Source: www.radiofarda.com
Translation by Iran Press Watch
Branch One of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Tavakoli, issued heavy sentences for 10 Baha’i citizens, sentencing them in the primary court to long-term imprisonment, millions of tomans in fines, travel bans, and bans on using social media.
According to the ruling, which reached Radio Farda exclusively on Sunday, October 20, and “due to the security nature of the judgment, it was personally conveyed to these individuals,” Yeganeh Agahi, Yeganeh Rouh-Bakhsh, Negin Khademi, Shana Shoghi-Far, Mozhgan Shahrezaei, Parastoo Hakim, Arezou Sobhaniyan, and Neda Badakhsh have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison and a fine of 100 million tomans.
Arezou Sobhaniyan and Yeganeh Rouh-Bakhsh are mother and daughter.
According to the court ruling, one-third of the sentences for Negin Khademi, Yeganeh Agahi, and Yeganeh Rouh-Bakhsh, and half of the sentences for Mozhgan Shahrezaei, Parastoo Hakim, Arezou Sobhaniyan, Neda Badakhsh, and Shana Shoghi-Far have been suspended.
Additionally, the Revolutionary Court sentenced Neda Emadi and Bahareh Lotfi to 5 years in prison and a fine of 50 million tomans, with 4 years of their prison sentences being suspended.
Based on the rulings issued by Branch One of the Revolutionary Court, all 10 individuals have also been sentenced to a two-year travel ban and a two-year ban on using social media.
The court also stated in its ruling that the mobile phones, laptops, and all digital devices, as well as any gold jewelry and any amounts of U.S. and Australian dollars in their possession, would be confiscated “for the benefit of the Muslim Fund.”
Last August, Radio Farda learned that these 10 Baha’i women were accused by Branch 18 of the Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Isfahan of “promoting” Baha’i religious beliefs.
The charges against these Baha’i women were stated as “engaging in deviant educational propaganda activities contrary to the principles and beliefs of the sacred religion of Islam through the promotion and teaching of Baha’i beliefs.”
The Isfahan Revolutionary Court cited “holding English language, painting, music, and yoga classes, and organizing nature trips for Iranian and Afghan children, toddlers, and teenagers” as examples of these charges.
Radio Farda also learned that the names of about “150 private complainants” were listed in the indictment against these Baha’i women.
These 10 Baha’i women were arrested on October 23, 2022, in Isfahan by security forces.
The Islamic Republic of Iran does not recognize the Baha’i faith. Judicial authorities have repeatedly labeled Baha’is as “spies and enemies,” issuing death sentences, arrests, imprisonment, and bans on education and business against them.
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