Arrest of “Keyvan Rahimian,” Bahai Citizen by Ministry of Intelligence

“Keyvan Rahimian,” a Bahai citizen, was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents and transferred to Evin Prison.

According to published reports, Keyvan Rahimian, a Bahai citizen and former political prisoner, was arrested yesterday, Tuesday, July 18th, at his residence in Tehran by Ministry of Intelligence agents. After searching his home and confiscating some personal belongings and a mobile phone, the agents transferred him to Evin Prison to open a legal case file.

Since his transfer to the interrogation branch of the Office of the Prosecutor of District 33 in Tehran to be informed of initial charges, no information about him is currently available. He only briefly contacted his daughter, Zhina, to inform her that he had been transferred to Evin Prison.

Keyvan Rahimian was previously arrested for his activities in the Iranian Bahai Virtual University and, after going through legal proceedings, was sentenced to imprisonment. He was released in September 2017 after completing his sentence.

International human rights organizations have repeatedly protested the suppression, application of security and legal pressures, as well as the lack of judicial transparency in the legal proceedings of political-security cases and ideological defendants. In their annual reports, they have strongly condemned the government’s severe treatment of ideological citizens.

It should be noted that Bahai citizens, according to the circular issued by the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution on February 25, 1991, are deprived of all civil rights and face various forms of human rights violations and violent behavior by the Islamic Republic government.