Blogger: The Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights
Article: New wave of arrests in Iran
Originaly Posted On: 2008-11-25 04:23:28

Recently, Human Rights Activists in Iran published several troubling reports on Baha’is from several cities across Iran being incarcerated. On the 14th of November, the following report was published:

The Incarceration of the Baha’is continues

As the seven leaders of the Bahá’í community in Tehran, three Bahá’í youth in Shiraz and others are still incarcerated, a new wave of arrests has commenced.  According the report on 10/18/2008, two Baha’is from Behshahr (province of Mazandaran) with names of Tarazullah (Ziyaullah) Verdi and Ms. Sonia Tebyanihan have been arrested under the charge of propagation against Islam and connection with the House of Justice.  They are still held under suspicious circumstances in Sari.

Also Mr. Siyamak Ebrahimi from Tonekabon who was arrested and released on bail two years ago was illegally apprehended on November 4th and sentenced to 6 month in prison and 2 years of exile to Zabol.

Also it has been reported that three Baha’is have been arrested in Yasooj whose identities are not known.

It was followed by this report two days later:

Arrest of the Active members of the Baha’I community of Yasooj

According to the recent reports, community activities of three of the Baha’is of Yasooj (capitol of the province of Kohguyliyyeh and Boyer Ahmad) have resulted in their arrest.  In July/August of this year three Baha’is from Yasooj with the names of Ali Asgar Ravanbakhsh and Ms. Zoleykha Moosavi (Mr. Ravanbakhsh’es wife) as well as Ruhiyyeh Yazdani who had created a children’s education class were prosecuted by the intelligence service and their personal properties such as books, CD’s and religious photographs were confiscated.

On October 27th after being called to the Intelligence Agency in Yasooj they were arrested and after two days their families informed of their incarceration in the central prison.  For unknown reasons they are not granted any visitors and the charges against them have been described as challenging the security of the regime by creation of anit-Islamic classes.  The official court date has been set for November 18th.

Such harsh reactions by the regime to Bahá’í community-centered activities has precedence, such as the arrest of 54 Bahá’í youth in Shiraz for establishment of children’s classes three of whom are still in prison serving a 4-year sentence.