Exclusive Radio Farda Report; Instances of 'Threat of Torture' Against 10 Baha'i Women in Isfahan During Detention

Informed sources have told Radio Farda that 10 Baha'i women, sentenced to long prison terms by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan, presided over by Mohammad Reza Tavakoli, endured various forms of 'psychological torture' and 'threats of physical torture' during their detention. Information received by Radio Farda indicates that these Baha'i women were threatened with 'rape, sexual assault, nail pulling, sitting on an electric chair, and having boiling water thrown in their faces' during interrogation at the Isfahan Intelligence Office. On November 1, 2023, Radio Farda reported that Yeganeh Aghaei, Yeganeh Rouh-Bakhsh, Negin Khademi, Shana Shoghi-Far, Mojgan Shahrazayi, Parastoo Hakim, Arzoo Sobhanian, Neda Badakhsh, Neda Emadi, and Bahareh Lotfi were arrested by security agencies in Isfahan and released from Isfahan Women's Prison after about two months. The Revolutionary Court of Isfahan sentenced eight of these women to 10 years in prison and a fine of 100 million tomans, while two others received five years in prison and a fine of 50 million tomans. According to the rulings issued by this branch, all ten individuals were also sentenced to two years of travel ban and two years of prohibition from using social media. Torture and threats of 'rape and death' during interrogation According to information obtained by Radio Farda, interrogators at the Isfahan Intelligence Office used items such as 'mobile phones and interrogation papers' to strike the heads and faces of these women to force them into coerced confessions against themselves, other detained women, and even their family members and friends. Heavy prison sentences and fines for 10 Baha'i women in Iran Based on received information, interrogators at the Isfahan Intelligence Office repeatedly threatened detainees by showing them boiling water and threatening to throw it in their faces, while also splashing icy water from a bottle onto their faces. In some cases, an 'electric chair' was placed in front of these women, and interrogators claimed that if they did not confess to 'dictated points,' they would be seated on this chair and given 'electric shocks.' Interrogators also forced some of these women to listen to 'the sounds of torture of other women,' and in one instance, they suggested to one woman that 'another woman had died under torture.' According to these audio files, during the separate transfer of these women from Isfahan Women's Prison (Dowlatabad) to the Intelligence Office for interrogation and in the interrogation room, no female officer was present, and two or three male officers consistently threatened these women with 'assault and even sexual assault.' According to information received by Radio Farda, 'the male interrogator sometimes got so close to these women that they could feel his breath.' Additionally, during the interrogation of these Baha'i women, which often lasted 'over 12 hours,' if they requested to change their clothes due to hot or cold weather, the interrogators forced the detainees to change their clothes in front of them. Psychological damage remains prevalent Informed sources have told Radio Farda that despite nearly 10 months having passed since these women were temporarily released from Isfahan Women's Prison (Dowlatabad), some of them continue to struggle with psychological damage resulting from 'threats of torture and detention.' As a result, several of these women have developed 'post-traumatic stress disorder' (PTSD) and still recall scenes of interrogation and detention when they hear loud noises or experience excitement in their daily lives, suffering from issues such as restlessness and nightmares. 'Post-traumatic stress disorder' arises after direct experiences of death, threats of death, rape, sexual assault, and similar incidents, and may accompany the affected individual for life despite treatment. Informed sources have told Radio Farda that one of these women 'lost more than five kilograms' after her release and has been undergoing medication 'nine months after her release to return to normal life.' Additionally, the pressure of 'threats of torture' and interrogation during detention was so severe that one of these women 'now fears hearing her full name' and the images of the interrogation come alive for her. On the other hand, due to the pressures during detention, this woman has developed 'memory problems' and cannot recall certain events or retain some matters in her memory for long. The confiscation of property for the 'benefit of the Muslim Fund' The Revolutionary Court's Branch 1 declared in its ruling against these women that their mobile phones, laptops, and all digital devices, as well as any jewelry and gold they possess, and any amount of US and Australian dollars they have, will be confiscated for the 'benefit of the Muslim Fund.' This court also sentenced eight of these women to pay a fine of 100 million tomans and two others to pay a fine of 50 million tomans. Meanwhile, during their detention, any property documents present in these women's homes were also confiscated. A few months after the arrest of these women, representatives of the Executive Headquarters of the Imam's Command, which operates under Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, visited the parental home of one of these women whose property document was confiscated and inquired about the ownership of the house. The ownership of many lands and properties confiscated from Baha'i citizens has been transferred to the Executive Headquarters of the Imam's Command after being seized by the Revolutionary Court. Therefore, there is concern that in addition to the confiscated properties, the Revolutionary Court is also attempting to seize the homes of these citizens for the benefit of the aforementioned headquarters. The Bahá'í World Community reported last December that Iranian security forces arrested '40 Baha'is' two months prior and searched 'the homes of nearly one hundred Baha'i families' in various cities across Iran. 18 UN reporters and experts emphasized in a letter on July 31 of this year that Baha'i women in Iran face compounded oppression due to 'being women and being Baha'is.' The authors of this letter referred to the 'systematic' behavior of the Iranian government against Baha'i women, citing instances such as arrests, summons for interrogation, disappearances, searches of Baha'i women's homes, confiscation of property, travel restrictions, and their prolonged detentions. In May of this year, the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan also sentenced 15 other Baha'i women to a total of 75 years in prison on charges of 'promoting' the beliefs of the Baha'i faith. Despite the presence of 300,000 Baha'is in Iran, the Islamic Republic does not recognize the Baha'i faith, and Iranian officials have repeatedly labeled Baha'is as 'spies and enemies,' issuing numerous death sentences, arrests, imprisonments, and prohibitions on education and business, as well as the destruction of homes and cemeteries against followers of this faith over the past four decades.