The Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights » Raids

50 Houses of Baha’is Destroyed in Northern Iran

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 23:33:30 +0000

Fifty Baha’i families in the village of Eival could do nothing but watch their houses being demolished this week, RAHNA reported.

On June 22, the Baha’is of Eival learned that non-Baha’is in their village are collecting signatures to destroy, level and clear the houses of the Baha’is living in the villages. Some of the Baha’is approached the local administration office but were turned away as Iranian officials stated that the reports are unfounded. On the next day, the Baha’is again approached the local office, a police station in Telmadareh and also went governor’s office in the Mazandaran province capital in Sari. All authorities stated that the reports were false and accused the Baha’is of breaking the law by approaching them.

Eival village entered a state of quarantine for 48 hours and Baha’i families were violently barred from their homes. Following this the demolition of the Baha’i houses began. According to an eyewitness, a few men with trucks demolished and leveled around fifty houses of Baha’is in the village.

The following footage of the aftermath of the destruction was obtained by HRA-IRAN:

Interview With a Baha’i Education Right Activist in Iran

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:18:52 +0000

In an interview with International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Hessam Mishaghi, spokesperson for the Right to Education Committee, most of whose members are in prison right now, spoke of barriers for education for Bahais and students who are active in civil and political activities at universities. He explained in this interview that contrary to Mohammad Javad Larijani’s statements in Geneva in which he said no Bahai has been arrested or deprived from education or social rights on grounds of his Bahai faith, he and one of his friends have discovered a letter in which Ministry of Science’s Security Department and Ministry of Information have deprived them of education on the same grounds. Hessam Mishaghi also talked about the arrests of his friends and colleagues and how what Larijani said in Geneva were lies.
The Campaign’s interview with this civil and student activist who has been deprived from education follows:

Campaign: Mr. Misaghi, you are a member of the Right to Education Committee. Why did you form this Committee and what is the situation with the Committee members right now?

Hessam Misaghi: This Committee was formed as an independent organization to regain the general right to education. Most of its members were Bahai students who had been deprived of education, but the Committee was working to regain the rights of all students deprived from education on grounds such as gender discrimination, suspension and dismissal orders for critical students, as well as deprivation of education for Bahai students which has a long record.

This Committee had several meetings last May and June in different Iranian cities with the aim to disseminate information, something which was unprecedented under the oppressive conditions of Iran. The first meeting was held in Tehran. I participated in the meetings as the Spokesperson for the organization, so I delivered speeches. Navid Khanjani was the founder and Head of this independent organization. The Committee was established as an independent organization to regain the general right to education. Three Committee members were arrested within 24 hours and three other members’ homes were searched.

Who are the other Committee members who have been arrested or are being pursued?

Hessam Misaghi: Dorsa Sobhani, one of our Committee colleagues in Sari is under immense pressure. Her father was arrested by six people yesterday [March 6] and was interrogated blindfolded and handcuffed while he was beaten. Eeghan Shahidi, a Committee colleague in Kermanshah was arrested early in the morning on March 3rd. Sama Nourani, a Shiraz colleague who has been deprived from her medical engineering education at Tabriz Sahand University was arrested on March 3rd. I must add that after joining the Committee of Human Rights Reporters, our Committee’s central members established a new organization named “Society Against Educational Discrimination,” and this is how threats and arrests of members of Committee of Human Rights Reporters came to be related to arrests of our organization which is a defender of the right to education.

Were you summoned, too?

Hessam Misaghi: I was summoned on January 2nd. I didn’t show up to Ministry of Information. On March 3rd they stormed my home and the home of Sepehr Atefi, one of our colleagues in the Right to Education Committee and searched the premises. I have to add that we were an independent organization and our only objective was to defend the right to an education.

What were your group’s objectives regarding the right to education?

Hessam Misaghi: We ask for freedom of thought for university entry. The Right to Education Committee has been dissolved. All our colleagues are now active with the Society Against Educational Discrimination.

What do you think is the reason for the confrontation with this group? Is it because some of the members are Bahais? Or is it because the Ministry of Science has consistently denied the “starred student” phenomenon? Or are there other reasons?

