On Arrests, Dismissals, and Vandalism Directed Against Baha’is in Iran: Already in 2009 many incidents

Already in 2009… -gw

Tehran, January 14, 2009: Jinoos Sobhani, Niusha Nokhah, Payam Aghsani, Aziz Samandari, Shahrokh Taef and Didar Raoufi were arrested following widespread raids on their homes. The homes of the following individuals were also raided, although these Baha’is were not taken into custody: Shahriar Cyrus, Riaz Sobhani and Golshan Sobhani. The authorities who conducted these raids were plainclothes agents. Items seized from the homes of these persons include pictures related to the Baha’i Faith, family photos, personal computers and other personal items.

Semnan, January 4, 2009: Adel Fanaian and Abbas Nourani, who are both members of the local Baha’i administrative body in Semnan, and Taher Eskandarian, a former member of the administrative body, were detained.

Mazandaran Province (Qa’emshahr, Sari and Tonekabon):

• January 19, 2009: The Baha’i Cemetery of Qa’emshahr was severely vandalized and heavily damaged using heavy machinery at midnight. Gunshots were fired during this attack.

• January 18, 2009: Five Baha’i women were arrested in Qa’emshahr. The names of the victims are: Taraneh Sanai, Shahnaz Sa’adati, Amelia Fanaian, Anisa Fanaian and Farzaneh Ahmadzadegan.

• January 10, 2009: Firouzeh Yegan and Pegah Sanai, 20, were arrested. The authorities entered their residence by climbing the wall.

• January 4, 2009: The homes of the Sanai, Asadi, Nokhah and Fanaian families, all in Qaimshahr, were raided and searched.

Kerman, January 14, 2009: Nine Baha’i students were dismissed from the University of Kerman on the grounds of belief in the Baha’i Faith. The expelled students are: Bita Momtazi, Sepehr Qodrat, Mahnoosh Dehqan, Ghazal Sadeqi, Daniel Mottahari, Liva Baghi, Nilofar Kan’ani, Nasim Mo’attar and Arman Roshani.

http://www.iranpresswatch.org/2009/01/the-annual-report-of-human-rights-activists-in-iran-the-worrisome-condition-of-the-iranian-baha%e2%80%99i-community-in-2008/

Photo: “Mazandaran Province – Iran,” uploaded on September 26, 2008 by M@mad, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic