`Adnan Rahmat-Penah remains in limbo

Azadi Qalam (blog), June 2

`Adnan Rahmat-Penah ( عدنان رحمت‌پناه ) has been held in limbo in `Adel-Abad prison in Shiraz for almost 6 months now. On May 23 it was announced that the Branch 3 of the revolutionary court would determine his status, but when his family went there, as in the three previous cases, the court official said that because of a heavy workload he had not yet read the file. Finally, they were told, “I am not the official responsible for this file, it belongs in Branch 1 of the revolutionary court.” This was a delaying tactic to gain time to deal with the file.

See previous reports of the four previous occasions on which Mr. Rahmat-Penah’s trial was scheduled, on April 16, 17, 29 and 30.

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Two Bahais sentenced in Shiraz

Radio Zamaneh, May 31

Hamid Eslami ( حمید اسلامی ) and Rahman Vafa’i (رحمان وفائی ), who were arrested in Shiraz on July 14, 2012, have been sentenced to three years in prison. They are charged with with “propaganda against the regime” and “membership in Baha’i organizations.” Mr. Vafayi, who is 59 years old, suffers from heart complications and his family fears the effects of imprisonment on his health.

HRANA source (in Persian)
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`Adnan Rahmat-Penah’s trial again a farce

Azadi Qalam, May 2

After several false starts on April 16 and 17 (reported earlier), the trial of `Adnan Rahmat-Penah ( عدنان رحمت‌پناه ), a Bahai from Shiraz, was rescheduled for April 29. When he arrived at the court, Judge Sadati postponed the trial for four hours. At 1 p.m. the judge entered the court, just as the call to prayer sounded, so he left again to attend attend the prayers. After the prayers, the judge told Mr. Rahmat-Penah’s lawyer that there was not sufficient time to deal with the case that day, so the trial would be delayed until the following day. It was notable that, when Mr. Rahmat-Penah and a political prisoner entered the courtroom, the judge — who was under the impression that they were Christian converts — began to insult them. Mr. Rahmat-Penah’s lawyer pointed out that the charges against them were quite different.

On April 30 Mr. Rahmat-Penah appeared in court at 11:30. The judge insulted his religious beliefs, directly and indirectly, and said he was “unclean,” according to the Quran, and told his lawyer that one should not shake hands with them. The lawyer responded that Bahais are human too, and added, “To me, humanity is important.” The judge replied, “Although this matter has been mentioned, we will judge everyone equally.” However the judge continued with his insults, directed not only at the defendant but at all the Bahais, saying, “You Bahais are all animals, only Muslims have the correct beliefs, and then only the twelver Shiahs.” After two hours, the judge finally turned to the case, and finding that Mr. Rahmat-Penah was one of 15 people arrested two years previously, whose cases were being handled by another judge, in courtroom 3, he sent the case there. That trail is not scheduled until late July. Mr. Rahmat-Penah and his family are left in suspense again.

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Bahai student expelled from Shiraz Technical University

PCED, April 23

Navid Keyhanirad ( نوید کیهانی راد ), a Bahai student doing an Master’s degree in software engineering at the Sharif Technical University of Shiraz, has been expelled because of his religion, although he was one of the top postgraduate students. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree at Shiraz TU in June 2012) [It would appear that the ban on Bahais entering higher education in Iran, is not always considered to apply to technical studies at a lower level ~Sen].

As he was the top student, he should have been able to gain a place at Sharif University (in Tehran). But officials prevented him sitting the entrance examination, so he continued his studies in Shiraz. He was able to enroll there without sitting the entrance examination because there is a quota for top students. In December 2012, at the end of the first term, the university security office summoned him and questioned him about his Bahai beliefs. They told him that he would be barred from the university, beginning on the following day. He was however treated with respect by the university’s guards, because the saw that in filling in the application form he had told the truth [That he was doing advanced studies, not lower-level technical studies]. He was not given copies of his qualifications.

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`Adnan Rahmat-Penah’s no-show trial

Azadi Qalam, April 17

The first trial date for `Adnan Rahmat-Penah ( عدنان رحمت‌پناه ), a Bahai from Shiraz, was set for April 16, but no trial was held because he was not transferred to the court from the prison. His family’s enquires to the officers who bring prisoners to the court resulted in various answers, such as ‘his name was not on the list.’ Another officer said that three other names were missing from the list, but those prisoners were taken for trial. After some discussion between the family, their lawyer and the judge it was decided that another trial date would be set next day, on April 17. But when the family arrived at court, they were sent to the office of the prison. They asked why `Adnan had not been sent to the court, and were told “We got the message from the court, but we didn’t want to send him.” The strange thing about this is, why would the prison officials contravene the order of the court and judge? Are they ridiculing the court, or was it a deliberate ruse to put `Adnan under psychological pressure?`Adnan’s brother Eyman ( ایمان رحمت پناه ) was one of a groups of Bahais who were arrested in Shiraz early in March 2012.

