According to the news agency of Jamia Aryaei, two Baha’i citizens, Maral Rasti and Mahnaz Jan Nisar, were transferred to Bandar Abbas prison to endure imprisonment. These two citizens, along with 6 other Baha’i citizens who have been in Bandar Abbas prison since last month, were sentenced to a total of 14 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of this city. In addition, as an additional punishment, these people will be banned from membership in political and social parties and groups for two years, banned from participating in Baha’i banquets and gatherings, and required to undergo five counseling sessions on sectarian issues under the supervision of Andisheh Institute professors. Sajjadieh Bandar Abbas have been convicted.
Today, Saturday, April 14, 1400, Maral Rasti and Mahnaz Jan Nisar, Baha’i citizens from Bandar Abbas, were transferred to the prison of this city.
These two citizens, together with 6 other Baha’i citizens, were previously summoned to Branch 2 of the Bandar Abbas Revolutionary Court’s sentence enforcement unit to serve their sentence, and among them last month, Arash Raskhi, Omid Afaghi, Mehrullah Afshar, Adib Haq Pajoh, Farhad Amri and Nasim Kanawatian for They were transferred to Bandar Abbas prison to endure imprisonment. Maral Rasti, Mahnaz Jan Nisar (Pourmaradian), Arash Raskhi, Nasim Kanawatian, Omid Afaghi, Mehrullah (Ruhullah) Afshar, Adib Haq Pajoh and Farhad Amri were arrested in the spring of 2016 and some time later, after filing a case in the third branch of Bandar Abbas investigation They were released on bail.
Branch 2 of Bandar Abbas Revolutionary Court presided over by Judge Belader tried these citizens and Maral Rasti, Mahnaz Jan Nisar, Arash Raskhi, Nasim Kanawatian, Mehrullah Afshar and Omid Afaghi were each sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and Farhad Amri and Adeeb Haqpajoh were each sentenced to one year. They were sentenced to imprisonment. The accusation against these citizens was called community and collusion with the intention of disrupting national security.
Also, the court confiscated 30 million Tomans in cash, two small pendants with religious motifs, a silver ring, a gold ring, a necklace and a gold bracelet and a gold ring with religious motifs, books, photo frames, statues, etc. D. recorded at the time of inspection.
In addition, as a supplementary punishment, these citizens will be banned from membership in political and social parties and groups for two years, banned from participating in Baha’i banquets and gatherings, and required to undergo five counseling sessions on sectarian issues under the supervision of Andisheh Institute professors. Sajjadieh Bandar Abbas have been convicted. In a part of this verdict, it is stated that if the mentioned persons do not comply with the provisions of the sentence during the execution of the supplementary punishment, for the first time, the court will increase the period of the supplementary punishment by one third, and in case of repetition, it will be converted into imprisonment or monetary fine of the seventh and eighth degrees.
In issuing this verdict, the court has cited cases such as holding spiritual classes, setting up a kindergarten for Baha’i children, holding music classes, gatherings and conferences for teenagers, and collecting money for the banquet program. Earlier, a source close to the family of one of these Baha’i citizens said: “Three years have passed since the filing of the case in the third investigation branch of the Bandar Abbas General and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office, Mr. Rahimi, the investigator of the case, after three years of investigation, finally gave these citizens Bahai had said that after three years of this case, the Bandar Abbas Intelligence Department has not provided any evidence that the crimes they claimed were committed, and if they do not provide evidence by the end of the month despite the passage of three years, the case will be closed and a restraining order will be issued. After this incident, the investigator Rahimi was removed from Branch 3 of the General and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office and a new investigator entered the case. Intensifying the charge from Article 500 to 610 of the Islamic Penal Code, which is collusion to act against national security, issued an indictment and sent the case to the Revolutionary Court.
This knowledgeable source told Harana about the holding of the court session of these citizens: “On December 22, 2019, the court of these Baha’i citizens was held in the second branch of the Revolutionary Court of Bandar Abbas. During this meeting, the lawyers and eight Baha’i citizens realized for the first time that the accusation was changed and intensified from propaganda against the system of Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code to Article 610 of the Islamic Penal Code as an assembly and collusion with the intention of disrupting national security, and despite the fact that the lawyers emphasized They say that the trial process is flawed and the case should be returned to the prosecutor’s office. The judge of the court issues a decision regardless of the procedure of the trial.” This informed source further added: “The additional punishments issued in the issued verdict show that eight Baha’i citizens have been sentenced simply because they are Baha’is, and according to the main investigator of the case, there was no evidence to prove the claim of the intelligence department in the case.”
This judgment was confirmed in February last year by the 2nd branch of Hormozgan Province Court of Appeal headed by Judge Mashallah Afsharpour and Counselor Ebrahim Mohammadi Aina.
In the court of appeals document regarding the issuance of this verdict, without referring to the examples of actions against the country’s security, it is stated: “Any group whose formation and activities are not in accordance with the law and whose actions are found to be against the security of the country, will not be allowed to operate… The existence and activity of the misguided group Baha’ism does not correspond to any of the examples of Article 22 of the Constitution of recognized parties, communities or religious minorities.
Systematic violation of the rights of Baha’i citizens
Baha’i citizens in Iran are deprived of the freedoms related to religious beliefs, this systematic deprivation while according to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, every person has the right to freedom of religion and change of religion with conviction, as well as have the freedom to express it individually or collectively and publicly or secretly. According to unofficial sources, there are more than three hundred thousand Baha’is in Iran, but the Iranian constitution only recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism and does not recognize the Baha’i religion. For this reason, the rights of Baha’is have been systematically violated in Iran over the past years.