Source: www.hra-news.org
Translation by Iran Press Watch
HRANA News Agency – Mitra Badrnejad Zohdi, a Bahá’í citizen residing in the city of Ahvaz, had her home searched and was arrested by the Agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and transferred to an unknown location.
Based on a report by HRANA News Agency, the news arm of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, a Bahá’í citizen residing in Ahvaz, named “Mitra Badrnejad Zohdi” was arrested and transferred to an unknown location, on 3 March 2018.
Agents of the Ministry of Intelligence did a complete search of Mrs. Badrnejad’s home at the time of her arrest, confiscating personal items including her laptop computer and books. The Agents informed Mrs. Badrnejad that her arrest warrant had been issued by the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz.
No information about the charges or circumstances of this Bahá’í citizen has been available since her arrest.
The systematic pressure on the Bahá’í community of Iran continues to increase. Among the latest incidents is the conviction of four Bahá’í citizens, Dorri Amri, May Kholousi, Saghi Fadaie and Shayan Tafzili, originally arrested in June 2014. Each were sentenced to one-year imprisonment by Branch 3 of Mashhad’s Revolutionary Court.
Bahá’í citizens in Iran are routinely deprived of civil rights due to their religious beliefs. This systematic deprivation occurs despite Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states everyone shall have the right to enjoy religious freedom and conversion of his religion or belief, as well as freedom to manifest his religion in practice, either individually or in community with others and in public or private.
According to unofficial sources, there are more than three-hundred thousand Bahá’ís in Iran. However, Iran’s Constitution, only recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism as official religions, and does not recognize the religion of Bahá’ís. This stance is used by the regime to continuously and systematically violate the rights of Baha’i citizens in the years since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
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