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A Day by Day Report on Violations of Human Rights for the Baha'i Community in the Month of Khordad
Month of Khordad 1388 (May-June 2009)
 Human Rights Activist In Iran: This report is published at a time when our beloved countrymen in Iran have been subjected to widespread and gross violation of their human rights. Every day, new reports emerge indicating violent clashes ad beatings, summary detentions, and killing of our fellow Iranians. In the loving memory of the victims of the recent violence in Iran and with hope that one day peace and tranquility replace intolerance in Iran, we submit this report. The Baha'i community is well acquainted with the sort of suppression the Iranian community at large has experienced in the recent days. The Baha'i citizens are ardently praying for nonviolence and tolerance in Iran.
May 22
In the middle of the night, while the family of Mr. Hedayati was resting at their residence in Semnan, unidentified individuals broke multiple windows of this residence and promptly fled the scene.
Last night, authorities from the Ministry of Intelligence raided a Baha'i wedding party in the city of Karaj and after recording a video of the individuals present and confiscating a musical instrument left the scene.
At the entrance of the Baha'i cemetery in Isfahan, a sigh has been installed that reads, "The ownership of this location has been transferred to the city and any burial of the dead is strictly prohibited. Any violation of this ordinance will have legal consequences."
The family of a deceased Baha'i of Semnan, Maryam Shiralian, met significant resistance from the authorities, who for two days would not grant them a burial permit that would allow them to perform a proper Baha'i funeral.
Three Baha'is from Yasouj named Ali Ravanbakhsh, Zoleikha Mousavi, and Rouhieh Yazdani, who were on a 15-day leave, have returned to prison.
May 23
Mr. Shahram Hasim, a Baha'i who had been abducted by unidentified elements last month has returned home. He reported that during the time of detention, he was blindfolded and underwent severe interrogation by the Ministry of Intelligence. It is noteworthy that during his absence, his wife repeatedly had inquired about him from the Ministry of Intelligence and the Security Forces but all sources had expressed no knowledge of Mr. Hasim.
Access to the official Baha'i News Agency website in Persian was blocked by government authorities yet another time.
Mr. Goudarz Beydaghi, a Baha'i from Semnan who had been fined $5,200 for submitting a petition on behalf of the Baha'i community to local authorities five years ago, was summoned to court and ordered to pay his fine. The allegation leveled against him was "propaganda against the regime."
May 25
Three fellow Baha'i citizens named Faraez Rezai, Akbar Ghodsi, and Ahdullah Fazli, who were serving the affairs of the Baha'i community in Oroumieh last year, have been summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence and asked to sign a pledge stating that they would not engage in administering any Baha'i community affairs in the future. The three refused to sign the pledge but were released shortly thereafter.
Shahram Kamali a resident of Shiraz was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligenceand was taken to an unknown location. He was interrogated without any food for two days and was later released.
Adel Fanaian was released for three days from Semnan prison due to a gum infection and then Abbas Nourani was given medical leave for an intestinal infection for one day.
The Committee for Denial of the Right of Education, a branch of Human Rights Activists in Iran had its third meeting in Sari, Mazindaran.
May 26
The century-old Baha'i Cemetery in Aywal (a small village in Mazindaran) is auctioned to sell to highest bid.
The court for Mrs. Soheila Motallebi who had been in prison for some time was held on this date. She has two cases that are running simultaneously: One in the general Court and the other in the Revolutionary Court System.
May 27
The Baha'i Projects site was filtered.
The owners of some private businesses in Khorram-Abad are summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence and asked to fire their Baha'i employees.
May 28
The Fourth Meeting of the Student Committee on Denial of Education Rights was held in Kermanshah.
May 30
The summons for Mr. Siamak Iqani to appear in the Revolutionary Court in Semnan was postponed to late June.
May 31
Mr. Shahram Safajoo is a Baha'i citizen residing in the city of Karaj. He has recently been released from detention. Today he was summoned to the Information Ministry and was given two weeks to find legal representation.
Two Baha'i citizens of Mashhad, Mr. Babak Ruhi and Mr. Ezzatullah Ahmadian, were summoned to the revolutionary court. Their trial date was postponed for unknown reasons.
June 2
The website "Baha'is of Iran" was filtered.
Ms. Sousan Tebyanian had a 6 hour trial. The court will issue a verdict in 20 days.