Hessam Misaghi: The government deprives applicants and students from their education, as well as arresting people who are activists around this subject. I think the arrests of these individuals is not related solely to their being Bahais. These individuals were involved in civil activities to defend student rights. The rulers neither approve of their being Bahais, nor their civil activities. Bahais’ joining the Iranian civil society and joining other civil activists working to defend their fellow countrymen’s rights is a very significant development and I think the rulers cannot tolerate this, hence the severe crackdown on these education-deprived students. Dorsa Sobhani was also a One Million Signatures Campaign activist in Sari.

Crackdowns on the Right to Education activists is not unprecedented. Currently members of the Council to Defend the Right to Education are also in prison. Zia Nabavi, Majid Dorri, Saeed Jalalifar, Mahdieh Golroo, and Shiva Nazar Ahari are the ones in prison now.

What do you think about the recent remarks by Minister of Science in which he said those who do not share the regime’s views–more specifically those who do not have practical commitment to Islam and Velayat-e Faghih–will be dismissed from universities?

Hessam Misaghi: Such an approach is in contradiction to international human rights standards and shows the short-sightedness of a regime which does not accept any opposite views. In a country where the entire nation think the same way, no progress will be achieved. It is through criticism and challenge that new ideas are heard and progress is achieved.

What do you think these remarks could bring student political activists?

Hessam Misaghi: Such statements will only intensify the ruling oppression in the society and will increase pressure on student and civil activists. Consequently, security organizations would also confront harder, as we are witnessing, even though many students are already in prison. Now we see even those who have never been allowed to enter the universities despite their efforts for gaining admission are also arrested.

Can you provide more details about Dorsa Sobhani?

Hessam Misaghi: Dorsa is 20 years old. Her father was threatened by telling him that if Dorsa did not turn herself in on Saturday, they would arrest his wife and their younger daughter.
[Update: Dorsa arrived at her home in Sari on March 7th and was arrested by 12 security agents and eventually transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran - BR]

Dorsa’s father said that two days ago, when he left his home, six men waiting outside his home told him that he had to go with them. They then transferred him to an unknown location. He was handcuffed and blindfolded and interrogated for four hours during which he was threatened. I already told you about threats. Dorsa has to turn herself in on Saturday, otherwise her family will be arrested and her home will be confiscated.

Where was Dorsa?

Hessam Misaghi: Dorsa had taken a trip to (…) on the day the officers stormed their home at night.

Is she back now?

Hessam Mishaghi: They have told her father that she should return and turn herself in tomorrow. She will most likely be arrested.

What is her charge?

Hessam Misaghi: They didn’t say anything about charges. They just said we have a warrant and we will explain the charges after arrest. In my and Sepehr’s cases, they informed us of the same charges as for the other Committee members, meaning “contact with MKO” and “moharebeh.”

Are you a Bahai yourself?

Hessam Misaghi: Yes, I am from a Bahai family. This was used in a Ministry of Science letter as grounds for my dismissal from Isfahan’s Sanaee University in 2008, after I had finished two terms studying English Translation. I should add that most of my classmates did not know anything about my being a Bahai, it had never been discussed.

How did they find out and expel you?

Hessam Misaghi: Usually Bahai students are dismissed after a ruling arrives from Ministry of Science’s Security Department. Ministry of Information has all the statistics on Bahai families; they identify [the students] and do the expulsion.

How do they get their statistics? Do families announce that they are Bahais?

Hessam Misaghi: Yes. Bahai’s don’t conceal their belief because it is forbidden for them. If someone asks them they announce that they are Bahais.

What happens if you object? Is there any source to respond to your objection?

Hessam Misaghi: Over the past years, objections have been registered with Ministry of Science, Evaluation Organization, and The Cultural Revolution Superior Council both in written form and in person. But the authorities do not answer at all and consider themselves not at fault.

Navid Khanjani and I even had a situation when last December 17th we went to Ministry of Science. We were detained in a room inside the Ministry of Science for a whole day. We were threatened and interrogated because we had found a confidential letter which Ministry of Science authorities didn’t want to leave the Ministry and we were not giving them the letter.

What was in the letter?

