Category: Religious Minorities

Anwar Khezri Imprisoned with no Verdict since 7 Years ago

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Religious Minorities
Anwar khezri

HRANA News Agency – Anwar Khezri, Sunni prisoner in Rajai Shahr prison is still in uncertainty after seven years of imprisonment after violation of his death sentence by the Supreme Court. Mr. Khezri is serving his prison sentence while suffering from shortness of breath, pain in the chest caused by torture but is still prevented from being transferred to the hospital and treatment and his medical records have disappeared as well.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), Anwar Khezri Sunni prisoner was arrested in 2009. His death sentence was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2010, but still he remains in uncertainty despite the passage of seven years. Continue reading “Anwar Khezri Imprisoned with no Verdict since 7 Years ago”

Deprivation of Education for Afrooz Zabihi, a Baha’i Student in Her Fifth Semester

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Religious Minorities, Students
Afrooz Zabihi

HRANA News Agency – Fifth Term Civil Engineering student from Shahid Beheshti University, Baha’i Afrooz Zabihi, was banned from continuing her education after completing 90 credit hours, because of her religious faith. Miss Zabihi has several achievements in the Shining Genius Test in her name.

According to HRANA, a close source to Miss Zabihi said “on Dec. 19, 2016, at the same time as the publication of the President’s Bill of Rights and the beginning of final exams, she was contacted on behalf of the Education Officer of the college. Moreover, she was verbally notified that her general educational qualifications had not been confirmed, and therefore she would be prevented from continuing her education. She was expelled on the same day, and all her courses in the current term were eliminated. Also, on the registration page of the College’s website, it was indicated that she was not allowed to register.” Continue reading “Deprivation of Education for Afrooz Zabihi, a Baha’i Student in Her Fifth Semester”

Authorities’ Silence towards Shutting down of 102 Baha’i Owned Businesses in Mazandaran Province

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Religious Minorities
Baha'i Businesses in Mazandaran

HRANA News Agency – By passing of more than 3 weeks since 93 Baha’i businesses were shut down in the province of Mazandaran and by passing of months since 9 Baha’i businesses were shut down in Tonekabon, relevant authorities have not given any formal and legal respond to the owners of these businesses. According to verbal statements made by relevant authorities, the warrant for closing and shutting down of Baha’i’s businesses in Mazandaran has been approved by the security council of this province; However in this 3 weeks, not even one of them has been able to meet the governor of Mazandaran (Dr. Rabi Fallah Jelodar). The prosecutor of Mazandaran (Assad Allah Jafari) and the head of judiciary in Mazandaran (Hojat AlIslam Mohammad Ali Taghavi Fard) have also stated that the closing of Baha’i businesses in this province has nothing to do with the judiciary of the province. Despite the repeated inquiries and visits to the provincial government by the owners of these businesses even their letters have not been recorded by the provincial government. Relevant unions either say that they are unaware of these closures or excuse themselves from the responsibilities of these closures. In personal visits of the owners of these business, the monitoring commission refuse to visit, record or register the complaints. Continue reading “Authorities’ Silence towards Shutting down of 102 Baha’i Owned Businesses in Mazandaran Province”

Saeid Rezai Faces Health Problems in Rajai Shahr Prison

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Religious Minorities
Behrouz Tavakkoli, Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaluddin Khanjani, Mahvash Sabet, Saeed rezayi, Saeid Rezai, Vahid Tizfahm

HRANA News Agency – Saeid Rezai, one of the seven former directors of Baha’i community of Iran, imprisoned in Rajai Shahr prison, in Karaj, is on the eve of the tenth year of imprisonment without leave. Despite approval by the specialist doctor in prison and the forensic doctor to have an arthroscopy and necessary period of rehabilitation after surgery, judicial officials are refusing his medical leave.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), Saeed Rezai has faced knee meniscus multifaceted and widespread tear since a few months ago because of severe trauma in the left leg. Despite approval by the specialist doctor in prison and the forensic doctor to have an emergency arthroscopy and necessary period of rehabilitation and physiotherapy after the surgery, his medical leave is being refused. Continue reading “Saeid Rezai Faces Health Problems in Rajai Shahr Prison”

No Information about 2 Detained Christians in Urmia

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Religious Minorities
Anooshe Rezabakhsh, Sohail Zargarzadeh

