Source: iranwire.com
The Islamic Republic’s Supreme Court has ordered a retrial of 26 Baha’i citizens from Shiraz after the Fars Province Chief Justice objected to their acquittal, with the defendants summoned to appear in court on July 1.
HRANA, a human rights news agency, reported that the 26 individuals received official summonses to appear before Branch 2 of the Fars Province Court of Appeals following the Supreme Court’s decision to refer their case to a parallel court branch.
Seyed Kazem Mousavi, Chief Justice of Fars Province, filed an objection to the acquittal under Article 477 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Branch 1 of the Supreme Court subsequently referred the case to Branch 2 of the Fars Province Court of Appeals for reconsideration.
The case dates back to June 2022, when the 26 Baha’i citizens were initially sentenced by Branch 1 of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court to a combined 85 years in prison, exile, and travel bans. Branch 37 of the Fars Province Court of Appeals upheld the verdict in full.
Baha’is have long been persecuted for their beliefs and are often accused of being spies or acting against the Iranian government.
However, the Baha’i International Community says that no evidence has ever been provided to support these claims.
Over the past two years, the Iranian government has intensified its crackdown on members of the Baha’i faith, imprisoning dozens on spurious charges, denying them access to higher education and employment, and confiscating or destroying their properties.
Human Rights Watch, in its latest annual report, called the suppression of Baha’is and the deprivation of their basic rights systematic, describing it as a crime against humanity.
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