Source: www.hra-news.org
Translation by Iran Press Watch
HRANA news agency – Ghasem Masoumi, a Baha’i citizen, is serving his 31-month sentence in Adel Abad prison in Shiraz. This Baha’i citizen was arrested in March of last 2022 and was transferred to Adel Abad prison in Shiraz to serve his sentence.
According to HRANA news agency, the news organ of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, today, Monday, January 9, 2023, Ghasem Masoumi, a Baha’i citizen, remains in Adel Abad prison in Shiraz, despite medical issues.
An informed source about this Baha’i citizen told HRANA: “This Baha’i citizen is serving his sentence while suffering from a lumbar disc problem, and this has made it more difficult for him to endure his imprisonment.”
According to this informed source, “the authorities continue to refuse to grant leave to this Baha’i citizen”.
On April 6, 2021, Ghasem Masoumi was arrested by the security forces and transferred to the solitary cell of the police detention center under the supervision of IRGC intelligence and Shiraz Ministry of Intelligence detention center. On May 6 of the same year, he was temporarily released on bail until the end of the proceedings.
In November 2021, Mr. Masoumi was sentenced to 7 months and 16 days of imprisonment by the first branch of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court for the charge of propaganda activity against the regime, plus 31 months and 16 days of imprisonment for the charge of being a member of anti-regime groups. His conviction was upheld on appeal. By applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, 31 months and 16 days of imprisonment can be applied to him.
Mr. Masoumi was taken into custody on March 7, 2022, and was transferred to Adel Abad prison in Shiraz to begin his sentence.
Baha’i citizens in Iran are deprived of liberties of practicing their religious beliefs. This systematic deprivation of liberty occurs while Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights entitle any individual to freedom of religion and belief and also freedom to express it individually or collectively and in public or in private.
According to unofficial sources, there are more than 300,000 Baha’is in Iran, but Iran’s constitution only recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism and does not recognize the Baha’i faith. For this reason, the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated over past years.
Leave a Reply