Six Baha'i Citizens in Tehran Sentenced to 26 Years and 10 Months in Prison

The 36th branch of the Tehran Appeals Court confirmed a significant portion of the initial court's ruling, sentencing six Baha'i citizens to a total of 26 years and 10 months in prison on charges of 'membership in the Baha'i community' and 'propaganda against the regime', along with the confiscation of their assets. According to Arsalan Yazdani, one of the six Baha'i citizens, the court session was held 'without the knowledge' of the defendants and without their presence or that of their lawyers. Yazdani published details of the sentences on the social media platform X, stating that the Tehran Appeals Court rejected the initial court's evidence for the charge of 'propaganda against the regime', overturning a one-year prison sentence for Iraj Shakour, Pedram Abhar, and Saba Safidi. However, it sentenced Iraj Shakour and Pedram Abhar to 'five years in prison' and Saba Safidi to 'three years and five months in prison' for 'membership in the Baha'i community'. Additionally, Saideh Khodoui was sentenced to 'five years in prison' for 'membership in the Baha'i community' and 'one year in prison' for 'propaganda against the regime', with the enforceable prison term set at five years. According to this ruling, Samira Ebrahimi was also sentenced to 'three years and five months in prison' for 'membership in the Baha'i community' and 'one year in prison' for 'propaganda against the regime', with the enforceable prison term set at three and a half years. Furthermore, Arsalan Yazdani was sentenced to five years in prison for 'membership in the Baha'i community' and one year for 'propaganda against the regime', with the enforceable prison term also set at five years. Based on the ruling from the 36th branch of the Tehran Appeals Court, all these Baha'i citizens were also sentenced to the 'confiscation of assets taken during their arrest'. Baha'i citizens in Iran have systematically faced execution, widespread social and political discrimination, and illegal actions including arrests and desecration of their cemeteries since the 1979 revolution. In this context, Farhad Sabetan, spokesperson for the worldwide Baha'i community, previously told Voice of America that Baha'i citizens have done nothing but goodwill and service to Iran to deserve imprisonment.