Two Baha’i Citizens in Kerman Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Prison
Peyvanad Naimi and Berna Naimi, two Baha’i citizens detained in Kerman Central Prison, have been sentenced to a combined total of 20 years, six months, and one day in prison. The issuance of these sentences comes as previous reports documented torture, mock executions, and attempts to extract forced confessions from these two detainees—a development that has once again heightened concerns about the status of religious minorities and freedom of conscience in Iran.
According to human rights organizations, the Fifth Branch of the Kerman Revolutionary Court has sentenced Peyvanad Naimi to 12 years, six months, and one day in prison, and Berna Naimi to eight years in prison. These two Baha’i citizens, who are cousins, are currently held in Kerman Central Prison.
The precise details of the charges contained in the final court verdicts have not yet been made public. However, Berna Naimi was previously tried via videoconference on charges including “action against national security” and “forming a group with intent to overthrow the government.” Information about whether the sentences are final and the possibility of appeal has also not yet been released.
Peyvanad Naimi was arrested at his workplace on December 9, 2025. According to reports from Hengaw and Hrana, he was held in solitary confinement after his arrest and was subjected to pressure and torture during interrogations aimed at extracting forced confessions.
Amnesty International, in an urgent action released in April 2026 regarding the status of these two Baha’i citizens, reported beatings, mock executions, electric shocks, and other forms of ill-treatment against them. The organization also stated that confessions attributed to Peyvanad Naimi were released under circumstances raising serious concerns about how they were obtained.
On February 1, 2026, a video of Peyvanad Naimi’s confessions was broadcast by state media. Human rights bodies have expressed concerns about the possibility that these confessions were coerced and about their use in his legal case.
Berna Naimi, 29 years old and the father of a three-year-old child, was arrested on March 1, 2026 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intelligence forces. Reports indicate that he too was subjected to torture and psychological pressure during his detention and interrogation.
The global Baha’i community and Amnesty International previously issued warnings about his situation and reported the use of mock executions to coerce him into confession. Amnesty International also referenced reports of beatings, electric shocks, and threats to his family.
Berna Naimi was tried via videoconference at the Kerman Revolutionary Court in May 2026. However, complete details of the proceedings and legal documents of his case have not been released publicly.
The conviction of Peyvanad and Berna Naimi occurs at a time when religious minorities in Iran, including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, and Sunni Muslims, have faced restrictions, discrimination, and violations of citizenship rights according to reports by human rights bodies; though the nature and extent of pressures on these communities vary.
The Iranian Baha’i community has repeatedly reported over the past years cases of arrest, denial of education and employment, confiscation of property, and the imposition of severe judicial sentences against its members. International human rights bodies have also repeatedly expressed concern about security and judicial treatment of this community.
Iranian Christians, particularly those who have converted to Christianity or are active in house churches, have also faced arrests, interrogations, security pressure, and judicial convictions according to human rights reports. Some have been tried on charges such as “propaganda against the system” or “action against national security”—charges that religious freedom advocates have, in some cases, characterized as pretexts for restricting religious activities and the right to freedom of conscience.
Under these circumstances, the case of Peyvanad and Berna Naimi raises once again the question of whether Iranian citizens, regardless of their religion and religious beliefs, enjoy equal access to freedom of conscience, security, fair justice, and protection from torture.
In April 2026, Amnesty International released an urgent action regarding Peyvanad and Berna Naimi, warning of the danger of the death penalty and reporting torture and ill-treatment against them. The organization called for an end to torture, cessation of the use of forced confessions, and guaranteed access by detainees to lawyers and medical care.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has also registered the names of both citizens in its database of prisoners of conscience and reflected reports of torture and their continued detention.
These cases, alongside reports about the status of Christians and other religious minorities, demonstrate that the issue of freedom of religion and conscience in Iran remains a serious concern for human rights defenders.
According to Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, every person has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and this right includes freedom to have or adopt a religion or belief of one’s choice and to manifest it individually or collectively.
Furthermore, torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment are prohibited under no circumstances whatsoever. Confessions obtained as a result of torture cannot serve as a legitimate basis for convicting individuals.
The imposition of a combined sentence of over 20 years in prison for Peyvanad and Berna Naimi, alongside reports of torture and forced confessions, once again underscores the necessity for the international community to pay attention to the status of prisoners of conscience and the rights of religious minorities in Iran—rights that must be guaranteed to all citizens without discrimination and regardless of religious or ideological affiliation.
