Category: Religious Minorities

Baha’is Houses Demolished, One Arrested

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Bahais, Farid Alavi, Mazandaran province, Roshan-Kouh village

In Roshan-Kouh village, Mazandaran Province, state-owned agencies demolished Baha’i-owned houses and grabbed their lands. During this operation, the security forces arrested a Baha’i citizen and beat another one.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a Baha’i citizen identified as Farid Alavi was arrested during a state-run operation to demolish Baha’i houses to grab their lands.

On August 2, 2022, about 200 police special forces, security police and the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad officials blocked the Roshan-Kouh village and begin to demolish six houses owned by the Baha’i residents with an excavator and other heavy machinery. They also grabbed about 20 hectares of farmland and installed barbed wire fences around them.

An informed source told HRANA that the agents used pepper spray against those who resisted. 

Earlier, on August 2, 2021, security forces raided and demolished three Baha’i houses in this village without prior notice. This incident has created reactions on global media and Farsi-speaking social media.

One Year Home Detention Given to Nine Baha’i Citizens

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Elham Salmanzadeh, Evin Prison, Hooman Khoshnam, Jamileh Pakro, Kianoosh Slamanzadeh Soroosh Agahi, Neda Shabani, Parvan Manavi, Payam Shabani, peyman manavi, Shahriar

On August 2, 2022, the one-year sentences of nine Baha’is were carried out in the form of home detention using an electronic monitoring device. Previously, the Revolutionary Court of Shahriar had sentenced each of the individuals to one year in prison. These verdicts were upheld on appeal.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 2, 2022, nine Baha’i citizens, Hooman Khoshnam, Elham Salmanzadeh, Payam Shabani, Kianoosh Slamanzadeh Soroosh Agahi, Parvan Manavi, Jamileh Pakro, Peyman Manavi and Neda Shabani started serving their one-year sentence as home detention using the electronic monitoring device.

According to this verdict, these individuals can go up to 500 meters in the periphery of their residence, and they have to pay for the monitoring devices.

These individuals have been detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison from September to December 2018, In August 2020, Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Shahriar convicted them for “propaganda against the regime through promoting the Baha’i faith.”

Six Baha’i Citizens Arrested, Many Houses Searched

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities

On July 31, 2022, security forces arrested six Baha’is and searched at least 36 Baha’i houses in eight cities.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 31, 2022, security forces raided and searched at least 36 houses belonging to the Baha’is in different cities across Iran.

The agents also arrested six Baha’is, Behnam Momtaz in Qazvin, Saha Sabeti in Sari, Saman Ostovar and Afif Naeimi in Karaj, and Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamal Abadi in Tehran. The three latter were the members of a now-disbanded Baha’i group known as the “Yaran e Iran” or “Friends of Iran,” addressing the spiritual and social needs of the Baha’i community.

In recent weeks, the persecution and harassment of Baha’i citizens have significantly increased.

According to the Baha’i International Community (BIC), during the last month, 44 Baha’is were arrested or imprisoned.

Bani Dugal, BIC’s Principal Representative to the United Nations said “Baha’is in Iran have experienced ongoing persecution for their beliefs over the last 44 years, But the current escalation  is beyond troubling.”

Three Detained Baha’is Released in Shiraz, Five Others Still Detained 

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i International Community, Bahais, Bahyeh Manavipour, Bani Dugal, Elhan Hashemi, Hanan Hashemi, Misagh Manavipour, Negar Ighani and Zhila Sharafi Nasrabadi, Niloofar Hosseini, Shaghayegh Khaneh-Zarin

On July 26, 2022, three detained Baha’i residents of Shiraz, Shaghayegh Khaneh-Zarin, Negar Ighani and Zhila Sharafi Nasrabadi were released from prison on bail. 

Five other Baha’is, Niloofar Hosseini, Misagh Manavipour, Bahyeh Manavipour, Elhan Hashemi and Hanan Hashemi are still held at a detention facility known as Number 100 in Shiraz. These individuals had been arrested on July 19, 2022.

An informed source told HRANA that the detained individuals are still under interrogation and the charges against them are unknown so far. 

According to the Baha’i International Community (BIC), during the last month, 44 Baha’is were arrested, arraigned or imprisoned.

Bani Dugal, BIC’s Principal Representative to the United Nations said “Baha’is in Iran have experienced ongoing persecution for their beliefs over the last 44 years, But the present acceleration is beyond troubling”

The 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.

