Four Baha’i Women Detained in Southern Iran

Iranian security forces have arrested four female members of the Baha'i religious minority in the southern city of Shiraz and transferred them to an undisclosed location.

According to information received by IranWire, Sahar Mohebpour and Roksana Vejdani were arrested at their workplaces on September 26, while Bahareh Qaderi and Setareh Ta'ami were apprehended at their residences.

Some of their personal belongings, including religious books, photographs, laptops and mobile phones, were confiscated during searches at their homes. 

There was no immediate information regarding the charges the four women face. 

Baha’is have been persecuted in Iran for decades for their faith and are often accused of being spies or opposed to the Iranian government.

On August 16, the Baha'i International Community denounced more than 180 incidents of persecution against Iranian Baha’is in previous weeks, which itself has followed months of intensified crackdowns.

Eighteen have faced interrogations, 59 Baha’i-owned businesses were reportedly sealed by the authorities and the homes of nine others were raided and searched.

Shia Islam is the state religion in Iran. The constitution recognizes several minority faiths, including Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, but not the Baha'i faith.

The Baha’i community claims to have more than seven million followers worldwide, including some 300,000 in Iran.