Father and daughter freed in Semnan

HRANA, May 16

Gudarz Bidaqi ( گودرز بیدقی ) and his daughter Roufiya Bidaqi ( روفیا بیدقی ) have been freed from prison in Semnan, after completing their one-year sentences. Mr. Bidaqi was arrested in March, 2011, and sentenced in September 2011 to one year in prison and two years of exile from the province, on the charge of “propaganda against the regime through teaching the Bahai Faith.” His exile is expected to begin soon. [While this HRANA reports states his exile is for two years, other reports and those of his trial state it is for 3 years ~ Sen] Mr. Bidaqi is in his sixties, and has already served one term in prison for his beliefs, after the 1979 revolution. His daughter, Roufiya Bidaqi ( روفیا بیدقی ) was sentenced to one year in prison, on charges of propaganda against the regime and participation in Bahai activities. The family’s business has also been closed by the authorities.

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Three women and a baby freed in Semnan

Zendani Bahai (FB group), May 4

Three of the Bahai women imprisoned in Semnan have been set free. Zhinous Nourani ( ژینوس نورانی ) was freed on April 30, after serving a one-year sentence. Neda Majidi ( ندا مجیدی ) was released on the same day. She was sentenced to a fine of 40 million 40 rials (2,600 euros; 3200 US dollars) or a six-month sentence. Apparently she was not able to pay the fine. At the time of her arrest she had a nursing child. She has been released one month early because of the poor health of her baby, Sourna ( سورنا). Shohreh Azimi ( شهره اعظمی ) was released on April 28, about 50 days before the end of her 8-month sentence for membership of the Bahai community.

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Elham Ruzbehi and baby begin their sentence

HRANA, April 28

Elham Ruzbehi (الهام روزبهی), a Bahai living in Isfahan, reported to Semnan prison with her baby on April 27, to begin serving her 2 year sentence. She is the fourth Bahai mother who is serving her prison sentence with her baby. She was arrested, with several other Bahais, on March 12, 2011, following a search of her home and the seizure of some of her personal effects. She was pregnant at the time. She was freed on bail one month later. She was sentenced to 3 years of prison, which was reduced to 2 years by the court of review. She has been living in Isfahan for more than one year, but has had to go to Semnan prison.

The names of the Bahai prisoners in Semnan were recently listed (in Persian) by the Bahai Azadi blog, along with photographs of the women prisoners.

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Ardeshir Fena’eyan free on bail

IOPHRI, April 25

Ardeshir Fena’eyan (اردشیر فناییان), a Bahai who was arrested in Semnan on February 12, was released on bail on April 10. He was held for 68 days in the Ministry of Intelligence facilities in Semnan. Bail was set at 50 million tumans (31,000 euros, US$41,000).

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Faramarz Firuzeyan begins a 1-year sentence

PCED, April 19

On April 15, Faramarz Firuzeyan ( فرامرز فیروزیان ), a Bahai from Semnan, reported to Semnan central prison to begin serving a one-year sentence for “propaganda against the regime.”

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Bahai women prisoners in Semnan face harsh conditions

HRANA, April 14

The conditions in Semnan Prison’s special wing for women where Bahai prisoners are held are unbearable. The food is very bad, and since glass was found in some of the food, many of the prisoners have refused to eat prison food. Since they are not allowed to buy food directly from the prison shop, and have to make generally inferior purchases of leftovers from the men’s wing, many of the prisoners go to sleep hungry. Among those affected by the poor quality of the food are three women with nursing babies. In this prison — the Central Prison of Semnan — prisoners are not separated according to the charges against them, so the Bahai women are held with thieves, drug addicts, murderers and foreign nationals. The Bahai prisoners also have to sleep on the floor of the common area, due to lack of space, which gives a sense of insecurity, especially for those with infants. Recently, on Children’s day, the Women and Children’s Protection Society distributed a grant for children in prison, but the Bahai women with children were not included, because of their religion.

