The Islamic Republic's Ministry of Intelligence apprehended 11 members of the Baha'i religious minority in central Isfahan, 10 women and one man, on Monday, October 23, and moved them to an undisclosed location.
Reports shared online, including by Radio Farda, suggest that Yeganeh Agahi, Negin Khademi, Arezo Sobhanian, Yeganeh Roohbakhsh, Shana Shoghifar, Mojgan Shahrezaei, Neda Badakhsh, Bahareh Lotfi, Pedram Fahandej and Neda Emadi were all detained.
According to sources, the arrests were carried out with a court order, and some of the personal belongings of these citizens were also confiscated by security officers. Several of these citizens have previously faced arrests and other court orders.
No available information regarding the reasons for the arrests or their whereabouts.
Baha’is have been systematically persecuted in Iran for 44 years because of their faith and are often accused of being spies or opposed to the Iranian government. The Baha’i International Community and other spokespersons note that no evidence has ever been provided to demonstrate these charges.
The Iranian government has intensified its crackdown on members of the Baha'i faith, imprisoning dozens of them on spurious charges over the past year, as well as denying access to higher education, livelihoods, and confiscating or destroying personal properties.
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.
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