June 6
Three imprisoned Baha'i citizens of Semnan-- Abbas Nourany, Taherverdi Eskandarian and Adel Fanaian-- were given a three day furlough.
June 7
The appeals court reduced Mr. Pooya Tebyanian's sentence from two and a half years to two years. Mr. Tebyanian is a Baha'i citizen residing in Semnan.
Mr. Anvar Moslemi, a Baha'i citizen of Sari had spent some time in jail before being released on bail. He was summoned to the court and was given a one year sentence.
A court declared a nine month sentence and a fine of 300,000 Toumans ($300.00) for Ms. Soheila Motallebi. Ms. Motallebi is a Baha'i citizen of Sari.
June 8
Seven members of the national administrative body of the Baha'i community have been incarcerated in section 209 of the Evin prison for over one year without formal charges. On this day they had a meeting with their families. They notified their families that their files were finally given to their lawyers. They had been under all psychological pressures but recently they were also given spoiled food rations.
June 9
Mr. Ali Ehsani, Baha'i citizen of Semnan, had his first day in court.
Two Baha'i citizens of Yazd, Mr. Rostam Behifar and Mr. Peyman Ruhi, had been detained at the Bureau of Information of Yazd since March 1st. Mr. Behifar received a forty-two month sentence for "anti-government propaganda", "forming a group with the intention of disturbing the security of the state" and "spying". Twenty four months of this sentence is suspended for five years. Mr. Ruhi received a twelve-month sentence for "anti-government propaganda". Six month of this sentence was suspended for five years.
June 11th
More than twenty sites and weblogs related to the Baha'i community were filtered.
June 14
Motorcycle riders threw rocks and broke the glasses of two houses belonging to Baha'i citizens of Semnan--- Mr. Yahya Hedayati and Mr. Adel Fanaian--- at 3:00AM.
When Bashir Zahedi. A Baha'i college student showed up for his final exam, his papers were withheld. The school administrators told him that he is expelled from school and that he did not have the right to continue his education.
June 15
Khashayar Zarei, 16 year old Baha'i from Shiraz, is the national Judo champion. He participated in the final championship to become a member of the national team and was able to win his opponents in the junior Judo league. Nevertheless he was denied membership in the national team because of his belonging to the Baha'i Faith by the National Fitness Council and he was denied participation in the upcoming judo championships in Armenia as a member of the Iran's national team.
June 17
Ms. Manijeh Monzavi, a Baha'i from Semnan, had her house searched and was arrested by the intelligent officers and has been taken to an unknown location.
June 18
In the last few days, four Baha'is from Ghaemshahr, Farzaneh Ahmadzadeh, Emilia Fanaiian, Taraneh Sanaii and Shahnaz Saadati who were arrested this past winter for a month, were called before the Court and asked to each pay a cash fine of 300,000 Toumans.
Pegah Sana'i another Baha'i resident of Ghaemshahr who was also in jail this winter, was asked to appear before the court and chose between a sentence of a year in jail and a fine of 2,000,000 Toumans.
Mushfigh Samandari has been incarcerated for more than 2 months by the Intelligence Ministry without any visitation. Last week when brought to the Court in Babul he sees his mother by accident. A case is being built against him by pressuring his friends to testify against him. His brother Mushtagh Samandari was summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence last week.
The Current Baha'i prisoners of conscience in Iran are listed below:
Mahvash Sabet, 2. Fariba Kamalabadi, 3. Jamal'ul-Din Khanjani, 4. Behrouz Tavakoli, 5. Afif Naemi, 6. Vahid Tizfahm, 7. Saeid Reza'i, 8. Sahba Rezvani, 9. Adel Fanaian, 10. Abbas Nourani, 11. Taherverdi Eskandarian, 12. Pouya Tebyanian, 13. Peyman Rouhi, 14. Rostam Behifar, 15.Mehran Bandi, 16. Haleh Ruhi, 17. Sasan Taghwa, 18. Raha Sabet, 19. Zoleykha Mousavi, 20. Ruhiyyih Yazdani, 21. Ali Ravanbakhsh, 22. Musfigh Samandary, 23. Fuad Naeimi, 24. Mohammad Reza Kandi, 25. Shahram Chinian Miyandoab, 26. Manijeh Monzaviyan.
Source: http://hra-iran.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1331:a-day-by-day-report-on-violations-of-human-rights-for-the-bahai-community-in-the-month-of-khordad-1&catid=66:304&Itemid=293
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