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Iran detains dozens of Baha'is since January, rights groups say
Iranian authorities have arrested at least 63 Baha'is since January, with some held without charges and others accused of propaganda against the regime. Rights groups report raids on homes, desecration of religious items, and mistreatment including electric shocks and mock executions. The detentions coincide with nationwide protests and the war with the United States and Israel.
Jul 13, 2:22 AM·2m read1 source
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Iranian authorities have detained at least 63 Baha'is since January, according to the Baha'i International Community. Most are held without known charges, while others face accusations of propaganda against the regime or acts deemed contrary to Islamic law.
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Raids on Baha'i homes have included the tearing of holy books and removal of religious symbols, rights groups say. Detainees have reported electric shocks, mock hangings, and forced confessions, with some facing possible death sentences.
Naimi was arrested at work on January 8 in Kerman by agents from Iran's intelligence ministry. His family says he did not participate in protests and that no formal charges or evidence have been presented. Iranian state television broadcast a clip of Naimi admitting to protest involvement on February 1.
His family maintains the confession was made under duress. Authorities also accused him of celebrating the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from prison, though the Baha'i International Community says he had no access to communications.
A judge ordered Naimi's release on March 7, but he remained in custody. The family says a prosecutor later told them Naimi would not be released because he is Baha'i. He was transferred from solitary confinement to the general population in mid-May.
Baha'i community The Baha'i faith was founded in the 1860s in Persia. An estimated 300,000 Baha'is live in Iran, less than 1 percent of the population. The faith is considered heretical by Iran's Shiite Muslim clerics. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, many Baha'is fled Iran amid arrests, executions, and property seizures.
