Baha’i Scholar Arrested in Tehran

Source: BahaiNews¹

Translation by Iran Press Watch

According to BahaiNews, Faruq Izadinia, a Baha’i scholar, researcher and resident of Tehran, was arrested by security forces on Sunday morning, February 12, 2017.

According to an informed source at BahaiNews, there is no information on his whereabouts, but it is likely that he has been transferred to Evin prison.

Faruq Izadinia was arrested twice after the Iranian revolution, and served long-term prison sentences because of his belief in the Baha’i Faith.

Haleh Gholami, another Baha’i resident of Tehran, was arrested last week because of her charity work for child laborers.

Also, security forces in Shiraz arrested two Baha’is, Farham Sabet and Farzan Masumi, after searching their homes.

In recent months detentions of Baha’is have increased in Shiraz, Kerman, Yazd, Isfahan, and Zahedan.

After the rise of the Islamic Republic of Iran, hundreds of followers of the Baha’i Faith were imprisoned, tortured and executed. Many others were denied civil rights such as the right to study and work.

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1. BahaiNews is an independent non-Baha’i initiative, and is not affiliated with any Baha’i institutions.