The Court of Appeals in Razavi Khorasan Province has recently sentenced Hourieh Sadat Mohseni, a Baha’i resident of Mashhad, to four years in prison.

A reliable source has confirmed this development to HRANA, revealing that Mohseni received three years for “membership in groups and communities to act against national security” and an additional year for “spreading propaganda against the regime.”

According to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, Mohseni is set to serve three years in prison for the first charge.

The initial verdict was issued by the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad, led by Hadi Mansouri, in December 2023. The source reports that Mohseni’s private lawyer was not accepted by the Revolutionary Court, and the verdict was swiftly issued upon taking over the case. Earlier, her lawyer, Mohammad-Hadi Erfainian Kaseb, had conveyed the court’s rejection of his legal representation.

Mohseni was indicted on November 11, 2023, and was subsequently released on bail. This is not the first instance of arrest and conviction she has faced.

Baha’is are subjected to violations of their religious rights, comprising 82% of reports on infringements against religious minorities, according to HRA’s 2023 annual report.

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.