HRANA News Agency – Maryam Zabihi, a Baha’i citizen residing in Qaemshahr, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison by the Criminal Court of this city.
Based on a verdict issued by Branch 104 of the Second Criminal Court of Qaemshahr, Mazandaran provinceو this Baha’i citizen was sentenced to 10 months in prison on the charge of “educational activities contrary to and disruptive of Islamic Sharia.” The court session addressing Ms. Zabihi’s charges was held on April 16, 2025, and the verdict was issued the same day.
Holding examination sessions for students of the unofficial Baha’i university of Iran at her private residence was cited as the basis for the charge against Ms. Zabihi.
On Monday, February 12, 2024, Maryam Zabihi’s home was searched by security forces. Officers confiscated all electronic devices, textbooks, laptops, and tablets belonging to five young Baha’is who were guests at her residence.
After Baha’is in Iran were barred from attending public universities due to their religious beliefs, the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) was established by the Iranian Baha’i community in 1987. This unofficial university, operating under highly restricted conditions with the help of volunteer professors, provides opportunities for Baha’i citizens to pursue higher education. Over the years, many professors and administrators associated with this educational system have faced judicial and security pressures.
According to the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between January 1, 2024, and December 20, 2024, a total of 157 reports were recorded in the category of religious and faith-based minority rights. Among these, Baha’is accounted for 67.54% of the reports, ranking as the most observed group in human rights monitoring.
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.
