Source: cshr.org.uk/human-rights-portal/news/2822
Translation by Iran Press Watch
November 6th 2014
Centre for Supporters of Human Rights
By Nargis Tavasolian
Susan Tebyanian, a Baha’i from Semnan, in 2005 wrote a letter directly to then-President Khatami, toward the end of his presidential tenure, openly lamenting of injustices against Baha’is. Because of this action, Mrs. Tebyanian was arrested, accused of making propaganda against the government, and subsequently sentenced to a 91 day term, which was suspended.
In the beginning of 2009, she was again arrested. Mrs. Tebyanian spent five days under interrogation and was confined in solitary confinement. During this period her 18 month-old daughter, Soha Jaberi, was in her prison cell with her.
After interrogation, in court under presiding Judge Zangui, she was convicted to 18 months of incarceration and sent to Evin prison. During a revision of her case, she was accused, when teaching Baha’i morals classes, of working against the government. This caused her initial convictions to be confirmed, which became evidence for her initial conviction. Mrs. Tebyanian completed her prison term in 2010-2011.
On 31st May 2014, she was arrested again at her residence by agents of the Ministry of Information, interrogated for 45 days under enormous pressure to confess to the same accusations.
On 7th August 2014, she was sentenced to one year of prison at a hearing in a court under presiding Judge Amiri, which took only 45 minutes.
At present her defence counsel, Mr. Mazdak Etemadzade, a human rights lawyer, is preparing documentation for another appeal.
Mrs. Tebyanian has two children, aged seven and twelve, and is anxious and worried about their psychological well-being.
In 2006 Mrs. Tebyanin, who had been working in the city of Semnan in a clinic as a counsellor, helping children with learning difficulties, was sacked because of pressure from the Ministry of Information, which claimed that Baha’is were not allowed to work in an educational establishment.
After her dismissal, Mrs. Tebyanian secured a permit to open a shop. After three years, in 2009, her permit was revoked due to the conviction, and her work place was sealed off. She became unemployed.
As mentioned previously, Mrs. Tebyanian has now been sentenced to one year of imprisonment.
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