Six Baha’is Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for their Faith

Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals has sentenced six Baha'is, from Iran’s largest religious minority community, to a total of over 30 years in prison. 

The court overturned a lower court's ruling on the charge of "propaganda against the system" for Iraj Shakor, Saba Sefidi, and Pedram Abhar, finding them not guilty of that charge.

But it upheld convictions for being members of the Baha'i community – which is systematically persecuted in the Islamic Republic.

The court also sentenced Saeedeh Khozoui to five years in prison for being a Baha'i and one year for "propaganda against the system." 

Arslan Yazdani, Iraj Shakur, and Pedram Abhar were each sentenced to five years in prison for being Baha'is. 

Samira Ebrahimi was sentenced to three years and five months in prison for being a Baha'i and one year for "propaganda against the system."

Saba Sefidi was sentenced to three years and five months in prison for being a Baha'i.

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 notes 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.