Eight Baha’i Citizens Arrested in Shiraz and Yazd

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizens, Bahyeh Manavipour, Elhan Hashemi, Hanan Hashemi, Misagh Manavipour, Nematollah Shadpour, Niloofar Hosseini, Nima Shadpour, Shafigh Eslami

On July 19, security forces arrested three Baha’i residents of Yazd identified as Nematollah Shadpour, Nima Shadpour and Shafigh Eslami, searched their houses, and confiscated their personal belongings.

On the same day, five Baha’i individuals were also arrested in Shiraz, which HRANA has identified as Niloofar Hosseini, Bahyeh Manavipour, Misagh Manavipour, Elhan Hashemi, and Hanan Hashemi.

An informed source told HRANA that the authorities had also summoned Mishagh Manavipur’s sister.

Shaghayegh Khaneh-Zarin, Negar Ighani and Zhila Sharafi Nasrabadi had also been arrested in Shiraz and are still in detention. 

The reason for these arrests and the whereabouts of the above-mentioned individuals are unknown so far.

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Baha’i Citizen Haleh Gholami Imprisoned

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i resident, Evin Prison, Haleh Gholami, ward 209

Haleh Gholami, a Baha’i resident of Tehran, was taken to Evin Prison to serve her two-year sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 16, 2022, Haleh Gholami was taken to Evin Prison for sentencing.

Earlier, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Gholami to two years in prison on the charge of “acting against national security.” In her trial, membership in Baha’i organizations was presented as an act against national security.

On January 27, 2017, Gholami was arrested and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. On March 6, 2017, she was released on bail until the end of the legal proceeding.

The 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.

Four Christian Converts Arrested in Neyshabur

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Mashhad Prison, Neyshabur Prison, Reza Radmanesh

On July 17, 2022, four Christian converts were arrested by security forces in Neyshabur City.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Mohabat News, IRGC has arrested four Christian converts in Neyshabur City.

Security forces raided a home church gathering and arrested 12  of the 16 in attendance. Eight individuals were released after signing a letter of commitment and four others remained detained.

Three of the individuals informed their families that they have been transferred to Neyshabur Prison. However, one individual identified as Reza Radmanesh, age 65, was transferred to Mashhad Prison.

The persecution of Christian converts stands in blatant violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which state that every individual has the right to freedom of religion and belief and freedom to express it openly or secretly.

Three Baha’i Citizens Arrested in Bojnurd

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizens, Faran Senai, HRANA, Shayan Senai, Sholeh Shahidi

On July 13, three Baha’i individuals, Sholeh Shahidi and her two sons Faran and Shayan Senaei, were arrested in Bojnurd, North Khorasan Province. The agents searched their house and confiscated some of their personal belongings.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 13, 2022, Baha’i individuals, Sholeh Shahidi and her two sons Faran and Shayan Senaei were arrested and transferred to an unidentified location.

An informed source told HRANA that another Baha’i citizen’s house, whose identity remains unknown, has also been searched and some of her belongings have been confiscated.

The reason for these arrests, the charges, and the individuals’ whereabouts are unknown so far.

The 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.

Three Baha’i Citizens Arrested in Shiraz

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, Negar Ighani, Shaghayegh Khaneh-Zarin, Zhila Sharafi Nasrabadi

On Sunday, June 26, 2022, three Baha’i citizens, Shaghayegh Khaneh-Zarin, Negar Ighani and Zhila Sharafi Nasrabadi were arrested by security forces in Shiraz and taken to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Sunday, June 26, 2022, security forces arrested three Baha’i individuals in Shiraz.

An informed source told HRANA that  Khane-Zarin’s father had a heart attack due to stress during  his daughter’s arrest and was hospitalized in Shiraz.”

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

Also, Negar Iqani was denied entry to the University Entrance Exam of 2019, even though she is an employee of the institution. 

Even though Iran’s law recognized the right to education indiscriminately for all citizens, the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution of Iran bars Baha’is from working at official institutions and participating in higher education.

The 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.

Baha’i Children’s Rights Activist Samin Ehsani Imprisoned

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Afghan children, Baha'i faith, children's rights activist, Samin Ehsani

On Wednesday, June 15, 2022, Baha’i children’s rights activist Samin Ehsani was arrested and taken to Evin Prison to serve a five-year sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, Baha’i children’s rights activist Samin Ehsani was taken to Evin Prison for sentencing.

Earlier, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Ehsani to five years in prison on the charges of “propaganda against the regime”, and “membership in the heretical Baha’i sect”. The verdict was issued on July 1, 2012. The verdict was upheld on appeal.

Samin Ehsani has been active in running educational courses for Afghan children who do not have access to education in Iran. During the trial, her activities were presented as an example of the charges.

The 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.