Tag: Anisa Samieian

Baha’i Couple’s Sentence Upheld by Court of Appeals

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News, Religious Minorities
Anisa Samieian, Baha'i citizen, Gilan province, HRANA, Rasht, Vesal Momtazi

The Gilan Province Court of Appeals has maintained the prison sentence for the Baha’i couple, Vesal Momtazi and Anisa Samieian.

Originally sentenced by the Rasht Revolutionary Court, Momtazi and Samieian received a combined term of nine years and six months. Mrs. Samieian’s sentence encompasses three years and six months for “engaging in educational activities and propaganda against Sharia law,” in addition to seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime.” Meanwhile, Mr. Momtazi has received seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime,” along with one year and three months for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran” and three years and six months for “insulting Sharia law.” He is also facing a fine of 38 million tomans. Both individuals are further subjected to social restrictions lasting a decade.

Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code dictates that each of them will serve three years and six months in prison.

According to an HRANA source close to the family, more than 50 individuals, including friends, colleagues, art students, and their parents, compiled an affidavit attesting to the couple’s adherence to the law. Regrettably, this affirmation was not permitted for presentation during the appellate court proceedings.

On November 4, 2022, security forces searched their residence, resulting in their apprehension. Following his arrest on December 6, 2022, Momtazi was granted bail. Samieian, who was pregnant at the time of her arrest, secured her release on bail after undergoing two interrogation sessions. It’s noteworthy that this Baha’i couple is responsible for the care of two young sons, aged five and about four months.

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.

 

Two Baha’i Citizens Arrested in Rasht

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News, Religious Minorities
Anisa Samieian, Baha'i citizens, Lakan prison, Mojgan Samimi, Shiva Kashani-Nejad, Vesal Momtazi

Last Wednesday, July 19, Baha’i citizens Shiva Kashani-Nejad (Samieian) and Mojgan Samimi were separately arrested by security forces in Rasht, Gilan Province.

Reliable sources disclosed to HRANA that the Ministry of Intelligence was responsible for their arrests. Both were apprehended at their respective residences, with the agents conducting searches and confiscating some of their belongings.

While Samimi managed to call her family and inform them of her detention at Lakan Prison, Kashani-Nejad has not yet been granted the opportunity to contact her family, leaving her loved ones anxious about her whereabouts.

According to another source, Samimi is facing charges of “propaganda against the regime.”

In a related matter, Anisa Samieian, Kashani-Nejad’s daughter, and her husband Vesal Momtazi recently received a combined sentence of nine years and six months from the Rasht Revolutionary Court, further heightening concerns over the treatment of Baha’i citizens in the region.

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 Couple Faces Nine-Year and Six-Month Combined Sentence

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News, Religious Minorities
Anisa Samieian, Baha'i citizens, Bahais faith, HRANA, Iranian Bahais, Rasht, Vesal Momtazi

Vesal Momtazi and Anisa Samieian, a Baha’i couple, have been collectively sentenced to a nine-year and six-month prison term by the Rasht Revolutionary Court.

According to the verdict issued on June 13 by Branch 3 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court, Mrs. Samieian received a sentence of seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime,” along with three years and six months for “engaging in educational activities and propaganda against Sharia law.” Meanwhile, Mr. Momtazi has been sentenced to seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime,” one year and three months for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” and three years and six months for “insulting Sharia law.” In addition, he has been fined 38 million tomans. Both individuals are also subjected to social deprivations for a period of ten years. If these verdicts are upheld on appeal, each of them will serve three years and six months in prison.

On November 4, 2022, security forces conducted a search of their residence, resulting in their arrest. Mr. Momtazi was released on bail after his arrest on December 6, 2022. Mrs. Samieian, who was pregnant at the time, was granted release on bail following two interrogation sessions. It is important to note that this Baha’i couple has two young sons, aged five and three months.

According to HRANA annual report, from the total human rights reports regarding the violation of religious minorities’ rights, 64.63% belonged to the breach of the rights of Baha’is.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian Constitution recognizes only Islam as the official religion, in addition to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Bahai faith is not considered legitimate by the authorities, and the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

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.