Baha’i Shops Remain Sealed since November 2016 in Mazandaran, Despite Court Ruling in their Favor

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Source: www.hra-news.org

Translation by Iran Press Watch

According to HRANA (Human Rights Activist News Agency in Iran), more than 96 Baha’i-owned shops in Mazandaran Province remain sealed, since a series of forced closures by police and agents of the Bureau of Public Places last November (2016), by order of the Attorney General of Mazandaran Province.

In June 2017, the Administrative Court of Mazandaran ruled in favor of the owners of these sealed shops. This ruling was based on the “Article 28 of the Labor Code” which allows businesses to close for up to 15 days in a calendar year without having to report to authorities.   Despite the verdict, authorities have not unsealed the shops nor restored work permits to the Baha’i business owners in that region.

The Article 28 15-day business closure statute applies to all Iranian citizens; however, it is routinely disregarded in the case of Baha’is, who find their shops sealed by police and agents of the Bureau of Public Places when they close in observance of Baha’i religious holidays.

The government of Iran does not recognize the Baha’i Faith and Iranian officials routinely speak against the Baha’i. Baha’is in Iran are not afforded their legal civil rights, and there has been ongoing policy of impeding their financial activities. This policy has gained momentum under the Presidency of Hassan Rouhani, with tens of Baha’i shops in additional provinces subject to closure seal throughout the past year in other provinces besides Mazandaran.

These unlawful, persistent shop closures have, as intended, seriously impacted Baha’i citizens ability to make a living, subjecting the community to severe hardships. For example, “Arastoo Asadi”, one of the victims of these closures, has no choice but to work, under harsh conditions, in front of his sealed shop to in order to make ends meet.

In recent months, a marked increase in closures of Baha’i-owned shops has been reported. International organizations such as the United Nations as well as human rights activists have repeatedly published reports on the discrimination against Baha’is in Iran, which includes arrest and repression, denial of access to higher education, as well as closure of Baha’i-owned businesses.

According to the reports of the BIC (Baha’i International Community), in past 11 years, more than 860 Baha’is have been detained, and 275 Baha’is have been sentenced to serve time in prisons due to their Faith.

Several shops in Tonekabon and Nasharood have been sealed for more than a year. The owners’ names follow:

  1. Roohollah Ighani – Refrigerator repairs
  2. Michel Ismailpoor – Air Conditioning
  3. Khalil Naghipoor – Air Conditioning
  4. Sanaieh Kondi – Home Appliances
  5. Omid Ghaderi – Security and Alarms

Since May 2016, four more shops, forcibly closed by authorities, remain sealed at this time:

  1. Mehryar Lotfi – Home Appliances
  2. Jamaloddin Ismailpoor – Refrigerator repairs
  3. Mahvash Khazei – Furniture Store
  4. Soroosh Garshasbi – Home Appliances

Following is a list of Baha’i shops and businesses in Mazandaran that were recently sealed, due to being closed in observance of the anniversaries of the birth of the founders of the Baha’i Faith (the Bab and Baha’u’llah, 21st and 22nd of October)

Nowshahr

  1. Behshad Derakhshanian – Burglar alarm business
  2. Riazollah Heravi – Horology business
  3. Monib Mansour – Optometry
  4. Bahman Rohani – Photography shop
  5. Raki Yousefi – Optometry
  6. Arastou Aasadi – Welding business
  7. Arash Derakhshanian – Mechanic’s shop