HRANA News Agency – Despite the passage of more than two weeks since the detention of Anooshe Rezabakhsh and Sohail Zargarzadeh Christian converts by Urmia Revolutionary Guard forces, their state and whereabouts are not known.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Anooshe Rezabakhsh (Veronica) and Sohail Zargarzadeh (Augustine), Christians were arrested at their home by Urmia Revolutionary Guards’ forces and their belongings including pamphlets and books were confiscated in February. Continue reading “No Information about 2 Detained Christians in Urmia”

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Department of Natural Resources Sues Baha’is Over Their Land

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Religious Minorities
Anvar Moslemi, Behzad Zabihi, Ehsanullah Rohani, Ghobad Hashemi, Hojatullah Naimi, Human Gholizadeh, Kiavash Hashemi, Mansour Rohani, Mino Naderi, Morad Gholinejad, Nader Derakhshan, Navid Derakshan, Saed Gholizadeh, Shahrokh Nabipour

HRANA News Agency – A series of hearings regarding “Rowshan Kooh’s Baha’i residents’ lands” were held in Mazendaran province, based on complaints which had been made by the Department of Natural Resources, in the General Court in Kiasar within the first two weeks of February. Baha’i citizens, who were sued by the Department of Natural Resources, do not have access to adequate documents to defend their case.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), a series of hearings were held in Branch one of Kiasar General Court regarding “Rowshan Kooh’s Baha’i residents’ lands”, on February 7, 12, 14, and 15, 2017. Continue reading “Department of Natural Resources Sues Baha’is Over Their Land”

Nana Badrian Released on the Bail, Andrea Vartanyan Still under Detention

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Religious Minorities
Andrea Vartanyan, Nana Badrian

HRANA News Agency – Within the past few days, Nana Badrian was released from women’s ward of Evin prison. On the other hand, her husband, Andrea Vartanyan was transferred to ward 4 in Evin prison. The Christian couple from Tajikistan had been detained over a month ago by the intelligence ministry.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), within the past few days, Nana Badrian Christian from Tajikistan was released from women’s ward of Evin prison. Continue reading “Nana Badrian Released on the Bail, Andrea Vartanyan Still under Detention”

Christian Couple from Tajikistan Arrested in Tehran

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Religious Minorities
Andre Vartanian, Nana Badrian

HRANA News Agency – Nana Badrian and Andre Vartanian, a Christian couple, were arrested in Iran by the intelligence service, in Tehran.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Nana Badrian and Andre Vartanian, Christian couple from Tajikistan were arrested respectively on January 4 and January 14 by the intelligence service forces in Tehran. Continue reading “Christian Couple from Tajikistan Arrested in Tehran”

Bahais of Rowshan Kooh Village Being Forced to Leave Their Land

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Religious Minorities
Anvar Moslemi, Behzad Zabihi, Ehsanullah Rohani, Ghobad Hashemi, Hojatullah Naimi, Human Gholizadeh, Kiavash Hashemi, Mansour Rohani, Mino Naderi, Morad Gholinejad, Nader Derakhshan, Navid Derakshan, Saed Gholizadeh, Shahrokh Nabipour

HRANA News Agency – Most residents of Rowshan Kooh village of Mazandaran province are of the Baha’i Faith, and this issue, in recent years, has been the cause of discrimination, especially in the field of construction in the village. In the last instance the Department of Natural Resources of
Mazandaran has claimed the forest land has been occupied by the people who have been using them for more than 70 years and has called for the destruction of a number of houses owned by Baha’is living in this village.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), Rowshan Kooh is one of Mazandaran province’s villages which is known for its Baha’i residents. In recent years, systematic and extensive efforts have been made to make the Baha’is leave the village. Among these, is the lack of building permission or the buildings certificate of quality to the Baha’i residents of the village. Continue reading “Bahais of Rowshan Kooh Village Being Forced to Leave Their Land”

A Number of Sunni Arab Civilians Arrested in Shushtar

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Religious Minorities
Hossein Kaabi, Mohammad Kaabi, Rahim Kaabi

HRANA News Agency – Recently, a large number of mainly Sunni Arab citizens from Shushtar were arrested by security forces. There is no information about their fate, so far.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), the headquarters of Abolfazl Abbas forces of the Ministry of Intelligence along with the forces of Basij went to Alam al-Hoda street in the south of Shushtar city and arrested numerous (about 20 persons) Sunni Arabs who were doing their morning group prayers and transferred them to an unknown location, on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. Continue reading “A Number of Sunni Arab Civilians Arrested in Shushtar”