Hessam Misaghi: It was a letter in which it was clearly stated that dismissal of these students was on orders from Ministry of Science’s Security Department. The letter has been scanned and I can send you the file. I was so surprised when I heard Larijani’s statements. We have heard so many lies during these years but this was really surprising. How far can a government go to deny its actions? We are a generation who has heard years of lies and when we tried to expose the lies we ended up in prison, like Navid, Eeghan, Sama, and maybe even Dorsa…

Does the Committee only pertain to education-deprived students or does it also include the starred students?

Hessam Misaghi: We had starred students in our gatherings, too. Our gatherings were a tribune for all education-deprived students from all orientations.

Therefore your organization is only six months old and you have endured so much pressure?

Hessam Misaghi: Yes, that’s right.

You have been illegally barred from continuing your education. When responding to criticism about imprisoning Iranian Bahais and denying them the right to education, Javad Larijani denied it in Geneva. On the other hand, when you ask the authorities to be responsive, you are summoned and arrested. How does this make you feel?

Hessam Misaghi: With all these problems, and even though my best friends are in jail, I am still not disappointed, because I know people of Iran hear our voices. Iranians’ voices demanding their rights have been heard by the world for a while now. We are people who have never accepted injustice and have fought for regaining our rights until our last breaths.

Dorsa Sobhani, a Baha’i Activist, Arrested Today in Iran

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:41:56 +0000

Dorsa Sobhani, a member of the 1 Million Signature Campaign, was arrested this morning in Sari, northern Iran. The 1 Million Signature Campaign aims to collect a million signatures to a petition to repeal all the discriminatory laws against women in Iran, while raising awareness about this inequality.

Ms. Sobhani is a Baha’i who was denied her right to higher education because of her faith, and she has also campaigned for those rights. Many students – Baha’is and politically active – have been banned from attending universities in the past. The “Committee for the Right to Education”, which Dorsa is a member of, campaigned to lift these bans. Since the disputed June election in Iran, many members of the committee were arrested.

This arrest comes after a raid on Sobhani’s home on March 2th, when six security officials entered the home in the middle of the night, searched it and confiscated belongings. On March 4th, six officials returned to Sobhani’s home, and physically and verbally attacked her father. He was then arrested, blindfolded, bound and interrogated and threatened for hours. The security officials told him that unless he turns in Dorsa, he, his wife and young daughter will be arrested and their home will be taken away from them.

This morning Dorsa arrived at her home where she was met by 12 security agents who proceeded to arrest her.

Another Baha’i Cemetery Desecrated in Iran

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:53:07 +0000

The following are a photos from the Abadan and Khoramshahr cemetery. It was raided during Azar 1388 (early December 2009) and many graves and walls were destroyed.

For more photos see in the Iran Press Watch post in Farsi.

Round-up of updates from Iran: Persecution of Baha’is continues unabated

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:46:05 +0000

Reports from human rights organizations and the Baha’i International Community show that over the last month, violations of the rights of Baha’is in Iran unfortunately persisted.

Several homes of Baha’is were searched across Iran. On September 27, the house of Sohail Rouhani was searched in Yazd by security forces. They confiscated his computer, cell phone and CDs. On October 17, security forces searched the home of Shahram Azadi in Khorramshahr. They took his identification papers and his mobile phone. In Mahshahr, the house of a Baha’i couple Shokrollah and Sadigheh Hajiani was searched on October 19. Both were detained, and Mrs. Hajiani was later released. On October 21, security forces searched Pejzman Nikooneja’s house in Babol, confiscated some personal belongings and detained him for two hours.

Several Baha’i citizens were summoned to interrogations by security forces. Four Baha’is in Kashan, Shahrzad Mahjoor, Ruhieh Fanaian, Soheil Husaynipour and Feraydoon Fallah were interrogated by the Revolutionary Court on September 23 and later released. On September 26, another Baha’i resident of Kashan, Rosita Zabihian, was questioned by the Revolutionary Court. She was summoned to the interrogation by the Revolutionary Guards Information Office earlier that month. The same office summoned six Baha’is from the nearby village of Mazgan for interrogation. The six, Nourollah Samiee, Shahram Ehsani, Mr. Heshmatollah Ehsani, Mr. Nourollah Shahidi, Mr. Rahmatollah Shahidi and Mr. Siavash Dabestani, were question in Kashan on September 30.

