Bahrad Azargan, Bahá'í Artist, Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison

On Thursday, December 1, the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported the issuance of a 7-year prison sentence for Bahrad Azargan, a Bahá'í citizen residing in Tehran. According to the Harana news agency, this sentence was issued by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals. Previously, in the first instance, this music teacher had been sentenced to 11 years in prison, confiscation of seized assets, and a two-year ban on online activities and leaving the country. According to this report, Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Salavati, sentenced him to 5 years in prison for 'educational or promotional activities contrary to Islamic law', 4 years for 'membership in opposition groups', and 2 years for 'spreading falsehoods'. Additionally, according to the court's ruling, the assets that were seized during the search of this Bahá'í citizen's home by the security agents of the Islamic Republic will be confiscated in favor of the government, and he is also banned from online activities and leaving the country for 2 years. Bahrad Azargan's home was searched by security agents on July 12 of this year, and several personal items, including his mobile phone and laptop, were confiscated. He was then arrested on August 4 and later released from Evin Prison after posting bail. The Iran Human Rights Campaign and the Bahá'í International Community criticized the Islamic Republic on Thursday, November 17, for the 'suppression of the Bahá'í community' through further arrests of Bahá'ís, especially Bahá'í women. The statement noted that the Iranian government has subjected Bahá'í community members to ongoing harassment for decades, arresting and imprisoning their leaders and prohibiting them from education, employment, and business. Hadi Ghaemi, director of the Iran Human Rights Campaign, stated, 'The Iranian government's all-out assault on the Bahá'í community requires much greater global attention,' and pointed out that the Islamic Republic is making intense efforts to 'eradicate the entire Bahá'í community solely for their desire to practice their faith.' Earlier, on October 22 of this year, the judiciary of the Islamic Republic sentenced 10 Bahá'í women in Isfahan to a total of 90 years in prison, along with fines and other punishments, on charges including 'educational promotional activities'. According to unofficial sources, over 300,000 Bahá'ís live in Iran, but the constitution of the Islamic Republic not only does not recognize the Bahá'í faith but also acts against it. For decades, the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic have deprived Bahá'í citizens of their civil rights, including the right to education, and have described educational activities outside the government's framework with terms such as 'deviant'. Human rights organizations state that the rights of Bahá'ís in Iran have been systematically violated over the years, and government pressures on them have increased in recent months.