Five-Year Prison Sentence Issued for Two Baha'i Citizens in Isfahan

Radio Farda has learned that Hamid Manzavi and Arshia Rouhani, two Baha'i citizens residing in Isfahan, have each been sentenced to five years in prison by the Isfahan Revolutionary Court. According to informed sources, the first branch of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Mohammad Reza Tavakoli, on June 14, also sentenced these two Baha'i citizens to 'pay a fine of 50 million tomans' and 'confiscation of seized property.' This branch declared on June 8 during the hearing of the case that the charges against Mr. Manzavi and Mr. Rouhani included 'propaganda against the regime,' 'propaganda in favor of groups or organizations opposed to the Islamic Republic,' and 'membership in groups or associations formed within the country with the aim of undermining national security.' The businesses of these two Baha'i citizens were also sealed on September 11 of last year by agents of the Department of Public Places, accompanied by agents from the Isfahan Ministry of Intelligence, and their work tools and electronic equipment were confiscated. Informed sources told Radio Farda that despite the unsealing of these businesses, 'all work and electronic devices of these two citizens have been confiscated in favor of the public treasury of Muslims.' According to relatives of these citizens, the value of the confiscated work equipment from each of these Baha'i citizens is estimated to be 'more than half a billion tomans,' and the daily loss from the closure of each of their businesses is estimated to be 'more than one million tomans.' On June 18, ten political prisoners in Evin prison expressed their support for 'Baha'i citizens' in a letter from prison, stating that their political views do not prevent them from supporting their Baha'i compatriots and that they stand by these Iranian citizens. Evidence, statistics, and reports received by Radio Farda indicate that the systematic pressure from security institutions on Baha'is has increased in conjunction with the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests, at least in terms of security confrontations, discrimination, deprivation of basic citizen rights, and direct pressure on detained protesters and Baha'i activists. The annual human rights report from the U.S. State Department and the report from the Commission on Religious Freedom in recent days have described the continuation of the violation of the most fundamental rights of Baha'is in Iran as part of the 'targeted' approach of the ruling government and termed it a matter of 'special concern.' The Islamic Republic of Iran does not recognize the Baha'i faith, and judicial officials have repeatedly labeled Baha'is as 'spies and enemies,' issuing sentences of execution, detention, imprisonment, and deprivation of education and employment against them.