The Bahá’í World News Service reports that at least 33 Baha’is are imprisoned in jails all across Iran and more than 200 cases of Baha’is are still active.
The persecution of Baha’is in Iran continues unabated. Human Right Activists in Iran (HRAI) have recently reported about the arrest and disappearance of Sohrab Leghaii, a Baha’i citizen in Qaemshahr, and the arrest of Didar Hashemi, a Baha’i woman from the nearby city of Sari. The Committee of Human Rights Reporters provided details on the arrest of three other Baha’i citizens from the city of Sari (Iran Press Watch translation). In the northern village of Darjazin, the crops of a Baha’i farmer were burned by vandals, causing significant damage.

Following a trial that didn’t follow the appropriate legal procedures, Zabihollah Raoufi, a Baha’i from the Sanandaj governorate, was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to one year of imprisonment. Ali Ehsani, a Baha’i resident of Semnan was sentenced to two years of imprisonment and additional two years of exile for spreading propaganda and activities against national security. (IPW translation) Khabard Navar reported the arrest and subsequent release on bail of two Baha’is from Kashan. They will be charged with “propagation of the Baha’i religion” in court. (IPW translation) In Ahvaz, the trial of a Baha’i couple commenced last month. They are accused of teaching the Baha’i Faith and the persecutor requested the maximum sentence. In Hamadan, Khabar Navard reports that Mehrangiz Husayni has begun her one year sentence for “propagation of the Baha’i religion”.

These innocent Baha’i citizens are persecuted and punished simply for practicing a different religion. We call on the Iranian regime to immediately release all Baha’is from custody and drop all the fabricated charges against members of the community.