The Policy of 'Victimization' Against Imprisoned Bahá'ís; Farhad Sabetan: Government's Desperation in Providing Evidence

The spokesperson for the Bahá'í World Community assessed the policy of victimization by the security institutions of the Islamic Republic against a number of imprisoned Bahá'í citizens as evidence of a lack of evidence against the detainees. Farhad Sabetan, in an interview with Voice of America, described the Islamic Republic's efforts to 'incite Iranian compatriots against Bahá'ís' as a sign of 'desperation in providing evidence and witnesses' and a tactic to 'justify attacks' by the Islamic Republic against Bahá'í citizens. Recently, Radio Farda reported that the Ministry of Intelligence and one of the prosecutors at the Isfahan judicial complex have 'summoned' and 'threatened' the 'Muslim neighbors and friends' of 10 detained Bahá'í women, forcing them to file complaints against these women. According to this report, there are currently '60 new complainants' in the case of these Bahá'í women in Isfahan. Farhad Sabetan described the isolation of Bahá'ís in society and the intimidation of their defenders, friends, and neighbors as a longstanding behavior of the Islamic Republic. He stated that the Islamic Republic, which has always accused the Bahá'í community in Iran of espionage, has not provided any evidence or witnesses to support this claim. In the past two months, with increasing pressure on Bahá'í citizens in Iran, at least 40 Bahá'í citizens have been arrested, and the homes of at least 66 of them have been searched by government agents. The news agency HRANA, the news organ of human rights activists in Iran, has announced the identities of the 40 arrested Bahá'í citizens and published a list of 66 other Bahá'í citizens whose homes have been searched in the past two months. Recently, a representative of the Bahá'í World Community, Simin Fahandj, in an interview with Voice of America, described the widespread arrests of dozens of Bahá'í citizens in various cities, including Hamadan, Isfahan, Karaj, Shiraz, and Yazd, as a sign of increased harassment and oppression of Bahá'ís in Iran. The recent arrests of Bahá'í citizens in Iran have faced criticism from human rights organizations. Rashad Hussain, the U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, called for an end to 'the harassment and torture of Bahá'ís in Iran' on X (formerly Twitter). He described religious persecution as 'unacceptable' and wrote: 'The continued targeting of Bahá'í women by authorities is deeply concerning. All Iranians, regardless of religion, background, or gender, should have the opportunity to live and thrive.' Javid Rahman, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, also criticized the 'significant increase' in the harassment of Bahá'ís in Iran during a UN meeting in New York. Concerns from human rights observers; pressure on the Bahá'í community in Iran intensified in the months of Mehr and Aban 1402. The IRGC claims to have arrested 10 Bahá'í citizens in the provinces of Tehran and Alborz. Trials and searches of several Bahá'í citizens' homes in Sari and Hamadan. Arrests and searches of the homes of 20 Bahá'í citizens in Hamadan.