Arrest of a number of Baha'i citizens in Marlik, Tehran

HRANA News Agency – Pari Kargarian Marvasti, Danial Baninejad, Baha’i citizens, along with another citizen, were arrested by security forces at Ms. Kargarian’s home in Marlik, Tehran, and taken to an unknown location. While searching Pari Kargarian’s home, security forces confiscated and took away some of her personal belongings, including mobile phones, electronic devices, pictures, books, and works related to the Baha’i faith.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Pari Kargarian Marvasti, Danial Baninejad, two Baha'i citizens, along with Esmaeil Molaei, were arrested by security agents in Marlik, Tehran.

The arrest of these three citizens took place at the home of Pari Kargarian in Marlik, Tehran. While arresting these citizens, security forces searched the home and confiscated some personal belongings, including mobile phones, electronic devices, and pictures, books, and works related to the Baha'i faith.

As of the time of writing, there is no information available about the reasons for the arrest and where these citizens are being held.

The Marlik area is a part of Tehran that is also known as Marlik Karaj due to its proximity to Karaj.

Skylar Thompson, external relations officer for the Human Rights Activists in Iran, said in response to the news: "This organization strongly condemns discriminatory practices against religious minorities in Iran. We call on Iran to take concrete steps to ensure that Iranians, especially Baha'i citizens, can enjoy religious freedoms, including the free exercise of their religious beliefs."

Baha'i citizens in Iran are deprived of freedoms related to religious beliefs. This systematic deprivation occurs despite the fact that, according to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, everyone has the right to freedom of religion and to change their religion with conviction, as well as the freedom to manifest it, either individually or in community with others and in public or in private.

According to unofficial sources, there are more than 300,000 Baha'is in Iran, but the Iranian constitution only recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, and does not recognize the Baha'i religion. For this reason, the rights of Baha'is in Iran have been systematically violated over the past years.

Source: HRANA