October 21, 2024 | Flash Brief
Iran Sentences 10 Women From Baha’i Religious Minority to Lengthy Prison Terms
October 21, 2024 | Flash Brief
Iran Sentences 10 Women From Baha’i Religious Minority to Lengthy Prison Terms
Latest Developments
Iran’s judiciary sentenced 10 women belonging to the beleaguered Baha’i religious minority to a combined total of 90 years in prison, Iran International reported on October 21. The Isfahan Revolutionary Court charged the defendants with “educational and propaganda activities against the sacred Islamic law.” The judicial body “cited activities such as organizing educational classes on music, yoga, painting, English language, and nature tours for Iranian and Afghan children and teenagers as evidence of the charges,” according to Iran International.
Iran Wire reported that the court sentenced eight of the women — Negin Khademi, Yeganeh Rouhbaksh, Yeganeh Agahi, Arezo Sobhanian, Shana Shoghi-Far, Mojgan Shahrezaei, Neda Badakhsh, and Parastoo Hakim — to 10 years in prison each. Two others — Neda Emadi and Bahareh Lotfi — each received five-year sentences. The court also prohibited all 10 women from leaving Iran and using social media for two years. “In addition to the prison sentences,” Iran Wire noted, “the court confiscated the women’s belongings, including mobile phones, laptops, digital devices, books, religious artworks and photos, jewelry, and foreign currency.”
The Baha’i have long faced religious persecution in Iran. Founded in the 19th century by a Persian nobleman named Baha’u’llah, who deemed himself a new divine messenger, the Baha’i faith embraces a doctrine of continuing revelation that emphasizes the fundamental unity of all religions. Because this belief contradicts the Muslim idea that all revelation ceased after the time of Muhammad, Tehran considers the Baha’i faith not merely erroneous but a perversion of religion itself. As a result, teaching and practicing the Baha’i religion remain illegal in Iran. The Baha’i World Center, which represents the spiritual and administrative heart of the religion, is located in the Israeli city of Haifa.
Expert Analysis
“Khomeinism made the eradication of the Baha’i faith in Iran one of its key pillars even before the inception of the Islamic Republic. Unlike the previous regime, where followers of the Baha’i faith held prominent positions in government, business, and society, the Islamic Republic denies Baha’is basic rights such as access to education, employment, and property ownership.” — Saeed Ghasseminejad, FDD Senior Iran and Financial Economics Advisor
“The Islamic Republic’s latest persecution of the Baha’i offers a reminder of the regime’s fundamentalism, intolerance, and radical Islamist laws and norms. Rather than pressure Israel to refrain from significant military action against Iran, the Biden administration should exert maximum economic, diplomatic, and military pressure where it truly belongs: the clerical dictatorship itself. Yet Biden’s passivity effectively gives Tehran a green light to continue its repression.” — Tzvi Kahn, FDD Research Fellow and Senior Editor
“The Islamic Republic’s enduring history of religious discrimination is deeply woven into its laws and practices, systematically persecuting faiths perceived to be at odds with its theocracy. America’s public diplomacy toward Iran should take advantage of the upcoming International Religious Freedom Day on October 27 to unequivocally condemn the regime’s oppressive policies.” — Janatan Sayeh, FDD Research Analyst
Related Analysis
“Iran Escalates Abuse Against Political Prisoners,” FDD Flash Brief
“Iran’s Repression of Baha’is Condemned by U.S. Agency,” FDD Flash Brief
“Iran’s Religious War against the Baha’i,” by Tzvi Kahn