Continued Pressure on the Baha'i Community; Four Baha'i Citizens Sentenced to a Total of 20 Years in Prison

News sources reported on Wednesday, July 4, the issuance of prison sentences for four Baha'i citizens. According to the HRANA news agency, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Mansour Amini, Valiollah Ghadamian, Shadi Shahidzadeh, and Attaollah Zafar each to five years in prison. This comes as the website 'Human Rights in Iran' reported that Attaollah Zafar, who had previously been imprisoned, was released last November due to health issues. According to HRANA, these four Baha'i citizens were tried on June 10 of this year on charges of 'membership in illegal groups aimed at undermining national security' and were arrested in May of this year, subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which belongs to the Ministry of Intelligence. A spokesperson for the Baha'i World Community stated in response to Voice of America that they are awaiting more information before commenting on this news. The sentences issued for the four mentioned Baha'i citizens will be enforced if confirmed by the appeals court. Recently, the appeals court also sentenced Sara Sabet Rasikh, a Baha'i citizen residing in Isfahan, to eight years in prison. The charges against Sara Sabet Rasikh include 'propaganda against the regime,' 'insulting sacred beliefs,' and 'insulting the leadership.' This Baha'i citizen, who had previously been sentenced to two years in prison in another case, was released late last year with an electronic ankle monitor. Baha'i citizens in Iran have systematically faced executions, widespread social and political discrimination, and illegal actions including arbitrary arrests and desecration of their cemeteries since the 1979 revolution. According to last year's annual report by 'International Religious Freedom,' the repression, violence, discrimination, and social stigmatization by the Iranian government against Baha'i citizens have intensified. Sara Sabat Rasikh, a Baha'i citizen in Isfahan, was sentenced to eight years in prison. Narges Mohammadi's support for the 'Our Story is One' campaign. The 'forced' burial of deceased Baha'is in Khavaran; the Baha'i World Community: it is ruthless. A former Baha'i community manager in Karaj was arrested; the burial of two other Baha'is in Khavaran cemetery. The judiciary news agency denied the 'deteriorating condition' of Mahvash Sabet; silence regarding her torture.