Three Baha'i Citizens in Bojnurd Sentenced to Imprisonment and Fines

Continuing the pressure on Baha'i citizens in Iran, the judiciary of the Islamic Republic sentenced three members of a Baha'i family to imprisonment, monetary fines, and deprivation of social services. According to the report by HRANA, the media organ of human rights activists in Iran, on Thursday, January 21, the first branch of the Revolutionary Court in Bojnurd issued a ruling for Shoaleh Shahidi and her sons, Faran and Shayan Thanaei, imposing prison sentences, fines, and deprivation of social rights. The hearing for the charges against these three citizens was held on September 27 in the first branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Bojnurd, and according to the ruling, which was communicated to these citizens on December 29, Shayan Thanaei was sentenced to two years and two months of imprisonment and a fine of 50 million tomans, Faran Thanaei to two years and six months of imprisonment, and their mother Shoaleh Shahidi to a fine of 50 million tomans. The charges against these citizens were stated in the verdict as 'educational and promotional activities contrary to or disruptive to Islamic law.' According to this report, 'deprivation of social services for a period of 10 years' is an additional punishment for these three citizens, and their personal belongings, including 'laptops, tablets, phones, picture frames, and books,' have also been confiscated. Shoaleh Shahidi and Faran and Shayan Thanaei were arrested by intelligence agency agents at their home in Bojnurd on July 13, 2022, and were temporarily released on August 4 of the same year after posting bail. The Baha'i World Community, in a statement, criticized the intensified actions of the Islamic Republic against Baha'i citizens in Iran, stating that 'violent and insulting raids on Baha'i homes, arrests, and unfair trials based on baseless accusations against Baha'is have increased.' Farhad Sabetan, a spokesperson for the Baha'i World Community, emphasized that Baha'is in Iran have always acted in goodwill and service to the country. The repression of Baha'is by the Islamic Republic has consistently faced international protests. Previously, Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, criticized the 'significant increase' in the harassment of Baha'is in Iran. 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.