Source: www.hra-news.org
Translation by Iran Press Watch
HRANA News Agency – Three Baha’is living in Shiraz, Mahboub Habibi, Pejman Shahriari and Kourosh Rohani, were sentenced to one year in prison by the First Branch of the Revolutionary Court of this city. The charge against these citizens is “propaganda against the regime.” They were arrested on 17 August 2018 and were released on bail in October.
According to the HRANA, Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran, on Sunday, January 20, 2019, three Baha’is in Shiraz were sentenced to a total of 3 years in jail.
According to the verdict issued by the first branch of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz, headed by Judge Mahmoud Sadati, under Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code, Mahboub Habibi, Pejman Shahriari and Kourosh Rohani were each sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime.”
Pejman Shahriari and Mahboub Habibi were released on September 30, after 43 days, and Kourosh Rohani was released on bail on September 24, after 37 days, until the end of the trial.
On August 17, HRANA reported on the arrest of these Baha’is by Shiraz security forces, along with three other Baha’is: Dorna Esmaili, Hooman Esmaili, and Negar Misaghian.
Baha’i citizens in Iran are denied freedom of religious belief, a systematic exclusion, even though in accordance with article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory, everyone should have the right to adopt a religion or belief, and freedom to manifest this religion or belief either individually or in community with others, in public or private.
According to unofficial sources in Iran, there are more than three hundred thousand Baha’is, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism and does not recognize the Baha’I Faith. For this reason, Baha’is rights in Iran have been systematically violated for many years.
January 28, 2019 9:08 am
These imprisonments are the cause of great sadness among all fair-minded people of the world. The love of the world’s Baha’is is directed toward Iran and its peoples and no Baha’i would ever presume to engage in affairs of government or cause a disruption. Judge Mahmoud Sadati, please reconsider this verdict and release these unfairly charged citizens.
January 28, 2019 11:59 pm
Hello, Brooks, from Santa Fe! The friends send our love … to all the Baha’is everywhere. And for my part, love and prayers as well for the judges and ayatollahs, with the wish that Allah in His wisdom will open their eyes to The Prophet’s (upon Him be peace) teachings and counsel to observe justice and to love our fellow human beings.