May 17, 2010
HRANA – At 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 11, 2010, seven security agents entered and searched the home of Mr. Parviz Oladi in the city of Qaimshahr in the province of Mazandaran.
Continue reading “Security Agents Enter and Search Homes of Two Baha’i Citizens of Qaimshahr”
HRANA News Agency – Iranian security forces have blocked the reconstruction of Sayed Farokh Shrine located in the village of Khobyaran Jalalvand, Kermanshah Province. This shrine belongs to a religious minority commonly known as Ahl-e Haqq (Yarsan).
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a group of Ahl-e Haqq followers funded and planned a construction project in order to rebuild the Shrine of Sayed Farokh, but Iranian security forces interfered and stopped their plans.
The Shrine of Sayed Farokh is located seventy kilometres south of Kermanshah. Iranian government totally destroyed this shrine in the summer of 2011 and even prevented the local residents from collecting the debris.
The rural district of Jalalvand consists of approximately 60 villages. The vast majority of residents in these villages are the followers of Ahl-e Haqq. In recent years, Iranian government has prevented Jalalvand’s residents from practicing their faith in order to pressure them into embracing the denomination of Shi’a.
Reports indicate that pressure on the followers of Ahl-e Haqq has significantly increased. Last week, another member of Ahl-e Haqq community, Sayed Mirza Hussani, was summoned to the Intelligence Agency and threatened to stop observing religious rituals belonging to his faith.
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HRANA News Agency – On Monday and Tuesday of this week, intelligent agents raided the houses of two Christians in Shahriar, Karaj, and arrested one and summoned the other individual.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on October 17, 2011, intelligent agents raided a citizen’s house in Shahriar but were unable to detain him since he was not home.This individual has been identified as “Mohammad N.”Security agents searched the house and confiscated a computer, books and CDs containing religious teachings and summoned Mohammad N. to the Intelligent Agency.
Similarly, on October 18, 2011, intelligent agents raided Fariborz A.’s house in Shahriar and arrested him.Fariborz A. is a newly converted Christian.During this raid, security agents searched the house and seized his personal property.
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HRANA News Agency – Seven professors and officials involved in Baha’i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) have been sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison.BIHE is a provisional online university established for Baha’i citizens who have been denied the opportunity to study at Iran’s higher education institutes.
According to the Committee of Human Rights Reporters, during the last couple of days, Judge Moqayaseh presiding over the 28th branch of the Revolutionary Court has sentenced seven Baha’i citizens to a total of 30 years in prison.The defendants were present in the courtroom when the verdicts were read.Defense attorneys objected to the rulings and filed appeals on behalf of their clients.The verdicts are as follows:
Citing Article 499 of the Islamic Penal Code, Judge Moqayaseh sentenced seven Baha’i professors and university officials for being involved in an illegal group with the intention to commit crimes against Iran’s national security.These seven individuals together with nearly 300,000 other citizens throughout the country are members of Iran’s Baha’i Community outlawed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
On May 22, 2011, Iranian security forces raided the houses of more than 40 Baha’i professors, students and university officials and arrested six of the aforementioned individuals.Riaz Sobhani was arrested separately on June 13, 2011.During the last few months, more than 20 Baha’i citizens connected to the online university have been detained, and nearly 50 individuals have been summoned to the Intelligence Agency.Furthermore, several buildings including a laboratory have been sealed, and the university’s website has been filtered and blocked multiple times.
Last week, all of the defendants with the exception of Noshin Khadam were transferred to Rajai-Shahr Prison.On October 15, 2011, Noshin Khadam was transferred to the women’s ward in Evin Prison.
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HRANA News Agency – On Thursday, September 29, 2011, twenty one Baha’i citizens were arrested in Esfahan and taken to an unknown location. Amongst the detainees, there was a 9 year old child.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on Thursday, Iranian security agents arrested the following Baha’i citizens in Esfahan:
On Saturday, October 1, 2011, Dina Safarpour, Shahla Sanaei, Fardoas Niki, Saha Behnam, Sohela Davardan, Samira Ghaneh, Sohela Vahedian and Taj Almalok Janamian were released.Thirteen other detainees still remain in custody while their whereabouts are unknown.
After these Baha’i citizens were arrested, the houses of Parisa Rahmani, Farzad Rohani and Ataullah Daneshgar were searched and Baha’i religious artifacts were confiscated.
