Source: www.hra-news.org
Translation by Iran Press Watch
Hrana Agency- Without holding a court hearing, the Court of Appeal in Mazandaran Province upheld the conviction of Ali Ahmadi, a Baha’i resident of Qaemshahr city, in Mazandaran Province. Mr. Ahmadi had previously been sentenced to eleven years’ imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court of Qaemshahr.
According to the HRANA, the human rights activists News Agency in Iran, the second branch of the Court of Appeal in Mazandaran Province, upheld the conviction of Ali Ahmadi, a Baha’i citizen living in Qaemshahr city.
Late last year the Revolutionary Court of Qaemshahr convicted Ali Ahmadi of “propaganda against the regime and management of Baha’i institutions,” and sentenced him to 11 years in prison. Mr. Ahmadi was informed of his sentence on Monday, December 2, 2019. An appeal was filed on his behalf.
The Second Branch of the Court of Appeal in Mazandaran Province upheld Mr. Ahmadi’s sentence, without holding a court hearing, sixteen days after the defense motion was filed.
Mr. Ahmadi was arrested by security forces on November 20, 2018 and transferred to solitary confinement in the Kachewei Detention Center in Sari and was charged with “propaganda against the regime”.
Earlier, an informed source on Mr. Ahmadi’s arrest had told Hrana’s reporter: “On Tuesday, seven agents of the security forces arrested Mr. Ahmadi and transferred him to the solitary confinement cells of the Sari Kachewei detention center.”
Mr. Ahmadi has been detained by security forces at least five times over the past ten years and has previously served time in prison. In 2017, he was held 43 days in custody before being released July 21, 2017, on a bail of 150 million Tomans.[1]
HRANA reported in November of last year about a new wave of pressure and detention of Baha’is in the country.
Baha’i citizens in Iran are deprived of their freedoms related to religious beliefs, while systematically deprived of their right to freedom of religion and to change their religion according to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The freedom to express it individually or collectively, in public or in secret.
According to unofficial sources, there are more than 300,000 Baha’is in Iran, but the Iranian constitution only recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism and does not recognize the Baha’i faith. For this reason, Baha’is’ rights in Iran have been systematically violated over the years.
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[1] Approx. = $12,500 in black exchange market
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