Baha'is Arrested in Karaj, Semnan and Shiraz

, , 5 Comments

Iran Press Watch has learned of several disturbing developments throughout Iran in the past two days:

Karaj

  • At dawn on Sunday, April 26, 2009, several agents of Tehran’s branch of the Ministry of Intelligence along with one of their counterparts in Karaj’s branch arrested Shahram Safajoo, a Baha’i resident of Faz-4 in Mehr-Shahr district of Karaj.  This arrest took place at 6:30 AM when Mr. Safajoo was leaving his home for work in Tehran.  It appears that the security agents had been waiting for him outside of his residence.
  • After Mr. Safajoo was seized, agents went into the house with him and searched the entire dwelling, which resulted in total disarray of the residence’s furnishing.  Agents confiscated all mobile devices, books, papers, CDs related to the Baha’i Faith, 2 laptops, and everyone’s passports.
  • They took Mr. Safajoo to an unknown destination, but when the family inquired after him, the Ministry reported that the prisoner was still incarcerated in Karaj’s facility and had not been taken to Tehran.


Semnan

  • Earlier today, Monday April 27, Mr. Siyamak Iqani and Mrs. Susan Tebyanian-Jabbari were arrested.

Shiraz

  • On Wednesday, April 8, the Ministry of Intelligence called the residence of Mr. Vahdat Dana in Shiraz and instructed his wife to advise Mr. Dana that next morning he needed to present himself at the Ministry’s branch office in Shiraz.  Mrs. Dana refused to comply and insisted that a written notice must be sent from the judiciary.danna
  • On April 12, when Mr. Dana was leaving his residence for work, he was confronted by the agents of the Ministry of Intelligence who asked him to accompany them to the prison facility of the Ministry, known as Pelak 100.  Mr. Dana insisted on seeing a warrant issued by a judge for his arrest.  The agents instead produced a handwritten document which included the phrase, “Individuals of interest may be investigated and arrested.”  Mr. Dana persisted that an order specifying his name should be produced, which the agents had none.
  • When the agents left, Mr. Dana immediately wrote a letter to Hojjatu’l-Islam Musavi-Tabar, the deputy revolutionary prosecutor asking him to clarify the case against him.  In response, Mr. Musavi-Tabar instructed, “If the agents are able to produce a warrant, then you must accompany them.”
  • At 12:30 PM on Saturday, April 25, the agents returned to the residence of Mr. Dana and instructed his wife to call her husband and to tell him that he should immediately return home.  The agents waited outside for Mr. Dana to arrive.  When Mr. Dana arrived, they produced a warrant against him issued by a judge named Rezaei-Dadyar, in branch 10 of judiciary.  They took Mr. Dana with them.
  • In both instants, the agents were respectful and professional.
  • However, it should be noted that Mr. Dana has serious heart conditions and has previously suffered a heart attack.  He also suffers from kidney ailment and complications, which makes his incarceration extremely worrisome.

[Source: http://bab.blogfa.com/.  Translation by Iran Press Watch.]

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
 

5 Responses

  1. LizKauai

    April 28, 2009 12:20 am

    One day, the authorities will approach a village of people and demand that the Baha’is identify themselves so that they can be arrested.
    I can see it now- as in the classic movie SPARTACUS – every person in that group- Baha’i, Muslim, Kurd, Zoroastrian, Christian and Jew will proclaim- “I’m Baha’i” and the officers, knowing full well that many of them are not, will be compelled to arrest the entire village … or refuse to continue these shameful acts of persecution against innocent people.

    Reply
  2. Harmeet

    April 28, 2009 12:36 pm

    This is really shameful for the agents and specially for the authorities to disturb the living life of Bahais in Iran…

    I urge the UN to please intervene in the matter sooner so that the life of Bahais in Iran may sail on a good boat….

    We all have to pray for the sooner release of our innocent Bahai Friends in Iran

    Reply
  3. Dawn May Adams

    April 29, 2009 3:41 am

    I was crying so hard that I lost the other comment that I wrote. I am a Baha’i from the US. I have many Persian Baha’i friends here, and I am proud to be a member of their family–the family of man. I pray for those who are in prison, and I also pray for all of us everyday. Please, whoever has the authority to intervene in these attrocities–please do. Perhaps President Obama can help. Perhaps the UN? Somebody–anybody? This business of people killing people has got to stop. GOD SAID–“THOU SHALT NOT KILL” !!!

    Reply
  4. Negar Ayobuzadeh

    April 29, 2009 3:41 pm

    We are deeply concerned and ardently praying for the safety and protection of our beloved Bahai brothers and sisters in Iran. Mr Safajoo is my cousin’s husband. He and his family have renedered may years of selfless devotion and service to all those around them, and have a deep love for Baha’u’llah. They are innocent and have done nothing wrong. The world is watching, and will not forget! This is a call to the conscience of all people… we all need to reflect on what we can do to help change this darksome world, and invite in the rays of light; of love and understanding; of the brotherhood of all man; of justice and peace for all- for it IS a new Day of God – what role will we play?

    Reply

Leave a Reply