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HRANA News Agency – On Thursday morning, September 29, 2011, Abbas Sharyati, a member of Nimatullahi Gonabadi Sufi Sect, was arrested in Yazd.The number of arrests continues to rise as pressure on Gonabadi dervishes increase throughout the country.
According to a report by the Campaign to Protect Dervishes’ Rights, a group of security agents arrested Abbas Sharyati in Yazd and took him to an unknown location.Thus far, the reason for this arrest has not been announced, and Abbas Sharyati’s whereabouts are unknown.
On Wednesday, September 28, 2011, Nusrat Tabasi, another detained member of Nimatullahi Gonabadi Sufi Sect, was transferred from solitary confinement, Ward 209, to the general population in Evin Prison.Nusrat Tabasi is a member of Majzooban Nur, Nimatullahi Gonabadi Order website.
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HRANA News Agency – On Monday, September 19, 2011, seven members of Nimatullahi Gonabadi Sufi Sect were arrested when they answered to a call to attend a gathering in front of Evin Prison in order to protest against the killing of a citizen in the capital city of Kavar County, Fars Province, and the imprisonment of other dervishes.
According to a report by Majzooban Nur, Nimatullahi Gonabadi Order News Site, security forces and plain clothes agents who were present in front of Evin Prison arrested Arash Shaltoki, Nemat Kazemi, Taymour Homayouni, Ali Babaie, Ramin Ashkohe, Mehdi Rahmati and Davood Mehrdad.
All roads leading to and from Evin Prison were monitored closely by security agents since last night, and Special Forces Guards were stationed in front of this prison from early morning hours on Monday.Due to heavy presence of security agents, Nimatullahi Gonabadi Sufi Sect cancelled its call for the gathering.
HRANA News Agency – Last week, five Iranian Christians were sentenced to a total of 5 years in prison despite the fact that they were exonerated of all charges by a lower court.They were retried because the prosecutor had objected to the initial verdicts.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the Appeals Court of Fars Province has handed down a one year prison term for Behroz Sadeq Khanjani, Mohammad Belyad, Nazli Kamarian, Parviz Khalaj and Mehdi Forotan.
Mathias Hagh-Nejad who was recently released on a bail approximately equivalent to $28,000 confirmed the verdicts against these individuals and said, “Additionally, I am waiting for my trial, and Mehrdad Gharoni, another Christian citizen, is locked up behind bars in the Intelligence Agency’s detention center in Esfahan.Yosef Nadarkhani will also be tried in Gilan’s Revolutionary Court, Branch 11, on September 25, 2011.
After the new verdicts were issued by the Appeals Court, these five Christian citizens were summoned to serve their prison terms.
Today, Christian Democratic Union in Germany released a letter written to Iranian Embassy to vehemently object to the incarceration of Yosef Nadarkhani and to ask for his immediate release.Yosef Nadarkhani is a Christian priest sentenced by Gilan’s Revolutionary Court to die on charges of apostasy.
HRANA News Agency – Sources related to Nimatullahi Gonabadi Sufi Sect have reported that a few hours ago, Basiji Militia opened fire at the members of this sect in the capital city of Kavar County, Fars Province.The shooting lasted almost an hour until Special Forces Unit dispatched from Shiraz put an end to it.
According to a report by Majzooban Nur, Nimatullahi Gonabadi Order News Site, clashes began when Basiji Militia shot tear gas canisters and also bullets at the members of Gonabadi Sufi Sect.Basiji agents then raided houses and set stores on fire.Following the outbreak of conflicts in the Kavar County, security forces installed closed-circuit cameras in assembly halls where religious ceremonies were held and prevented the members of Gonabadi Sufi Sect to enter the city of Kavar.
This report also explains the reason for the outbreak of violence in Kavar County:Apparently, when a young Muslim seminary student distributed pamphlets and CDs amongst Basiji forces and chanted “Death to American Dervish,” militia members were incited to act against Gonabadi Sufi Sect and set dervishes’ stores ablaze.
During today’s clashes, a number of individuals on both sides of the conflict were injured.Kavar County is now under tense military and security measures.
May 8, 2010
HRA News Agency– Simin Gorji, a Baha’i citizen residing in Ghaem Shahr was arrested by police forces.