While many Baha’i students were simply denied the right to start their higher education this year, despite passing the entrance exam, three Baha’i students in Semnan completed one week in the university before they were expelled.

A number of Baha’is have been arrested over the last month and a half. On October 12, Behnam Rouhanifard was arrested in Yazd and taken to an undisclosed location. Four days later, his brother, Sohail Rouhanifard was arrested too. On October 19, Peyman Kashfi, a Baha’i from Tehran was summoned to the Revolutionary Court, and never returned from there. When his family inquired about his whereabouts, they were told that he’s detained in section 209 of Evin Prison (the section reserved for political prisoners). He is not allowed to see visitors and accept packages from his family. On October 31, Yasuj Intelligence Office searched the house of Ali Bakhsh Bazrafkan, confiscated some of his belongings and then brought him to his son’s house, searched that house too and confiscated all religious writings. Ali was later arrested. On November 2, two Baha’is in Mashad were arrested and taken to an unknown location. Security forces arrested the two, Sonia Ahmadi and Mr. Ghanavatian after they’ve entered a religious session of the Baha’is in town that evening and filmed it.

On October 30, Ruhollah Rezaei a Baha’i citizen in Shiraz was kidnapped by unknown men and tortured. He was threatened, hung by a rope to make his believe that he’s about to be hanged, undressed and burned with cigarettes all over his body. Mr. Rezaei was previously jailed for five years in 1981 when he was only 18.

On October 19, nine Baha’is from Mashhad, Davar Nabilzadeh, Kaviz Noozdahi, Rosita Vaseghi, Sima Rajabian, Nahid Ghadiri, Nasrin Ghadiri, Sima Eshraghi, Jalayer Vahdat and Hooman Bakhtavar, were summoned to the Security Office for interrogation. On October 25, the second hearing in their case took place. The nine face different charges, including propaganda against the regime, activities against national security, teaching the Baha’i Faith and insulting religious sanctities.
In Early Novemver, A Baha’i woman from Semnan, Manijeh Monzavian, was sentenced to three and half years in prison for acting against national security by promoting the Baha’i Faith and membership in Baha’i anti-regime organizations. As expected, the trial of the seven Baha’i leaders (the Yaran), which was set to start on October 18, was postponed for the fourth time. According to IRNA, Alireza Avaie, head of Tehran’s justice department, said that he “believes they will be tried in the near future.”

Following the destruction of the Baha’i cemetery of Vilashahr and Najafabad for the 18th time, Azizu’llah Subhi Najafabad, a Baha’i from Najafabad was buried on September 27 in Isfahan without notification to his family. As we’ve previously mentioned, his family was not allowed to bury him in the Baha’i cemetery following its destruction, and his body was held in the hospital since his death on September 15.

Various acts of vandalism against Baha’i property were perpetrated as well. In late September the windows of a car belonging to Mahboub Bandi, a Baha’i from Rafsanjan, were smashed by unidentified men. Only a few days later, on October 2, the car of Farzad Mohebati was set on fire in the same town. Also, On September 27, unidentified motorcyclists smashed the windows of Nezamuddin Fanaian’s car in Semnan. The similar attack was carried out in the city on October 7 against Adel Fanaian’s car. On November 2, a large water tank was stolen from a Baha’i cemetery in Sangar, near Semnan, probably using a crane. As we know from previous incidents, vandalism against Baha’i property is not investigated by authorities, thus affirming to the perpetrators a feeling of impunity.

As a background to this ongoing persecution is the state-supported incitement against Baha’is and their Faith. On October 8, a seminar in the city of Mashad for the “review and critique of sects” called the Baha’i Faith a “pseudo-sect”. Also, On October 10, Ghoranali Dorri Najafabadi, the representative of the Supreme Leader and the leader of the Friday prayer in the city of Arak, spoke to a group of women. In his speech he described Baha’i religious activities as “suspicious, seditious and criminal”. Until a few months ago, Mr. Najafabadi served as Solicitor General and was responsible for the decision to disband the informal local Baha’i councils (the formal ones were banned in 1979).

Updates to the map and timeline

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:09:27 +0000

Baha’is in Iran are still being raided and arrested by government officials. We are updating our tools to reflect that, you may use the following timeline and map in order to take note of the recent and unfortunate events. Unfortunately Dipity, the service we used to create the timeline, has been having technical glitches causing some data to be lost, but some of the recent events have been included.