Qaemshahr

  1. Fairborz Sabeti – Appliance repair
  2. Naim Samimi – Auto body shop
  3. Rezvaneh Samii – Garment store
  4. Akbar Goly – Confectionary Equipment
  5. Nima Miri – Cosmetics
  6. Fazel Asadi – Mobile repair
  7. Shayan Ghedami – Paint store
  8. Zekrollah Akbari – Welding business
  9. Shahin Akbari – Ironware
  10. Fariborz Sanaee – Plastic ware
  11. Zekrollah Babayee – Grocery
  12. Atrollah Movafagh – Refrigerator repair
  13. Daryoush Bakhtiari – Automobile studio
  14. Saeed Asadi – Auto repair
  15. Jalal Atayeean – Cosmetics
  16. Shahrokh Asadi – Refrigerator repair
  17. Zahra Golabian – Optometry
  18. Jhobin Yousefi – Burglar alarm business
  19. Sohrab Laghayee – Optometry
  20. Farzad Sabeti – Car alignment and oil change
  21. Changiz Derakhshanian and Nima Nokhah – Toy shop
  22. Kourosh Ahmadzadegan – Security systems
  23. Alaoddin Mirzayee – Security systems
  24. Hooman Rostami – Burglar alarm business
  25. Shahram and Shahrouz Zamani – Auto parts
  26. Soheil Haghdoost – Optometry
  27. Bahaoddin Samimi – Stationery store
  28. Behnam and Behdad Shirvani – Appliance repair
  29. Noorollah Ataeeyan – Motor winding business
  30. Bahram Safari – Electronics
  31. Soheil Ahmadzadegan – Glue industry
  32. Mehrpooya Fadee – Appliance repair

Sari

  1. Mansour Mehrchi – Cosmetics
  2. Zaatollah Darabi – Carpentry
  3. Sohrab Zahedi – Stationery store
  4. Saed Andokhs – Clothing
  5. Golverdi Movafaghi – Carpentry
  6. Nima Shabrokh – Cosmetics
  7. Yaghoub Akbari – Appliance repair
  8. Arman Safaee – Stationery store
  9. Aadel Samimi – Stationery store
  10. Noorgol Goly – Mechanic shop
  11. Farhad Rezghi – Cosmetics
  12. Kamaloddin Akbari – Woodturning
  13. Amaanollah Zahedi – Carpentry
  14. Kourosh Ahmadi – Engine tuning
  15. Kourosh Moradi – Carpentry
  16. Asghar Movafaghi – Carpentry
  17. Hossein Ahmadi – Carpentry
  18. Mehryar Ghanbari – Security systems installation
  19. Ziaollah Khoshbin – Paint store (commercial)
  20. Ashkan Khalili – Motor winding
  21. Naim Kamali – Appliance repair
  22. Ramin Moosavi – Building decoration
  23. Ehsan Sanaee – Cosmetics
  24. Bahman Zabihi – Fabrics and crafts store
  25. Behzad Zabihi – Eyeglasses store
  26. Shahriar Foroughian – Electric windings
  27. Behrouz Yousefi – Home appliances repair
  28. Vahid Golpour – Clothing
  29. Jahanbakhsh Movafaghi – Woodturning
  30. Mohammad Movafaghi – Carpentry
  31. Akbar Hosseini – Woodworking shop
  32. Ghavamoddin Sabetian – Carpentry
  33. Hesam Yousefi – Carpentry
  34. Zargham Zamani – Clothing
  35. Nima Mahinbakht – Security systems installation
  36. Pezhman Roshankoohi – Appliances store
  37. Shahram Nobakht – Appliances store
  38. Shahab Nobakht – Appliances store
  39. Aramesh Andokhs – Clothing
  40. Late Zekrollah Rahmanian – Optometry

Tonekabon

  1. Misagh Esmaeil Zadegan – Telephone repair
  2. Noushin Masoudian – Clothing
  3. Sirous Nasiri – Cabinet making
  4. Saleh Eshkevarian – Home appliances
  5. Sina Garshasbi – Home appliances
  6. Naeim Khalaj Abadi – Furniture manufacturing

Fereydunkenar

  1. Afshin Azadi – Clothing

Bahnemir

  1. Ahmad Nikounejad – Gas appliances (sale and repair)
  2. Feizollah Nikounejad – Bike repair

Amol

  1. Serrollah Hekmatshoar – Shopkeeper
  2. Afshin Sobati – Shoe store
  3. Dariush Talaee – Optometry
  4. Farshid Kian – Optometry

 

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