Three Baha'i Citizens Deprived of Education Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

According to reports received by Radio Farda, three Baha'i citizens in Iran, who had previously been deprived of education, have each been sentenced to five years in prison by Judge Moghiseh. Rouhieh Safajoo, Tara Hooshmand, and Sarmad Shadabi were convicted this November after several court summons on charges described as 'acting against national security through membership in the misguided Baha'i sect.' Iranian authorities refer to the Baha'i faith as a 'misguided sect.' These three Baha'is were unable to see their exam results after participating in the university entrance exam in 2014 and were ultimately deprived of their field selection. They subsequently protested to responsible authorities, including the President's Office, the Ministry of Science, and the Organization for Educational Testing, but to no avail. Rouhieh Safajoo, Tara Hooshmand, and Sarmad Shadabi were arrested in March 2016 and released on bail in April 2017. Ultimately, after six summons and only two court sessions, they were sentenced to five years in prison by Judge Moghiseh. Baha'i citizens in Iran have systematically faced various forms of discrimination due to their religious beliefs in the years following the revolution. Deprivation of education, prohibition from holding government jobs, obstruction in private employment, and legal prosecution are among the pressures faced by the Baha'i community in Iran. Several Baha'i leaders have also been imprisoned for years. According to Article 19 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 'The people of Iran, of whatever ethnicity or tribe, enjoy equal rights, and color, race, language, and such factors shall not be a cause for privilege.' International organizations have repeatedly accused Iran of violating the rights of Baha'is. According to Simin Fahandej, spokesperson for the Baha'i International Community, despite the hopeful slogans of Hassan Rouhani's government, the situation for Baha'is has worsened in some respects. The spokesperson previously told the Iran Human Rights Campaign: 'Unfortunately, the situation has not changed over the past four years (during the first presidential term), and if you look at the statistics of Baha'i citizen arrests, the situation has worsened. We currently have about 90 Baha'is in prison, Baha'i students are still deprived of education, hundreds of Baha'i shops have been closed without legal justification, and there are other forms of harassment that Baha'i citizens endure on a daily basis.'