New Wave of Pressure on Baháʼís in Iran; Homes of Dozens of Baháʼí Citizens Searched and Several Arrested

In the course of a new wave of arrests and summonses of Baháʼís in Iran, security forces of the Islamic Republic raided the homes of dozens of Baháʼí citizens in various parts of Iran on Sunday, August 31, and while searching and seizing personal belongings of these citizens, arrested several of them.

Based on reports received by Radio Farda, the arrests of Mahvash Sabeti Shahriari and Fariba Kamalabadi in Tehran and Afif Naeimi and Saman Estovar in Karaj have so far been confirmed by security forces.

Sohi Sabati, a resident of Sari, and Behnam Momtazi, a resident of Qazvin, are also among those arrested on Sunday.

Mr. Naeimi and Ms. Sabeti Shahriari and Kamalabadi are all recognized leaders of the Baháʼí community and former members of the “Yaran-e Iran” group who were released from prison after serving 10 years in detention.

Simon Fahndezh, spokesperson for the Baháʼí World Community in Geneva, in an interview with Radio Farda, while confirming the names of these three arrested citizens, reported on the increase in pressure by the Iranian government on Baháʼís, including the issuance of harsh sentences against them, particularly in recent weeks.

Ms. Fahndezh described such actions as indicative of “a new wave of harassment and persecution of Baháʼí citizens” by the Islamic Republic government.

Searches of Baháʼí Homes in Various Cities

Security forces simultaneously raided the homes of several Baháʼís residing in Tehran, including Nima Haghghar, Nazila Haghghar, Soheila Azhir, Elnaz Khademi, Shaghaig Kashavarzi, and Pejman Kharami, and while searching, confiscated personal and electronic items belonging to these individuals.

In Karaj as well, the homes of Baháʼí citizens including Sara Shabanpour, Nasir Harvi, Zhina Arbasi, Kamiar Habibi, Mozaffar Nabili, Bita Momtazi, and Sabine Yazdani were raided and searched by officials.

Reports also indicate that among Baháʼís living in Mashhad, Shadi Tabrizian, Hedayeh Ghiabani, and Farida Hedayati, and in Shiraz, Bahareh Pazdjaleh and Rahele Kashani faced raids by security forces at their homes on Sunday.

Meanwhile, officials raided the homes of several Baháʼí citizens living in northern Iran, including Shafaq Fahndezh, Shakib Massoumi, Shaghaig Pourenayati, and Neda Tayefi in Gorgan, and the home of Soraya Manouchehrzadeh in Sari, and conducted searches.

Meanwhile, Arash Sadeghi, a civil activist and former political prisoner, in a series of tweets, while mentioning the names of some of these citizens, reported “the confirmation of the arrest of 15 of them.”

As of the time of writing this report, no information has been released about the details of the arrest of these citizens, including the detaining authority, possible charges, and their place of detention.

International human rights organizations, referring to widespread arrests and harsh sentences against Baháʼí citizens, consider the behavior of the Iranian government to be a “systematic violation of human rights.”

In this regard, the Baháʼí World Community on the first day of August issued a statement, while listing instances of harassment and persecution of Baháʼís by the Islamic Republic government, including arrests, trials, and closure of businesses of these citizens, called for an end to the persecution of Baháʼís in Iran.

The Islamic Republic of Iran does not officially recognize the Baháʼí faith, and its judicial and security authorities have repeatedly called Baháʼís “spies and enemies.”

Prohibition from university education, deprivation of a wide range of occupations, dismissal from the state sector, and the creation of multiple restrictions in the private sector, are among the restrictions and repressive measures against Baháʼí citizens in the Islamic Republic.

Source: Radio Farda