Closure of Baha’i-Owned Shops in Iran Continues

December 18, 2016 , editor , 2 Comments

Translation by Iran Press Watch

The business place of Nosratollah Takapooy in the city of Bijar in Kurdestan province has been sealed by agents of the Office of Public Places.

He has 56 years experience in the dry cleaning business, but said the agents shut his shop because of his belief in the Baha’i Faith.

According to a reliable source, the agents asserted that if the shop owner had the necessary permit, they would not have sealed the shop; yet despite presenting the necessary permit, which had been validated the same day for five years, his shop was shut and sealed.

Also, the shop of Mohhebali Jaberi, a Baha’i citizen of Shiraz, was sealed in November, because he is a Baha’i.

Mr. Jaberi’s shop permit was not renewed after he had been in business for 25 years, because he is a Baha’i. His shop was sealed by agents of the Office of Public Places.

Mr. Jaberi’s photography business permit was not renewed after receiving a text message in November warning him; agents sealed his workshop.

Ali Zamani’s shop was also sealed. He is a Baha’i residing in Birjand. Officers of the Office of Public Places on the morning of Tuesday the 6th of December, 2016 closed his air conditioning workshop because of his adherence to the Baha’i Faith. For the same reason, a few weeks prior to this incident, his business permit was also cancelled.

Last week, on the 28th of November, the Baha’i cemetery of Birjand was taken over and destroyed by government agents.

Within the last two months, at least 140 Baha’i-owned businesses have been sealed because they closed their shops during Baha’i religious holidays. In addition, in previous years many Baha’is on numerous occasions faced the closure of their shops by the Office of Public Places.

Bahainews has published the reason for sealing the shops of Baha’is as because they observed one of the nine Baha’i Holy Days, which in some cases was followed by the arrests of Baha’is after those specific days.

The country’s labor law states that those who are allowed to legally conduct their businesses have the right to close their premises 15 days per year provided that 15 days prior to their decision they inform the Office of Public Places.

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