Timeline:

Persecution of Baha'is in Iran on Dipity.

Map:

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Baha’i detained in Qaemshahr

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 08:28:20 +0000

HRA Iran reports that on the 4th of February, Saman Sabeti – an active Baha’i in Qaemshahr who was in charge of community affairs – was arrested by officials at the Ministry of Intelligence.

The Ministry of Intelligence summoned and subsequently held a Bahá’í who was in charge of Bahá’í community affairs in the city of Ghaemshahr.

On February 3, 2009, in line with escalating harassment of the Bahá’ís especially in the province of Mazandaran, the security forces raided the private residence of Mr. Saman Sabeti Bourkheili, a Bahá’í in charge of his faith community affairs in Ghaemshahr. They proceeded to search for and confiscate many religious books, pictures, and other similar items. They subsequently summoned Mr. Sabeti to appear at the office of the Ministry of Intelligence in Sari, Mazandaran, on February 4 for further questioning.

Upon his arrival at this location, he was summarily arrested with no clarity on the reasons for his arrest or charges against him. Ten days have elapsed since this event, and Mr. Sabeti has not been granted visitation rights or access to legal counsel. The only communication since his detention was a short phone call during which he stated that he had been arrested.

In light of this, and the recent update on the situation in Iran by the Baha’i International Community (via Iran Press Watch), we have once again updated our map that depicts recent raids and arrests in Iran. Note the concentration of most incidents in the Northern province of Mazandaran.

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10 homes raided in Mashhad; 2 Baha’is arrested

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:22:29 +0000

Human Rights Activists in Iran reports that officials from Mashhad’s Ministry of Intelligence have raided ten Baha’i homes, and confiscated personal belongings and religious texts and items.

The Department of Intelligence visited the home of ten Bahais and subsequently arrested two of those visited.

In an organized and systematic manner, the Iranian Security Forces, after attacking homes in Sari, Semnan, Ghaemhashr and Tehran over the past few months, attacked the Bahai homes in Mashhad yesterday, January 26th (7th of Bahman).

The Intelligence forces attacked at least ten Bahai homes, namely those who serve the Bahai community in some official capacity in the city of Mashhad. Among those attacked were homes of Mr. Sirous Zabihi, Mr. Soheil Nasirzadeh, Mr. Davar Nabilzadeh, where the forces confiscated personal belongings, pictures of religious figures, religious texts, computers and even religious jewelry.

During these confrontations at least two members of the Bahai community, Ms. Sima Eshraghi and Mr. Jaleed Vahdat, were arrested and transferred to an undisclosed location. There is no further information available regarding the two aforementioned individuals.

Mapping the intensifying wave of raids and arrests [Updated]

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:05:39 +0000

View Larger Map

Observers of the situation in Iran have noted an increase in the intensity of persecution against the Baha’i minority of Iran in recent months. The above map depicts known reports of arrests and raids since October 2008 that have come to our attention. Arrests are denoted with a red placemark, while raids (which often result in arrests) are denoted with blue placemarks.

Most of the recent incidents are centered in the northern province of Mazandaran, where the chief of the Ministry of Intelligence is said to have personally instigated the attacks.

The most recent incidents occurred in Tehran and in Kish Island, a popular tourist destination. In Tehran, 10 residences belonging to adherents of the Baha’i Faith were raided, and personal belongings were confiscated. The raids resulted in the arrest of 6 Baha’is, one of whom is a former employee at the Defenders of Human Rights Center.

In Kish Island, 8 women were arrested (some of the women are reported to have been visiting from abroad) and accused of acting as missionaries. According to the semi-official news service Tabnak, the Baha’is have actively “used attractive women as bait” to lure young women into the Faith. Under normal circumstances, such accusations against a major world religin would be laughable.

But the Baha’is of Iran do not live under normal circumstances. Their most basic of rights are denied, the sanctity of their belief is not respected and perpetrators of abuse against Baha’is are not prosecuted. In fact, according to law, Baha’i blood can be spilled with impunity.

Update: In the light of the recent report from Human Rights Activists in Iran, we’ve updated the map to reflect incidents that have just come to our attention.