Arrest of a Bahai Citizen in Shiraz; Farhad Sabetan: Over 50 Bahais Arrested This Year

The spokesperson for the Bahai World Community, referring to the arrest of a Bahai citizen in recent days, told Voice of America that over 100 Bahai citizens were arrested last year and over 50 Bahai citizens have been arrested in Iran this year.

Farhad Sabetan, spokesperson for the Bahai World Community, on Tuesday, December 23, in an interview with Voice of America confirmed the arrest of Pedram Abhar, a Bahai citizen residing in Tehran by security forces, and said that Mr. Abhar was arrested on Sunday, November 20, on the road between Shiraz and Bushehr, and was transferred from Shiraz to Tehran on Tuesday, December 23.

According to Mr. Sabetan, the residence of Pedram Abhar was searched and he has been transferred to an unknown location in Tehran.

Farhad Sabetan, regarding the process of this arrest, told Voice of America that on Sunday, a bus in which this Bahai citizen intended to travel to the city of Bushehr was stopped for a short period. At the same time, this bus was surrounded by three unmarked vehicles and at least 13 security personnel, and these officers arrested Mr. Abhar and transferred him to Shiraz.

He added that after being transferred to Shiraz, Pedram Abhar was first taken to his parents’ home. After searching the residence and seizing some belongings and personal documents, including the house deed, passport, all books related to the Bahai community, mobile phone, and laptop, he was finally transferred to a security detention facility.

Farhad Sabetan, noting that there is no information about the reason for the arrest, alleged charges, and the institution that arrested this Bahai citizen, told Voice of America that this Bahai citizen has been allowed to contact his parents only once since his arrest until today.

The spokesperson for the Bahai World Community further stated that the reason for the arrest of Bahai citizens in Iran is their belief in the Bahai faith.

In recent months, numerous reports have been published by Voice of America about increasing pressure on Bahai citizens, including the destruction of homes of several Bahai citizens in a village in Chadordangeh district of Sari city, confiscation of lands of Bahai citizens in Semnan province, and arrest of other Bahai citizens.

Farhad Sabetan says that the Islamic Republic has not provided any specific reason for the suppression and persecution of Bahai citizens in Iran to date.

Mr. Sabetan added: “The accusations that are constantly made against Bahai citizens are baseless accusations that are rejected by the Bahai community, accusations such as undermining national security, espionage, or illegal gatherings.”

According to the spokesperson for the Bahai World Community, over 100 Bahai citizens were arrested last year and over 50 Bahai citizens have been arrested in Iran so far this year.

He emphasized that Bahais have committed no crime in Iran that is registered in Iranian civil law, and to date no evidence has been presented by the authorities of the Islamic Republic showing that Bahai citizens have endangered the country’s security.

Bahais, as the largest non-Muslim religious minority in Iran, have faced persecution and suppression by the Islamic Republic government over the past four decades. Deprivation of education in universities and access to government jobs, prohibition of religious ceremonies, arrest, imprisonment, and execution are among the matters that the Bahai community in Iran has endured over the past four decades.

The Bahai World Community on July 9 of this year in a statement, emphasizing over four decades of hatred-inciting by the Islamic Republic government against Bahais in Iran, announced that “government propaganda” against Bahais has entered new phases and “the complexity and extent of it have increased significantly.”