Court Date and Branch Set for Trial of Four Baha’i Citizens

Hrana News Agency – The court hearing on the charges against Shadi Shahidzadeh, Mansour Amini, Vali Allah Qademian, and Ata’allah Zafar, Baha’i citizens, will be held on Wednesday, June 1st in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court under the presidency of Judge Iman Afshari.

According to Hrana News Agency, the news organization of the Iranian Human Rights Activists Network, the court date and branch for hearing the charges against four detained Baha’i citizens has been set.

Based on a notice recently issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court under the presidency of Judge Iman Afshari and served to Shadi Shahidzadeh, Mansour Amini, Vali Allah Qademian, and Ata’allah Zafar, these Baha’i citizens have been asked to appear on Wednesday, June 1st to defend themselves against the charge of “membership in the illegal Baha’i organization.”

An informed source told Hrana in this regard: “Despite the follow-ups and repeated requests from the families of these individuals for setting bail for their temporary release, judicial authorities have refused to do so, and these citizens remain detained in Evin Prison.”

Shadi Shahidzadeh, Mansour Amini, Vali Allah Qademian, and Ata’allah Zafar were arrested on April 1st of this year by security forces and were subsequently transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence detention facility known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

Hrana reported in late April 1402 about the continued detention and uncertain status of these citizens in Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

Baha’i citizens in Iran are deprived of freedoms related to religious beliefs. This systematic deprivation occurs despite Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which stipulate that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the freedom to change religion or belief, and the freedom to express such beliefs individually or collectively, and in public or in private.

According to unofficial sources in Iran, there are more than 300,000 Baha’i citizens; however, Iran’s Constitution only recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, and does not recognize the Baha’i faith. For this reason, the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated over the years.

Source: Hrana