Closure of Baha’i Businesses Approaches One Year

Source: BahaiNews¹

Translation by Iran Press Watch

According to a report from “BahaiNews”, Baha’i businesses and shops in the province of Kerman remain sealed and closed after almost a year.

According to this report, on 26and 27 October 2014, forty-five shops and stores in Kerman, thirty in Rafsanjan, and eight in Jiroft were sealed and shut down because the owners did not open their shops, because they were observing religious holidays.

“After repeated appeals to the authorities, it was finally (and officially) decided that Baha’i business owners must annually inform the Chambers of Commerce of the dates of the nine Baha’i holidays. Those dates were immediately identified through March 2016. The document was signed by all Baha’i business owners and delivered to the correspondent Chambers of Commerce.”, said an informed source to “BahaiNews”.

“Unfortunately, six shops were closed down on April 9, 2015 for observing a Baha’i holiday. After almost a year, they remain closed,” he continued.

According to this report from “BahaiNews”, agents of the office of Chamber of Commerce shut down seven more businesses in October 2015, although that office had previously been informed of the dates.

Thirteen Baha’i owned shops in Kerman and thirty shops (in total, and on 3 different occasions) in Rafsanjan were closed down; up to the time of this report they have remained sealed.

Baha’i business owners and the dates of the closures in Kerman are as follows:

April 9, 2015

1-     Mr. Ehsan Amirinia; Business: Heating/ Ventilation

2-     Mr. Hasan Pourganji; Business: Mechanic (engine tuning)

3-     Mr. Nima Rajabzadeh; Business: Building Decoration

4-     Ms. Ghodsieh Hakimian; Business: Garment store

5-     Mr. Shahram Falah; Business: Piping and Sanitation supply (for buildings)

6-     Mr. Zia Mirzaie; Business: Auto parts

October 2015

1-     Mr. Naim Pourganji; Business: Mechanic (engine tuning)

2.   Mr. Hedayat Hakimian; Business: Garment store

3.     Mr. Soheil Chitsaz; Business: Piping and Sanitation supply (for buildings)

4.     Mr. Kamran Bandi; Business: Carpentry

5.     Mr. Masoud Mohseni; Business: Garment store

6.     Mr. Amir Mirzaie; Business: Mechanic (engine tuning)

7.     Mr. Sobhan Ashour-Mahani; Business: Farming Equipment

In previous years, Chambers of Commerce in cities in the province of Kerman, as well as other provinces, shut down Baha’i businesses many times.

“BahaiNews” states that the main reason behind these closures is the opposition of security forces to Baha’is observing their nine religious holidays. In past years, Baha’i shops and businesses were consistently harassed whenever they observed these holidays. According to national business laws, any legitimate business has the right to close up to 15 days a year. They must report to (and receive permission from) the Chamber of Commerce only if the closure exceeds 15 days.

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1. “BahaiNews” is an independent non-Bahá’í initiative and is not affiliated with any Baha’i institutions.