Warning from Office of Public Places to Baha’i-owned businesses in Qorveh

Source: www.hadizareh.blogspot.com

Thursday, 1 December 2016

Translation by Iran Press Watch

In the past few days the business premises of seven Baha’i citizens residing in the city of Qorveh were given warnings by the Office of Public Places that they may be closed.

Based on a report by the Human Rights in Iran website, copied from Bahainews, because Baha’is’ shutting of their businesses on Baha’i religious holidays on November 1^st and 2^nd, the Office of Public Places in that city announced in a letter of warning that, as ordered by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Office of Public Places in that city, these Baha’is are not allowed to close their stores on Baha’i holidays.

As conveyed by an informed source, “In the letter, which was not given to the owners of these business premises, it has been stated that during the holidays of the ‘Baha’i Sect’ their business premises should not be closed.”

This informed source also added: “They said that if these Baha’i-owned businesses are closed on Baha’i holidays, their business permits will be revoked and their stores will be sealed.”

Within the past few months, one of the Baha’is, Maria Kosari, was arrested in this city, and after being transferred to Sanandaj and going through a period of interrogation, she was released on bail. Also, the Baha’i cemetery of this city was destroyed by government officials.

Within the last few weeks, at least 120 business premises of Baha’i citizens have been sealed, solely due to their closure on Baha’i holidays. In recent years, business premises of Baha’i citizens in different cities have repeatedly been sealed by the government Office of Public Places.