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Bahai prisoners in Semnan under pressure

PCED, March 31

The pressure on Bahai prisoners in Semnan prison has been increased recently. The efforts of the prisoners and their families to raise the issue with prison officials and the Ministry of Intelligence have been fruitless. The Bahai prisoners are denied access to the prison yard, the library, the gymnasium, the prison shop, the telephone and are separated from the other prisoners. Great care is taken to see that they have no contact with other prisoners. The Bahais have been denied the right to telephone their families, on the orders of security officials. Many restrictions are applied in a discriminatory way to the Bahai prisoners, to an extent that their families describe as violating their human dignity and civil rights.

In the past year, more than 25 Bahais have served all or part of their sentences in the central prison in Semnan. The full text of this report lists their names and current status (in Persian).

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Behfar Khanjani denied adequate health care in prison

Sad Nameh ta Azadeh (blog), March 24

Behfar Khanjani ( بهفر خانجانی ), a Bahai from Semnan who is serving a four-year prison sentence there, has been struggling with a medical condition for some years, but the Prosecutor and state-appointed doctor have refused permission for him to receive treatment. His condition has been exacerbated by the stress of the past 2 years in prison, and the lack of a suitable environment there. He has been allowed only a few days of leave from prison, too short for an observable improvement in his condition.

Behfar Khanjani is serving a 4 year sentence for membership of illegal Bahai groups and attending Bahai prayer meetings and the 19th-day ‘Feast.’ He was arrested on January 6 2010, after a search of his home by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence. He has also been the target of two arson attacks on his home using Molotov cocktails. He was among the Bahais who were pressured by agents from the Ministry of Intelligence for more than four hours on December 4, 2012, to give “interviews” for television. While he has been in prison, his sister and wife have also been interrogated.

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Golrokh Firuzeyan arrested in Semnan

HRANA, March 12

Golrokh Firuzeyan ( گلرخ فیروزیان ) has been arrested, after having gone to the court in Semnan on March 9. She has been handed over to the Ministry of Intelligence. She is from Semnan, but has been living in Tehran. For some weeks the Ministry of Intelligence in Semnan has been holding her sister Shidrock hostage, and threatening the safety of her family in Semnan.

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Four Bahai school children arrested in Semnan

Iran Daily Brief, March 7

In an unprecedented step, security agents in Semnan, with the approval of the Ministry of Education in Semnan, arrested four Baha’i students without the knowledge of their families. The agents went to two high schools in Semnan, Shahid Beheshti and Amir Kabir, and arrested four high school students in the middle of the school day: Sina Fenaeyan (سینا فناییان), Armin Allah Vardi (ارمین الله وردی), Ramin Amiri ( رامین امیری) and Yunes Khanjani (یونس خانجانی). The four were removed from school in the middle of a lesson, arrested and taken to Intelligence headquarters. They were held and interrogated for several hours and interrogated. They were asked to tell the interrogators whatever they knew about Ardeshir Fenaeyan (اردشیر فناییان), a Bahai who was arrested in Semnan on February 12. They were also encouraged with threats and promises to spy on the Bahais of Semnan. When the children did not return home from school, their parents went to the school and the school principal, after some evasion, told them what had happened. The children were released following their interrogation.

Persian source: HRANA

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Akbar Por-hoseini begins his sentence

HRANA, February 19

On February 17, Mr. Akbar Por-hoseini ( اکبرپورحسینی ) a Bahai resident of Semnan (a provincial capital in North-eastern Iran which is a particular hot-bed of anti-Bahai bigotry) was summoned to begin serving an 18-month prison sentence. He was charged with propaganda against the regime and membership of the Bahai community. He was initially sentenced to 26 months in prison on these charges, but this was reduced by the court of review. However this is the same Mr. Por-hoseini whose optician’s shop, as previously reported, was raided by security forces on November 29, 2012. The authorities not only confiscated his entire stock, valued at 2 billion rials (125,000 euros, 162,000 US dollars), he was fined 3.6 billion rials (225,000 euro, 293,000 US dollars) after a secret trial (trial in absentia).

