Ruhiyyeh Qavami-nik free on bail

HRANA News Agency – Ruhiyyeh Qavami-nik, a Bahai from Karaj, was freed on bail on August 29.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), she was arrested on August 17, following a telephone summons to the offices of the Ministry of Intelligence. Continue reading “Ruhiyyeh Qavami-nik free on bail”

Special conditions for allowing Bahai burials in Semnan

HRANA News Agency – The recent burial of a Bahai in Semnan, in the section of the cemetery reserved for Bahais, has revealed that new rules have been drawn up.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA),  the family of the deceased was required to sign a commitment to follow six rules.

These stipulate that the Bahai gravestones may only show a name and the dates of birth and death, that the Bahais may not beautify the area around the graves with plants or build a wall around the Bahai cemetery, or erect new buildings around the facility where bodies are washed, that they may not have any words or images on the graves or in the cemetery, and that the Bahai gravestones must be level with the ground, without any raised portions.

Although the discriminatory conditions are regrettable, they do allow burials in accordance with Bahai rites. The situation in Tabriz is much worse. The bodies of Bahais have buried by the authorities, without being washed and without coffins, in the town of Miandoab, about 160 km south of Tabriz.

A Bahai arrested in Semnan

HRANA News Agency – Noushadhar Khanjani, a Bahai from Semnan who was visiting family in Semnan, was arrested by security forces this morning.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), he has been interviewed by the Ministry of Intelligence several times in the past months, on various pretexts, and is presently free on bail and having provided a surety. Continue reading “A Bahai arrested in Semnan”

Three Sunni men arrested in Iran for ‘links to Salafi groups’

HRANA News Agency – Three Sunni men arrested in Iran for ‘links to Salafi groups’ were transferred to Orumieh prison yesterday after being detained for 14 days in the Orumieh Ministry of Intelligence detention center.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Kayvan Yousefzadeh, a Sunni resident of Orumieh, along with two Iraqi nationals, Shawan Haji Zubair and Dalir Ramadan Ismail, were arrested by officers from the Ministry of Intelligence on 10 August 2014 in the West Azerbaijan province. Continue reading “Three Sunni men arrested in Iran for ‘links to Salafi groups’”

64-year old prisoner sent back to prison without medical treatment

HRANA News Agency – An elderly Sunni prisoner of conscience was forced to remain handcuffed to a hospital bench throughout his 12-hour stay in hospital yesterday, before being transferred back to Iran’s Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj without receiving medical treatment.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 64-year old Sunni prisoner Keykhosrow Sharifipour, whose health is deteriorating rapidly due to lack of medical treatment, has been suffering from an unknown illness leaving him confined to bed and unable to eat for the past 17 days. Continue reading “64-year old prisoner sent back to prison without medical treatment”

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Farshid Fathi transferred to section 10 of Rajai Shahr Prison

HRANA News Agency – Farshid Fathi, Chritian prisoner has been transferred to the section of dangerous prisoners at Rajai Shahr Prison.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Farshid Fathi was transferred from Evin prison in Tehran to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on August 19th and is now in section 10 of Rajai Shahr Prison. Continue reading “Farshid Fathi transferred to section 10 of Rajai Shahr Prison”

Farshid Fathi, the Christian prisoner is exiled to Rajaei Shar prison

HRANA News Agency – Fasrhid Fathi, the Christian citizen and the leader of a home-church is transferred from ward 350 of Evin prison to Rajaei Shahr prison.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Farshid Fathi, the new converted to Christianity and the leader of a home-church is transferred from Evin to Rajaei Shahr prison, on Tuesday morning. Continue reading “Farshid Fathi, the Christian prisoner is exiled to Rajaei Shar prison”

Five Bahais arrested, questioned and released in Isfahan Province

HRANA News Agency – On the morning of August 20, police searched a home shared by Bahais in the city of Shahin Shahr, in the province of Isfahan.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), they searched the house for several hours, seizing computers, religious books and personal effects, and then arrested five Bahais who were present. Their names are Sa`id Qa’emi, Parviz Gaudarzeyan, Azita Homayuni, Noushin Salkyan and Rashin Shahnazi. Continue reading “Five Bahais arrested, questioned and released in Isfahan Province”

Sunni teacher arrested in Qeshm, Iran

HRANA News Agency – A Sunni teacher was arrested by Iranian security forces last week in Qeshm County, Iran.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Syed Jalal al-Din Rahimi, a Sunni activist and Deputy Head of a school in Dargahan in Qeshm County, was arrested by security forces last week and taken to an unknown location. Continue reading “Sunni teacher arrested in Qeshm, Iran”

Shayan Tafazoli marooned in prison quarantine

HRANA News Agency – Shayan Tafazoli, who was arrested in Mashhad on June 1, 2014, when agents from the Ministry of Intelligence raided a Bahai religious meeting, and who was transferred from the Ministry of Intelligence facilities to Vakilabad prison on August 2, is still being held in the prison’s quarantine unit.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Mey Khalusi and Dari Amri, two Bahai women who were transferred from the Intelligence Office to Vakilabad Prison on the same day, were moved to the section for female prisoners of conscience on the following day.

The quarantine section is a short-term holding place for new prisoners, and lacks food and medical facilities. Prisoners usually remain there only one or two days.

It is notable that Mr. Tafazoli has not been tried, and the two-month detention order obtained by the Ministry of Intelligence has now expired. An informed Bahai source told HRANA that it is likely that the Ministry of Intelligence is planning to seek a new detention order for him.

Mr. Tafazoli was one of the Bahai youth arrested in February 2012, when police shut down a handicraft exhibition in Mashhad. He was held in Vailabad prison at that time. In July 2012 he was again arrested, and freed some 6 weeks later on bail. On November 27 he was sentenced to 6 months in prison for his handicrafts activities, which the review court reduced to a fine.