25-year prison sentence for "Roya Sabet" a Baha'i citizen

Roya Sabet, a Baha'i citizen, was sentenced to 25 years in prison by the Shiraz Revolutionary Court.

Roya Sabet, a Baha'i citizen, had been living in the United Arab Emirates for 23 years and had traveled to Iran and the city of Shiraz to care for her sick and elderly parents. However, in late January 1402, she was arrested by IRGC intelligence agents on charges of "propaganda against the system and acting against national security."

Ms. Sabet was released from Adel Abad Prison in Shiraz on bail in August 2024, seven months after being temporarily detained. Now, after about a year of temporary release, on Wednesday, June 27, the First Branch of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court sentenced her to 25 years in prison, a two-year ban on leaving the country with the revocation of her passport, deprivation of social rights, and a ban on online activity.

The verdict issued against Roya Sabet is on charges of "collaborating and interacting with Israeli citizens and government institutions," "forming and managing a group with the intention of acting against the country's security," and "propaganda activity contrary to the holy law of Islam." 

After being issued by the Revolutionary Court, Ms. Sabet's sentence was submitted to the Court of Appeals, which, if the sentence becomes final, will result in a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

In the past few decades, in addition to Christian citizens in Iran, Baha'is have also been among other religious minorities who have been targeted more than other minorities by security and judicial actions, and have even been deprived of many civil rights, including university education, having a suitable job, and other social rights. 

The annual reports of the Center for Statistics, Publications and Works of the Human Rights Activists' Association in Iran indicate that over the past three years, an average of 72 percent of reports related to religious minorities have been devoted to violations of the rights of Baha'is.