Businesses of Three Bahai Citizens Sealed in Qaemshahr
The businesses of three Bahai citizens in Qaemshahr were sealed following a religious closure observed by Bahais.
On Sunday of the current week (November 4), the businesses of three Bahai citizens in Qaemshahr were sealed by officials from the city’s property department following a two-day religious closure observed by Bahais.
According to clause (b) of Article 28 of the Guild System Law, owners of commercial units are permitted to close their businesses for up to 15 days per year without notifying the guild. Bahai citizens, according to their religious beliefs, also close their business premises for 9 days scattered throughout the year for the purpose of performing religious ceremonies. However, the relevant law enforcement and security agencies, despite the clearly defined legal and civic rights of individuals to practice their religious beliefs and manage their commercial premises, proceed to seal their businesses.
According to reports published, on the aforementioned day the optometry shop of Sohrab Laghaeei Adhar, the refrigerator repair workshop of Kamran Babaei, and the stationery store of Kamran Abadinei, all Bahai citizens residing in Qaemshahr, were sealed by officials from the property department. According to one of these citizens, Saturday and Sunday of the current week were religious closure days for Bahais, and because these citizens had closed their shops during midday, their businesses were sealed.
The sealing of Bahai businesses, under various pretexts, has a long history in Iran. For years, not only Bahais but all religious minorities have been subject to oppression by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s system due to their beliefs and convictions. The Islamic Republic’s authorities have confiscated much property belonging to religious minorities, including Christians, and in some cases have proceeded to auction their properties. This oppression and discrimination, which has plagued religious minorities in Iran for more than four decades, continues to this day.
