Source: www.en-hrana.org
On May 28, 2024, IRGC Intelligence agents arrested Nazila Khanipour and her son Vesal Heravi, both Baha’i residents of Rasht, and took them to an undisclosed location.
A source close to the family confirmed the arrests to HRANA. The agents raided Khanipour’s home, searched the premises, confiscated personal items, and detained her without presenting an arrest warrant. Concurrently, Heravi was arrested at his workplace. He managed to make a brief phone call to his family.
Previously, Khanipour had been arrested, and Heravi was expelled from the university by order of intelligence agencies.
Baha’is are subjected to violations of their religious rights, comprising 82% of reports on infringements against religious minorities, according to HRA’s 2023 annual report.
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.
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