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Concerns for the health of 2 detainees in Shiraz

HRANA, December 10

Hamid Eslami ( حمید اسلامی ) and Rahman Vafa’i (رحمان وفائی ), who were arrested in Shiraz on July 14, have now been in “temporary custody” (detention without trial) for five months, including 68 days in solitary confinement. According to reports from relatives, the two have been subjected to harsh conditions such as cramped quarters, severe cold, malnutrition and being stripped of their clothes as well as lack of medical facilities. They have also been placed in a cell with murderers and drug users. Although their interrogation has ended, the court has not released them on bail and has even extended their remand.

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Another arrest in Shiraz

HRANA, December 12

`Adnan Rahmat-penah ( عدنان رحمت‌پناه ), a Bahai from Shiraz, was arrested at his home in the early hours of the morning on December 12. Security officers searched his home and seized books, CDs and a laptop. He was taken to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility (Unit 100) in Shiraz. `Adnan’s brother Eyman ( ایمان رحمت پناه ) was one of a groups of Bahais who were arrested in Shiraz early in March 2012.

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Five Christian converts to be tried in Shiraz

Mohbat News, October 10

Five Christian converts, who have spent eight months in prison, are to be tried in Shiraz on Monday, October 15. They are charged with “creating illegal groups”, “participating in house church service”, “propaganda against the Islamic regime” and “defaming Islamic holy figures through Christian evangelizing.” Since their arrest, all five have been held without bail, in wings of Adel-Abad prison that house dangerous criminals and drug dealers.

Full Story (in English)

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Data on religious minorities in Shiraz gathered through Unions

HRANA, August 25

Local security officers in Shiraz have recently been distributing a form to “labour” unions (actually state-controlled organisations), which asks about the religion and other personal details of workers and their wives or husbands. The report indicates that this action is directed against religious minorities, and the Bahais in particular.

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Confirmation and details of nine arrests in Tehran, one in Shiraz

PCED, July 17

On the July 10, as already reported, the home of `Adel Na`imi ( عادل نعیمی ) in Tehran was raided and he and his wife Elham Faramani ( الهام فراهانی ), and a number of guests, were arrested. One of those guests has been named as Amir Maqami-Farr ( امیر مقامی فر ).

On the same night, security agents with a search warrant and arrest warrant raided the home of Amir Mazidi ( امیر مزیدی ), seizing some personal effects and arresting him. His whereabouts are unknown.

The PCED report also confirms an account previously published here, on the basis of a personal communication: on the morning of July 14, security agents raided the home of Mr. Hamid Eslami ( حمید اسلامی ) in Shiraz. They searched his home, seized some personal possessions, and arrested him. He was taken to the Ministry of Intelligence’s Detention Centre 100 in Shiraz.

Update, July 18: HRANA reports that nine Bahais were arrested in Tehran. Security forces raided the home of Amir Mazidi ( امیر مزیدی ) at about 8 p.m. on July 10 (and arrested him as noted previously). On the following morning they raided the homes and offices of a number of Bahais across Tehran, without search or arrest warrants, in some cases forcing entry. They conducted searches and seized mobile telephones, laptops, computers, cameras, marriage certificates, property deeds, financial documents, personal IDs, bank cheques and family photograph albums. Nine Bahais were arrested: their whereabouts is unknown. In one case, four agents entered a home and, without discussion with the lady of the house, entered the daughter’s bedroom, woke her and arrested her. In another case, 15 agents broke in via a gate, entered the courtyard quietly, and when they reached the house door, they knocked and entered.

Those arrested are:
- `Adel Na`imi ( عادل نعیمی ) and his wife Elham Faramani ( الهام فراهانی )
- Sarang Etehadi and his wife Nasim Ashrafi( سارنگ اتحادی و نسیم اشرفی ),
- Shahab Dehqani and his wife Shamis Mohajer ( شهاب دهقانی و شمیس مهاجر )
- Amir Maqami-Fard( امیر مقامی فرد )
- Amir Mazidi ( امیر مزیدی )
- Zhinous Rahimi ( ژینوس رحیمی )

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Raid and arrest in Shiraz

PCED, July 16

On the morning of July 14, security forces raided the home of Rahman Wafa’i ( رحمان وفائی ), a Bahai resident of Shiraz. After conducting a search and seizing some personal effects, they arrested him and took him to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility 100 in Shiraz. It appears he was not at home when they began their raid, and called him by telephone to come, so he could be arrested.

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One arrest in Shiraz

Personal communication, July 15

On the morning of July 14, security agents raided the home of Mr. Hamid Eslami ( حمید اسلامی ) in Shiraz. They searched his home, seized some personal possessions, and arrested him. He was taken to the Ministry of Intelligence’s Detention Centre 100 in Shiraz.

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