Category: Religious Minorities

Baha’i Citizen Farbod Alavi Arrested

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i arrest, Baha'i citizen, Farbod Alavi

On December 4, 2022, security forces arrested Baha’i citizen Farbod Alavi and jailed him in Evin Prison. The agents searched his house and confiscated some of his belongings.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on December 4, 2022, Baha’i Farbod Alavi was arrested at his house in Tehran.

Alavi was allowed to call his family only after three days.

The reason for his arrest and the charges are still unknown.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian Constitution recognizes only Islam as the official religion, in addition to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Bahai faith is not considered legitimate by the authorities, and the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

The deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a breach of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Baha’i citizen Vesal Momtazi Arrested in Rasht

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i, Vesal Momtazi

On December 6, security forces arrested Baha’i citizen Vesal Momtazi in Rasht and took him to Lakan Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, Baha’i citizen Vesal Momtazi was arrested by security forces.

According to an informed source, the agents searched his house. In recent weeks, he was summoned and interrogated several times.

The reason for his arrest is still unknown.

 

Yarsan Civil Activist Seyyed-Karam Abbasi Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Ahl-e Haqq, Seyyed-Karam Abbasi, Seyyed-Soroush Abbasi, Syeed-Amin Abbasi, Yarsan, Yarsanism

On December 1, 2022, security forces violently arrested Yarsan civil activist Seyyed-Karam Abbasi and took him to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Yarsan civil activist Seyyed-Karam Abbasi was beaten and arrested by security forces.

One day before his arrest, his two brothers, Syeed-Amin and Seyyed-Soroush Abbasi and five other Yarsan followers were also arrested by the road police on the way to Bisotun, Kermanshah Province.

According to an informed source, all three brothers were beaten during the arrest; their houses were searched and damaged.

The reason for these arrests and their whereabouts are still unknown.

Yarsanism, Ahl-e Haqq is a syncretic religion founded by Sultan Sahak in the late 14th century in western Iran. As a religious minority, Yarsan followers are subjected to intimidation and prosecution by regime security and judicial systems.

 

Baha’i Individual Homayoun Khanlari Arrested in Rasht

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News, Religious Minorities

On November 29, 2022, security forces arrested Baha’i citizen Homayoun Khanlari in Rasht, Gilan Province and took him to an undisclosed location. The agents searched his office and then his house and confiscated some of his belongings.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on November 29, 2022, Baha’i Homayoun Khanlari was arrested at his house in Rasht, Gilan Province.

According to an informed source, his family’s frequent inquiries from judicial-security institutions about him have remained unanswered.

The reason for Khanlari’s arrest and his whereabouts are still unknown.

 

Baha’i citizen Sanaz Tafazoli Arrested in Mashhad

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, Mashhad, Sanaz Tafazoli

On Tuesday, November 22, 2022, the intelligence agents arrested Baha’i citizen Sanaz Tafazoli in Mashhad and took her to an undisclosed location. The agent searched her house and confiscated some of her and her son’s belongings.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Baha’i citizen Sanaz Tafazoli was arrested in Mashhad.

After three days, Tafazoli’s whereabouts is still unknown.
She has faced other arrests and convictions on a prior occasion.

 

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Yarsan Civil Activist Siavash Hayati Sentenced to One Year Imprisonment

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Kermanshah, Siavash Hayati, Yaresan

Recently, the Kermanshah Revolutionary Court sentenced Siavash Hayati, spokesperson for the Advisory Forum of Yarsan Civil Activists, to one year in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Siavash Hayati, a member of the Yarsan community, was sentenced to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

On September 23, 2022, security forces arrested Hayati in Kermanshah. He was released on bail after fifteen days.

Hayati faced other arrests on prior occasions.

At Least 30 Yarsani Followers Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Kermanshah province, Khalil Alinejhad, Sahneh, Yarsani

Many Yarsani believers have been arrested in the recent week, 30 of whom have been identified.

On November 18, 2022, at least 30 Yarsani followers were arrested in Sahneh county of Kermanshah Province during the twenty-first commemoration of Khalil Alinejhad, a well-known Yarsani figure who was killed in 2001.

An informed source told HRANA, “the security forces present at the commemoration turned this event violent by shooting and using tear gas.” At Least 30 people have been arrested and taken to an unknown place.

The names of those arrested during this event are as follows:

Kaki Saeed Almasi
Siavash Kaliani
Kamyab Heidari
Seyed Ali Dakei
Seyed Shahoo Shah-Ebrahimi
Afshin Azimi
Meysam Azimi
Hamid Zandi Nejhad
Navid Hassanlou
Seyed Foad Shah-Ebrahimi
Faezeh Ranai
Naghi Rahmani
Masoum Razavi
Hamid Afshari
Rashid Mohammadi
Bardia Tajdini
Meraj Hemmati
Amin Malekzade
Farzad Rahmatabadi
Seyed Fariborz Shah-Ebrahimi
Noshad Taheri
Ali Nazari
Seyed Farhad Zalnouri
Seyed Fereydoun Taheri
Mohammad Bahrami
Ghadir Rahimi
Hamid Gorgin
Mehr-Ali Hemmati
Nemat Pourvali
Shahrouz Esmaeili

Two Gonabadi Dervishes Arrested in Karaj and Gorgan

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Faezeh Abdipour, Gonabadi Dervishes, Saeed Soltanpour

Saeed Soltanpour and Faezeh Abdipour, two Gonabadi Dervishes, are among those recently arrested.

Saeed Soltanpour, Gonabadi Dervish, was recently arrested in Karaj. Soltanpour’s home and belongings were searched at the time of his arrest. It is worth noting that Soltanpour had also previously served prison and exile terms for a previous conviction.

Faezeh Abdipour, Gonabadi Dervish, was arrested in Gorgan on November 22, 2022, and was taken to an unknown place.

Since the outbreak of nationwide protests, over 17400 people, including journalists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, have been arrested. For more details and statistics on the nationwide protest across Iran, read HRANA’s comprehensive report here.

Baha’i Citizen Parva Behdad Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Bahais, HRANA, Parwa Behdad

On November 14, 2022, security forces arrested Baha’i citizen Parva Behdad at her house in Isfahan and took her to an undisclosed location. The agents also searched her home and confiscated some of her personal belongings.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on November 14, 2022, Parva Behdad was arrested at her house in Isfahan.

The reason for this arrest, charges and her whereabouts are still unknown.

 

Baha’i Individual Leili Karami Arrested in Shiraz

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, Leili Karami, Mahsa Amini, Shiraz

On October 26, 2022, security forces arrested Baha’i citizen Leily Karami at her house in Shiraz and transferred her to a detention facility known as House No 100. The agents searched her home and confiscated some of her personal belongings.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Baha’i citizen Leily Karami was arrested at her house in Shiraz.

The reason for her arrest and the charge is still unknown.