In recent weeks, Iranian Baha’is have continued to be targeted in several ways:
January 18
One arrest in Sari
HRANA reports that upon being summoned to the local Ministry of Information office, Sari resident Fayzullah Rowshan was arrested and kept out of contact after being transferred to an unknown location. Persian2English later provided an update from HRANA that Rowshan had still not been released one week after his arrest though officials had still not provided any reason for this.
January 30 (date of report)
Imprisoned Baha’i Citizen: Fariba Kamal Abadi Ill in Rajai Shahr Prison
Fariba Kamal Abadi, one of the seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned since May 2008, has been reported ill in Rajai Shahr Prison. Prison authorities have placed her in quarantine without access to medical care. (Source: CHRR)
Shahrooz Shahidzadeh Expelled from Yazd University
According to PCED), a Baha’i student in the Department of Natural Resources at Yazd University was expelled from his studies on 19 December 2010. It is unclear from this report whether his religion was a factor but it seems likely considering the pattern of anti-Baha’i expulsions from higher education in Iran.
January 31
Iranian Baha’i Activist Given Long Prison Term
Navid Khanjani, a 24-year-old Baha’i and human rights activist, was sentenced to twelve years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. Khanjani was a member of the central council of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters and also founded the Population to Combat Educational Discrimination after being barred from university for for his religious beliefs. Khanjani was found guilty by the court of “spreading lies,” “agitating public opinion,” and “propaganda against the regime.” (Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
February 1
Two Baha’i citizens detained in Oroumiyeh
Farhood Aghdasi and Changiz Dargahi, residents of the city of Oroumiyeh, have recently been detained and there is no information as to their condition. Both the reason for their arrests and their current locations are unknown. (Source: RAHANA)
Two Baha’i citizens arrested in Mashhad
Security Forces in the city of Mashhad attacked the house of Ziayieh Es’haqi and searched her entire home, confiscating books and religious materials as well as her personal computer. They then arrested both her and her son-in-law Farhad Amri. Their locations remain unknown. While the reason for the raid is unknown, it may have been related to Es’haqi and Amri’s community activities, which involved teaching local children. (Source: HRANA)
Nima Haqar, an Iranian Baha’i sentenced to five years in prison
The PCED has reported that Nima Haqar, a Baha’i living in Tehran, has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Revolutionary Court. This sentence comes two years after his initial arrest on 1 February 2009. No information is currently available on the charges brought against Haqar.
February 5
Baha’i Farhad Sanai arrested by plainclothes security agents
The opposition website Only Democracy for Iran has translated a report from HRANA that plainclothes security agents raided the home and shop of Farhad Sanai, a Baha’i living in Ghaemshahr, who has been taken into custody. His location, condition, and the reason for the raid are currently unknown.