A 19-year-old has disappeared in detention. A couple with two children has been held without family visits. A grandmother was denied leave for a grandchild's birth. Across all cases, basic rights such as family contact and legal disclosure are being arbitrarily withheld. Authorities have offered no charges or legal status.
On April 7, 2026, 19-year-old Baha'i resident Angha Siavashi was arrested at his family home in Shiraz by Ministry of Intelligence agents without a judicial warrant. His whereabouts and condition remain unknown as of April 17. He has been denied a lawyer, phone calls, and family visits. Security authorities told his family his physical and psychological condition has deteriorated, seen as pressure tactics. No official statement has been issued regarding his arrest or legal status.
A Baha'i couple, Romina Khazali and Behzad Yazdani were arrested separately at their Shiraz home on March 28 and 29, 2026, by revolutionary guard intelligence agents. Three weeks later, they remain in detention with no family visits or clarification from authorities. Their two school-aged children have been affected, as confiscated electronic devices have disrupted their education. No information has been released regarding charges, legal status, or the couple's whereabouts.
Neda Badakhsh, a 63-year-old Baha'i grandmother serving a 10-year sentence in Isfahan's Dowlatabad Prison, was denied leave to attend her first grandchild's birth. A request for a one-day furlough submitted on April 18, 2026, as her daughter-in-law went into labor, was rejected by the presiding judge. She was convicted for teaching Persian and math to Afghan children, labeled as "educational activities against Islamic law." Authorities have previously denied her similar requests, stating temporary release measures do not apply to Baha'i prisoners.
These updates cover April 17-24, 2026, and are drawn from bulletins provided by the Baha'i International Community.
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