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Taher Eskandariyan begins his sentence

HRANA, February 14

Taher Eskandariyan, a Baha’i resident of Semnan who has previously been sentenced to 3 years in prison, was summoned to Semnan prison to begin his sentence on February 11. There are now 8 Bahais in the men’s section of Semnan prison. This is Mr. Eskandariyan’s second prison term. In 2010 he served 6 months in prison, on charges of “propaganda against the regime” (free speech).

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Two arrests in Semnan

HRANA, February 13

On February 12, security agents went to the homes of Ardeshir Fanaeyan and Shidrokh Firuzeyan ( اردشیر فناییان و شیدرخ فیروزیان ), searched them and confiscated a computer and religious books and some photographs and personal effects, and transferred the two to the Semnan Intelligence Ministry headquarters.

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Anisa Fana’ayan summoned to begin her sentence

HRANA, January 12

Anisa Fana’ayan ( انیسا فناییان ), a Bahai resident of Semnan, has been summoned to Semnan prison on January 19, to begin her sentence of 22 months. She was charged with propaganda against the regime and participation in the Bahai administration. Her husband, Siamak Iqani ( سیامک ایقانی ) has served over 18 months of a 3-year sentence in Semnan prison. The couple have two children, aged 4 and 9.

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Shopkeeper in Semnan fined heavily, stock confiscated

PCED, December 27

It was previously reported that security forces raided the home and optician’s shop of Mr. Akbar Por-hoseini (اکبر پورحسینی) in Semnan, and took his entire stock. He was arrested, along with Afrasiyab Subhani ( افراسیاب سبحانی ), and was later released on bail. The court has now sentenced him to a fine of 3.6 billion Rials (225,000 euro, 293,000 US dollars) and the confiscation of all his stock, for not having a “green card” (permitting the entry of goods through customs). [This is curious, as green cards are required for importers, to obtain the release of the goods at customs. It is not clear why the authorities would expect a retailer to have such a card ~ Sen]

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Two prison babies transferred to hospital in Semnan (updated)

HRANA, January 2

Rosam Nik-A’in ( سام تبیانیان ), a 12-month old child who is in prison in Semnan with his mother, Zahra Nik-A’in ( زهره نیک آئین ), was transferred to Emir al-Mumenin hospital on December 18, suffering from a severe ear infection and fever. Zahra Nik-A’in had repeatedly asked for prison furlough so that he could be treated, but this was denied, although she was taken to the hospital for two brief visits, under guard. Latest reports (January 2) are that she has now been given 5 days leave to be with Rosam in hospital. She is serving a 23-month sentence for propaganda against the regime, participating in the Bahai “19th-day feast”, participating in Ruhi classes and organising morality classes for Bahai children.

On December 26, Barman Ehsani ( بارمان احسانی ), a child of 6 months who is in prison in Semnan with his mother Taraneh Torabi ( ترانه ترابی ), was taken to the Fatemiyyeh hospital in Sangsar, suffering from a severe lung infection. His mother is serving a 30-month sentence for propaganda against the regime and participation in Bahai activities.

The women’s block at Semnan prison contains 70 prisoners, crowded into 50 square meters, and does not have enough beds for all prisoners. It is very cold in the winter (as now), which is dangerous for the 7 infants who are with their mothers in the room.

Update, January 8: Zahra Nik-A’in and Rosam have been returned to prison, as their five-day furlough for hospital care has not been extended, although doctors had recommended that Rosam should have 20 days rest at home, away from the contaminations of the prison ward. A letter to this effect was sent to the Prosecutor’s office.

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Mona Majidi and child begin six month sentence in Semnan

HRIRAN, December 27

Mona Majidi, a Bahai from Sangsar, was arrested at her home on December 18, 2012, and taken with her infant to serve her six month sentence in Semnan Prison. Mona Majidi is the third Bahai mother with her infant in Semnan prison, joining Zahra Nik-A’in and Taraneh Torabi ( زهره نیک آیین و ترانه ترابی ), sentenced to 24 and 20 months in prison respectively, who began their sentences in July 2012.

