Lack of Information on 4 Baha'i Citizens Arrested in Shiraz

Information received by the Persian section of Voice of America indicates that, nearly three weeks after the arrest of four Baha'i citizens; Rozita Islami, Vahid Masoumi, Vahid Sabit, and Elham Haqiqatjou in Shiraz, their family members have no information about their conditions and the four have been denied access to their lawyer. An informed source told Voice of America: "In the past 20 days, they have only had one two-minute phone call, and a two-minute visit was granted only to the mothers of the children." According to this informed source, there has been no other news about them during this time, and all confiscated mobile phones and laptops have not been returned. These four citizens were arrested on November 20 in Shiraz by the security forces of the Islamic Republic and transferred to the Shiraz Intelligence Department detention center, known as Detention Center 100. Additionally, see: Criticism from two human rights and Baha'i organizations against the Islamic Republic for the repression of Baha'is. This informed source also stated that the arrest of four Baha'i community members in Shiraz and the repeated illegal actions against Baha'i citizens remind us of the injustices and restrictions that have existed against them for many years and are being enforced. In this context, the arrested Baha'is are universally deprived of the right to choose their lawyer during the initial interrogation stages and are interrogated without a lawyer, facing severe restrictions such as lack of phone contact and lack of visits with family members, putting them under psychological pressure. The Baha'i World Community reported on November 21 in a report titled "Outsiders: Multidimensional Violence Against Baha'is in the Islamic Republic of Iran" that Shia clerics in Iran have labeled Baha'is as "impure" since the formation of the Baha'i Faith, attempting to justify their discrimination and oppression, leading Baha'is in Iran to face crimes against humanity in terms of religious repression throughout history. Reports indicate that in some cities, the money, currency, and gold of Baha'is, as well as their identification documents and property deeds, have been confiscated, and in some homes, their property documents have been seized by security agents. Bahram Azargan, a Baha'i artist, was sentenced to 7 years in prison. The Baha'i World Community welcomed the condemnation of the human rights record of the Islamic Republic. Unveiling of the report "Outsiders: Multidimensional Violence Against Baha'is in the Islamic Republic". Closure of the businesses of three Baha'is after participating in a religious ceremony.