Iran's Judiciary Issues Indictments Against 10 Baha'i Women in Isfahan for 'Teaching Contrary to Islamic Law'

The Isfahan Prosecutor's Office has issued indictments against 10 Baha'i women residing in the province on charges including 'propaganda against the regime' and 'conducting educational and promotional activities' that contradict Islamic law. According to a report by HRANA, the media organ of human rights activists in Iran, on Tuesday, August 14, the indictment for the case of 'Neda Badakhsh, Arzu Sabhanian, Yeganeh Rouh-Bakhsh, Mojgan Shah-Rezaei, Parastoo Hakim, Yeganeh Aghaei, Bahareh Lotfi, Shana Shoghi-Far, Negin Khademi, and Neda Emadi,' all residents of Isfahan province, was issued by the Isfahan Prosecutor's Office. The charges against these citizens include propaganda against the Islamic Republic and conducting educational and promotional activities contrary to Islamic law. Iranian judicial authorities have systematically deprived Baha'i citizens of their civil rights, including the right to education, and describe non-governmental education for them with terms such as 'deviant.' This human rights organization has stated that the indictment against the mentioned 10 Baha'i citizens was issued by Branch 18 of the Isfahan Prosecutor's Office on August 5. These Baha'i citizens were arrested on the first day of Aban 1402 by agents of the Islamic Republic's intelligence and transferred to the Dowlatabad prison in Isfahan. They were released two months later on bail on different days. According to the report, among these Baha'i women, Yeganeh Aghaei had a prior history of arrest before last year's detention. Since the 1979 revolution, Baha'i citizens in Iran have been systematically subjected to execution, widespread social and political discrimination, and illegal actions including arrests and desecration of their cemeteries. Additionally, according to the annual report of the 'International Religious Freedom Commission' from last year, the repression, violence, discrimination, and social stigmatization by the Iranian government against Baha'i citizens have intensified. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has also expressed concern over the increased pressure on religious minorities in Iran and the Islamic Republic's campaign to detain Baha'is. Furthermore, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has previously reported that over the past several decades, the Iranian authorities have systematically targeted Baha'is, Christians, Gonabadi dervishes, Zoroastrians, Yarsanis, Shia and Sunni Muslims, and non-religious individuals for harassment, arrest, long-term imprisonment, exile, or prohibition from participating in political and social activities. Also see: Sentencing of 34 religious and ethnic minority activists to 160 years in prison and lashes in the past six months. Mojgan Salmanzadeh, a Baha'i citizen, was arrested. Three Baha'i citizens were sentenced to more than 6 years in prison in the Fars Province Court of Appeals. Mahvash Sabat, a Baha'i prisoner, was deprived of phone contact and visits with family 'by court order.' The European Union has called on the Iranian government to stop the 'harassment' of Baha'is. Two Baha'i women in Babol were tried on charges of 'acting against internal and external security.'