Twelve Commercial Units Belonging to Bahai Citizens Sealed in Sari and Shahr-e Kord
On Saturday, April 29, 2023, twelve commercial units belonging to Bahai citizens in the cities of Sari and Shahr-e Kord were sealed by officials from the Department of Premises. The sealing of these citizens’ businesses was carried out under the pretext of closure on one of the Bahai holidays.
According to Hrana news agency, the news organ of the Human Rights Activists Network in Iran, on Saturday, April 29, 2023, twelve commercial units belonging to eighteen Bahai citizens in the cities of Sari and Shahr-e Kord were sealed.
The identities of these eighteen citizens, as verified by Hrana, are as follows: Kourosh Moradi and Mansoor Rohani, owners of a carpentry workshop in Sari; Masih Moghan, Mehrdad Moghan, Amin Moghan, Maysam Moghan, Ramin Moghan, Shayan Ahmadi, Nabi Moghan, Tahmoures Ahmadi, Pouya Ahmadi, Shakib Alipour, Farzad Moghan, Parham Moghan, Peyman Moghan, Zia Moghan, Milad Moghan, and Miad Moghan, owners of commercial units engaged in distribution, sales, and repair of radiators and exhausts, mechanical work, and battery manufacturing in Shahr-e Kord.
An informed source stated to Hrana that in these 12 commercial units, 18 Bahai citizens were engaged in daily work activities. The source said: “The businesses of these Bahai citizens were sealed by the police command and Department of Premises officials due to the closure during the Ridvan holiday.”
The informed source added: “Some of these citizens in Shahr-e Kord followed up on the sealing of their commercial units by visiting the Department of Premises in their city, but they were referred to the Department of Intelligence. There, these Bahai citizens were asked to provide a written commitment stating that whenever they wish to temporarily close their place of business, it must be done with coordination and permission from the relevant guild, that they would not cooperate with enemies, and that they would not follow the Bahai faith leadership. However, none of our friends signed this commitment and they continue to pursue the matter through judicial authorities for the reopening of their businesses.”
Bahai citizens, based on their religious beliefs, close their places of business for 9 dispersed days throughout the year in order to observe their religious practices. However, law enforcement and security agencies, despite the specific legal and civil rights of individuals to practice their religious beliefs and manage their commercial premises, proceed to seal their places of business.
The sealing of the commercial centers of Bahai citizens is taking place as in past years, despite the fact that according to section B of Article 28 of the Trade Association System Law, commercial unit owners are permitted to close their commercial units for up to 15 days per year without notifying the guild.
Source: Hrana
