Appeal Court; Soosan Badavam, a Baha’i Citizen, Was Sentenced to Imprisonment and Social Deprivations

Source: www.hra-news.org

Translation by Iran Press Watch

HRANA News Agency – The sentence of four years, one month and seventeen days of imprisonment and social deprivations of Baha’i citizen Soosan Badavam was confirmed by the appeals court of Gilan province.

According to HRANA news agency, the news organ of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Soosan Badvam, a Baha’i citizen, was sentenced to prison.

According to the verdict issued on Monday, October 23, by the eleventh branch of the Gilan Province Court of Appeal, Ms. Badavam was accused of “deviant educational or propaganda activity against the holy Islamic law in the form of a sect, group, community or the like” for which she was sentenced to 3 years, 6 months and 1 day imprisonment and another 7 months and 16 days in prison for the charges of “propaganda against the regime”. Also, according to the verdict, this Baha’i citizen will be deprived of some social rights for ten years.

With the application of Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the maximum sentence of three years, six months and one day of imprisonment will be applicable to her.

The trial of Soosan Badavam was held on the 6th of August of this year in the third branch of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht, presided over by Mehdi Rasekhi. The said verdict was communicated to her on the 21st of August.

Susan Badavam (Farhangil) was arrested by the IRGC Intelligence Forces of Gilan province on November 29, 2023, and was finally released after posting bail.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

According to unofficial sources, there are more than three hundred thousand Baha’is in Iran.  The Iranian constitution only recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism. Authorities use this omission to justify depriving Baha’is of the freedom of religion and have systematically violated the rights of Baha’is in Iran since the Islamic Republic came into power.