Source: www.hra-news.org
Translation by Iran Press Watch
HRANA News Agency – Today, Thursday, February 20, Nazila Khanipour and her son Vesal Heravi, two Baha’i citizens, were transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht to serve their sentences. Khanipour had been sentenced to more than two years in prison, while her son had received a sentence of more than four years.
Based on information received by HRANA, today, Khanipour and Heravi appeared before Branch 5 of the Rasht Prosecutor’s Office for the Execution of Sentences, where they were arrested and transferred to Lakan Prison in the city.
Previously, Branch 3 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mehdi Rasekhi, had sentenced Nazila Khanipour to two years and one day of imprisonment, an 80 million toman (approx. $1,600) fine, and a five-year deprivation of social rights for the charge of educational and promotional activities deemed “deviant” and contrary to Islamic law.
Similarly, Vesal Heravi was sentenced by the same court to seven months and 16 days in prison for propaganda against the regime, and three years, six months, and one day in prison for educational and promotional activities deemed “deviant” and contrary to Islamic law, along with a 10-year deprivation of social rights.
The Gilan Court of Appeals, Branch 11, presided over by Judge Mohammad Sadegh Iran-Aghideh, upheld the sentences in full without holding a hearing.
A source close to the family of these Baha’i citizens told HRANA about the case:
“The presence of religious books related to the Baha’i faith on Vesal Heravi’s phone and in his home, as well as his profession as a toy store owner, were among the factors cited in the court ruling as examples of ‘promotional activities. Additionally, in the verdict against Nazila Khanipour, the posting of images of Baha’i temples on her private Instagram account and authoring a book on the history of the Baha’i faith in Gilan were cited as evidence of criminal activity.’
These two individuals were first arrested on May 29 by agents of the IRGC Intelligence Organization in Rasht. They were later released on bail from Lakan Prison in Rasht.
Nazila Khanipour has a previous history of arrest. Vesal Heravi had also been expelled from his university under orders from security agencies.
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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