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Puya Tabiyaniyan begins his sentence

PCED, December 24

Puya Tabiyaniyan ( پویتبیانیانا ) reported to Semnan prison on December 22, to begin serving his sentence of six years and six months imprisonment. He is charged with acting against national security and propaganda against the regime. He was one of a number of Bahais arrested in Semnan in February 2011, and was freed on bail after 23 days in prison. He has been imprisoned for his faith previously. In the winter of 2008-9 he was arrested, and sentenced to two years in prison. He was released after serving 14 months in prison. He joins five other Bahais who are serving prison sentences in Semnan’s central prison.

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Four prisoners in Semnan pressured for televised confessions

PCED, December 9

[Update, December 21. Reports indicate that the film crew concerned also attempted to persuade other Bahais, not mentioned in this report, to participate. A fuller report in English was published by Rooz on December 21]

Afshin Iqani, Siamak Iqani, Behfar Khanjani and `Erfan Ehsani ( افشین ایقانی، سیامک ایقانی، بهفر خانجانی و عرفان احسانی ) who are serving their sentences in Semnan prison, were pressured by agents from the Ministry of Intelligence for more than four hours on December 4 to give “interviews” for television. They were taken to the prayer room at Semnan prison at 8 a.m.

Bahai shop looted in Semnan

PCED, November 29

On the morning of November 29, security forces raided the home of Mr. Akbar Por-hoseini (اکبر پورحسینی) in Semnan, and then went to his optician’s shop and took his entire stock of glasses out of the shop. At the time the report was written, they were still busy looting the shop and loading the goods onto a truck. Mr. Por-hoseini has been sentenced to 2 years and 2 months in prison for his Bahai beliefs, and this sentence has been confirmed by the review court. This is the second time this year that his house and shop have been raided by security forces.

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`Erfan Ehsani begins his sentence in Semnan

CHRR, October 31

`Erfan Ehsani ( عرفان احسانی ) an Iranian Bahai from Sangsar, Semnan province, was arrested yesterday and taken to the Semnan Central Prison to serve his sentence, although he is still waiting to hear from the review court whether his sentence has been upheld. He was arrested on March 21, and later freed on bail. He was tried in Semnan on May 27, on charges of propaganda against the regime and teaching the Bahai Faith. His wife, Taraneh Torabi ( ترانه ترابی ) is already in prion, serving a 20-month sentence for her religious beliefs: their young child is in prison with her.

Today’s featured link:
Baha’i woman’s testimony at the “International Tribunal for Iran” at The Hague

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Shohreh Azemi begins 8-month sentence in Semnan

HRANA, October 29

On October 22, Shohreh Azemi ( شهره اعظمی ) a Bahai resident of Semnan, reported to prison to begin serving her 8-month sentence. She was initially sentenced to 5 years in prison, on the charge of membership of the Bahai community. This was reduced to 8 months by the court of review.

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Akbar Pourhoseini sentenced in Semnan: 28 months

HRANA, October 21

Akbar Pourhoseini ( اکبر پورحسینی ), a Bahai from Semnan, has been sentenced to 28 months in prison. He was charged with propaganda against the regime and membership of the Bahai community. The sentence is subject to review by the Review Court. He was arrested in May 2012, and released on bail some time later.

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Sentence reduced for Anisa Fana’ayan

HRANA , October 14

The review court has reduced the sentence of Anisa Fana’ayan ( انیسا فناییان ), a Bahai resident of Semnan, from 4 years and 4 months to 22 months. She was charged with propaganda against the regime and participation in the Bahai administration. Her husband, Siamak Iqani ( سیامک ایقانی ) is serving a 3-year sentence in Semnan prison. The couple have two children, aged 4 and 9.

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Update on prisoners of conscience in Semnan

CHRR, October 10

A half-yearly report from the Committee of Human Rights Reporters contains news of a Bahai prisoner in Semnan whose imprisonment has not previously been reported here. Her name is Rofia Beydaghi ( روفیا بیداقی ), and she has served 6 months of a one-year sentence. Her father is also in prison. The report lists 13 Bahai prisoner and exiles from Semnan, but omits to note that `Adel Fana’ayan ( عادل فناییان), so in fact 14 of the 19 prisoners of conscience from Semnan who are listed, are Bahais.

