Continued Crackdown on Baha'i Citizens in Iran; Arrest of Two 'Prominent' Instructors in Babol on Charges of Promoting Baha'ism

The Chief Justice of Mazandaran Province claimed the 'destruction of a Baha'i cult gang' in Babol and the arrest of two 'prominent' instructors, as well as the closure of 12 related centers. Mohammad Sadegh Akbari stated that 'enemies, with precise planning and utilizing all their media capacities, are attempting to overthrow the regime.' According to Akbari, actions were taken in Babol under the guise of two schools and several educational and sports centers, employing 'organizational elements of Baha'ism,' leading to the arrest of the instructors and the closure of the centers. Baha'is are among the groups that the Islamic Republic recognizes no rights for, continuously seizing their property, denying them education, and even destroying the graves of their deceased. Security agencies of the Islamic Republic arrest and impose restrictions on Baha'i citizens under any pretext. On August 13, the Ministry of Intelligence also claimed in a statement, without providing evidence, that it had arrested a 'wide network of disruptive Baha'i families in the field of pharmaceuticals.' According to the Ministry of Intelligence, following intelligence-security investigations, 'clues of foreign communications and indications of interference by some misguided sects' in the area of 'drug trafficking and hoarding' were discovered. In that statement, the Ministry mentioned the arrest of a Baha'i family for reasons such as 'clear and hidden ownership of 20 pharmacies and three cosmetic and hygiene companies and numerous illegal warehouses,' as well as ownership of '20 hidden warehouses... containing smuggled and hoarded drugs.' The Ministry's statement, without naming this family, reported the arrest of 9 individuals and the seizure of 40 pharmacies and warehouses in this context. According to the annual report on 'International Religious Freedom' for the year 2022, prepared by the U.S. Department of State's Office of International Religious Freedom, the repression, violence, discrimination, and social stigmatization by the Iranian government against members of the Baha'i community have intensified. Shahdokht Khajani, a Baha'i citizen, was sentenced in absentia to 16 years in prison. The anniversary of the disappearance of 11 Baha'i citizens marks 43 years of uncertainty and the potential for 'hasty execution.' The arrest of a 'Baha'i family' was reported, with the Ministry of Intelligence claiming they were involved in 'drug trafficking and hoarding.' A 90-year-old Baha'i citizen, Jamal al-Din Khajani, and his daughter were transferred to Evin Prison. The confirmation of a 10-year prison sentence and 'deprivation of other rights' for two Baha'i citizens in Iran was also noted.