start her five-year sentence. She had a heart disease for which she had undergone surgery two times last year.

On December 2, 2019, the intelligence agents arrested Ashtari at her house and on February 2019, she was released on bail.

On June 20, 2020, the Revolutionary Court of Yazd sentenced Ashtari to five years on the charge of “membership in an anti-regime group” and one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, five years imprisonment for the first charge is enforceable to her.

Previously, Ashtari and her husband and son had also faced arrests and convictions. Between 2014 to 2016, she had been imprisoned in Yazd Prison. Her husband, Naser Bagheri was imprisoned for nine months. Her Son, Faez Bagheri was arrested in March of 2015, when he was 17 years old. He was released on bail after five months. Later, he was sentenced to three years in prison but the verdict was commuted to a one-million-toman fine on appeal.

Four Baha’is’ Pre-trial Detention Extended 

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Bahais, Basir Samimi, Bita Haghighi, Negar Darabi, Samieh Gholinejad

The judicial authorities extended four Baha’i individuals’ detention time for a month. The individuals are identified as Basir Samimi, Negar Darabi, Samieh Gholinejad, and Bita Haghighi. Two last individuals contracted Covid-19 in Qaemshahr Prison and were denied proper medical care.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the pre-trial detentions of four Baha’is, Basir Samimi, Negar Darabi, Samieh Gholinejad, and Bita Haghighi were extended for one month.

On August 31, security forces arrested 14 Baha’is in Qaemshahr, of which two were released after a few hours and eight later on bail. During the arrest,  agents mistreated the individuals and caused injuries.

One informed source told  HRANA that judicial authorities cited “the lack of cooperation with interrogators” as the reason for the prolonged detention of these individuals.

The reasons for these arrests and the charges are unknown so far.

Baha’i Individuals Arrested in Qaemshahr and Sari

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Afnaneh Naeimian, Anis Senai, Basir Samimi, Bita Haghighi, Golin Falah, Hengameh Alipour, Mahsa Fathi, Mani Gholinejad, Mojir Samimi, Nazanin Goli, Negar Darabi, Qaemshahr, Sam Samimi, Samieh Gholinejad, Sananz Hekmat Shoar, Sari

On August 31, 2022, intelligence agents arrested 14 Baha’is in Sari and Qaemshahr, Mazandaran Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 31, 2022, 14 Baha’is identified as Mahsa Fathi, Samieh Gholinejad, Negar Darabi, Basir Samimi, and Hengameh Alipour were arrested in Sari. Also, Afnaneh Naeimian, Mojir Samimi, Mani Gholinejad, Nazanin Goli, Sam Samimi, Sananz Hekmat Shoar, Bita Haghighi, Anis Senai, and Golin Falah were arrested in Qaemshahr.

All these individuals were transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence office in Sari.

The reasons for these arrests and the charges are unknown so far.