Full list of prisoners of conscience in Semnan

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Sentences of three Bahais announced in Semnan

HRANA, October 4

Three Bahais in Semnan have had their sentences announced by the review court. Taher Eskandriyan ( طاهر اسکندریان ) was sentenced to three years in prison, Afrasayab Sobhani ( افراسیاب سبحانی ) was sentenced to one year, and the six and half year sentence of Puya Tabiyaniyan ( پویتبیانیانا ) has been confirmed.

Taher Eskandriyan was arrested on June 23. In 2009 he served a six-month sentence in Semnan prison. Afrasayab Sobhani was arrested on May 14 and tried on charges of propaganda against the system and membership of the Bahai administration. He has been free on bail since shortly after his arrest. He has already served five years in prison for his beliefs, in the 1980′s. Puya Tabiyaniyan was one of a number of Bahais arrrested in Semnan in February 2011, and was freed on bail after one month in prison. He has been imprisoned for his faith previously. In the winter of 2008-9 he was arrested, and sentenced to two years in prison. He was released after serving 14 months in prison.

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Two Bahais named in Iran’s Ramadan amnesty

Free Bahai Prisoners (FB Group), August 16

Among the 73 prisoners granted amnesty by Iran’s Supreme Leader on August 16, to mark Eid al Fitr, the end of Ramadan, were two Bahais, Mr. Sarang Etehadi ( سارنگ اتحادی ) and Mrs. Sadaf Thabetayan ( صدف ثابتیان ). Sarang Etehadi was awaiting trial and had recently been granted bail. He was arrested in Tehran on June 27, in a wave of arrests in Tehran, Mashhad and Shiraz that netted almost 20 Bahais. Sadaf Thabetayan ( صدف ثابتیان ), from Sari, is one of the Bahais arrested in the raids targetting the Bahai Institute for Higher Education (BIHE). She was serving a two-year sentence, which began on May 27 this year.

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Zhinous Nourani and Roufiya Bidaqi accused of reporting prison conditions, and punished

HRANA, July 30

Zhinous Nourani and Roufiya Bidaqi ( ژینوس نورانی و روفیا بیدقی ), Bahai prisoners in Semnan central jail, have had their rights to communication and prison leave suspended. They began serving their one-year sentences on May 27 2012, and are being held in the general women’s block of Semnan prison, where HRANA reports that conditions are poor as more than 90% of the prisoners are serving terms related to drug use, and the facilities are crowded, with more than 70 prisoners in one room. Zhinous Nourani and Roufiya Bidaqi had been allowed a short leave from prison. On their return, they were charged with spreading lies and undermining public security. The prison disciplinary committee ruled that they could have no contacts (with family) until August 12, and no right to prison leave until September 22.

Today’s featured link: Interview with Niknaz Aftahi, the first graduate in Architecture from the BIHE (underground university) in Iran.

They were given a statement saying that they had met with the opposition (i.e., HRANA) to discuss prison conditions, and they were forced to sign this. In fact, HRANA published its report on conditions in the prison while these two Bahai prisoners were serving their sentences (before they had prison leave).

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Two Bahais sentenced in Semnan

HRANA, July 28

Nader Kesa’i ( نادر کسایی ), a Bahai from Semnan, has been sentenced to one year in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime and teaching the Bahai Faith. He was arrested in February 2011, and released on bail in March 2011. He was later sentenced to three years in prison. He was arrested in the Summer of 2011, to serve his sentence in Semnan prison, but after 3 months he was released on bail because his sentence was overturned by the country’s supreme court. Now, he has been given a new sentence of one year in prison. His wife, Shohreh Azimi ( شهره اعظمی ) was also sentenced recently, to 8 months in prison.

