HRANA News Agency – The court session of 24 Baha`is was held in Golestan province. Due to the high number of defendants, continuation of the session was adjourned until next week. These civilians have been sentenced to between 6 to 11 years in prison in the primary court. The previous session was cancelled due to suspicion of the court regarding its eligibility, on Wednesday July 13.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the appeal court session of 24 Baha’is in Golestan province was held on September 16 and the continuation of the session was scheduled for September 29. Continue reading “24 Bahais Appeal Court Held in Golestan Province”

HRANA News Agency – On the night of July 25-26, a Bahai home in the Shahrak-e Gharb district in North-west Tehran was defaced with the usual unimaginative slogan: “Death to Baha’i.”

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the house on Sazman Barnameh Avenue, in a modern and prosperous neighbourhood near Eram Park, has been occupied by the Aqdasi family for many years. Continue reading “Fresh Graffiti against Bahais in Tehran”

HRANA News Agency – Saham News has published an order from the chief of police, dating from April 8, 2010, which clarifies which economic sectors are forbidden for Bahais. Because Bahais in Iran are excluded from employment in the civil service, education and health, and other major sectors, many of them start small shops or workshops in sectors where this is permitted, but the rules they must obey have been kept secret.

This order from the chief of police to police bureaus all over the country instructs them to constrain, limit and police the activities of Bahais in the specified fields, and ensure the Bahais do not constitute a significant presence in society. Continue reading “Iran’s Apartheid Rules for Bahais Clarified”

HRANA News Agency – The Association of Optometry Manufacturers and Sellers in Tehran held its eighth trade fair, the Optics Exhibition, in Wessal Avenue on December 16 to 19.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), eighty business took part. Not only were Bahai-run optometry importers and sellers barred from the exhibition, participants were also told to dismiss any Bahai employees they might have. Continue reading “Bahais Banned from the Optometry Sector in Tehran”

HRANA News Agency – Mohammad Mousavi-Bodjnordi, who heads Iran’s civil rights watchdog and is considered close to President Hassan Rouhani,told the state-run Fars News agency that Iran’s Baha’is minority have no civil rights in the regime because their beliefs are contrary to Islam.

“The Baha’i belief is contrary to Islam. In Iran, Baha’is have no civil rights and in particular, they do not have the right to study.” Civil rights are defined as in line with the beliefs of Ayatollah Khomeini, Mousavi-Bodjnordi said. Continue reading “Another Iranian Cleric Reiterates: No Civil Rights Possible for Bahais”

HRANA News Agency – In a December 2 meeting with provincial officials, the Friday Prayer leader of Rafsanjan, Hojjat-al-Islam Abbas Ramadanipour said that there were a number of “sects” in the province, and because people were ignorant they were able to live and work among ordinary people, without being recognized.

According to the report of HRANA quoting from Fars New Agency , he said that a number of Jews were also working in the city bazaar, but the difference between them and the Bahais was, that the Bahais are “unclean.” Continue reading “Friday Prayer Leader in Rafsanjan proposes expelling all Bahais”

HRANA News Agency – On November 22, agents in plain clothes staged simultaneous raids on the homes of several Bahais in the city of Najafabad, in Iran’s Isfahan province, and the town of Vila Shahr, in Mazandaran province.

According to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), they seized laptops, computers, and religious books, images and CDs. They also went to a mushroom-growing facility in Vila Shahr, belonging to one of the Bahais there, Mr. Haqiri, where they broke some windows, turned off the heaters, and sealed the doors. Continue reading “Bahais face Home raids and closures in Najafabad and Vila Shahr”

HRANA News Agency – Early in the morning of November 18, the local officials who supervise public places closed four Bahai-run shops in Nashtarud, a district centre on Iran’s Caspian coast.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), there was no written explanation or prior notice. The four businesses were owned by two Bahais, Mr. Abu-Alfazli and Mr. Mohsennezhad. Continue reading “Four Bahai shops closed in Nashtarud, more closures expected”