In a separate case, Neda Majidi ( ندا مجیدی ) a Bahai from Mehdishahr (also known as Sangsar), in Semnan province, was fined 40 million rials (2,600 euros; 3200 US dollars). In November 2011, she was interrogated continually by the Ministry of Intelligence in Semnan for one month, although she was pregnant at the time.

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Two nursing mothers sent to Semnan prison

HRANA, July 24

Zahra Nik-A’in and Taraneh Torabi ( زهره نیک آیین و ترانه ترابی ), two Bahai mothers who have previously been sentenced to 24 and 20 months in prison, respectively, have been summoned to Semnan prison to begin serving their sentences, although both are breast-feeding infants. Zahra Nik-A’in was one of six Bahais arrested in Semnan on March 11 and 12, 2011, and released on an exceptionally bail on April 3.

Zahra’s child Rosam ( رسام ) is 5 months old, and Taraneh’s child Barman ( بارمان ) (pictured) was born one month prematurely, and is now just one month old. Given the limited space, and the lack of washing and feeding facilities in the prison, it is not a suitable place for caring for children. It is not clear what the children’s fate will be. The situation for Taraneh Torabi is particularly serious, because her husband `Erfan Ehsani ( عرفان احسانی ) was arrested during the last months of her pregnancy, and has just been sentenced to one year in prison, and this along with the searches of their home and insulting behaviour of officials has not been good for her physical and mental condition.

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`Erfan Ehsani sentenced: one year

HRANA, July 22

`Erfan Ehsani ( عرفان احسانی ), a Bahai of Sangesar in Iran’s Semnan province, has been sentenced to one year in prison. He was arrested on April 21 this year, and held for some time before being released on bail. He was tried in Semnan on May 27, on charges of propaganda against the regime and teaching the Bahai Faith. His wife, Taraneh Torabi ( ترانه ترابی ) has also been sentenced to 20 months in prison. They have a child, aged one month.

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Gudarz Bidaqi begins his prison sentence

HRANA, July 22

Gudarz Bidaqi ( گودرز بیدقی ), a Bahai from Mehdishahr in Semnan province, has begun serving his 12-month sentence in prison in Semnan city. He was arrested in March, 2011, and sentenced in September 2011 to one year in prison and three years of exile from the province, on the charge of “propaganda against the regime through teaching the Bahai Faith.” He was summoned to begin serving his sentence on July 17, 2012, and transferred to Semnan city prison today. Mr. Bidaqi is in his sixties, and has already served one term in prison for his beliefs, after the 1979 revolution. His daughter, Roufiya Bidaqi ( روفیا بیدقی ), has also been sentenced to one year in prison, on charges of propaganda against the regime and participation in Bahai activities. She began serving her sentence on May 27. The family’s business has also been closed by the authorities.

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Water and electricity to a Bahai hamlet cut off

Iran Press Watch, July 7

Since 2006, the Ministry of Intelligence in Semnan has been pressuring the Bahai residents of Dazgareh-Afshar, a hamlet near Sangesar (about 180 km East of Tehran), seeking to destroy the hamlet and force its residents to leave. The pressure has increased in recent months. Security forces have destroyed the water supply, cut off electricity, issued warnings from the water department about filling wells which were under construction, and has taken measures towards demolishing homes. The earthen water supply dam for Dazgareh was built under an authorization from the water department in 2000. In 2009, a confidential letter from the Ministry of Intelligence to the Office of the Attorney General in Semnan ordered the destruction of the dam.
Agents of the water department then asked the owners of the dam to pay about $49,000 for costs incurred in the destruction. As the owners did not pay, the agents confiscated livestock to about the same value.

In addition, without prior notice, in August 2009, the region’s electricity supply for agriculture was cut off. Following initial visits, the Electricity Department of Mehdishahr (Sangesar) stated that they had been unaware of this, and the head of the department referred the matter to the electricity department of the province. It eventually became clear that the Security Council of the province of Semnan had issued the cutoff order. Legal complaints have been made at the local and state levels, but no response has been received.

Full story at Iran Press Watch

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