Security Forces Arrest Baha’i Woman in Northern Iran

Source: iranwire.com

Iranian security forces have arrested a Baha’i woman at her home in northern Iran and transferred her to an undisclosed location, according to a human rights organization.

Raquel Ataeian was detained on Tuesday at her residence in Qaemshahr, the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported.

During the raid, security forces searched Ataeian’s home and confiscated her laptop, mobile phones, books, and personal belongings of other family members, the organization said.

Authorities have not disclosed the reason for her arrest, her current whereabouts, or whether any charges have been filed against her.

Ataeian has previously faced pressure and what the rights group described as “fabricated cases” by government agencies due to her religious activities.

Baha’is in Iran face systematic persecution, including restrictions on education, employment, and religious practice. They are frequently accused of espionage or acting against the government.

However, the Baha’i International Community maintains that no evidence has ever been presented to prove these claims.

Over the past two years, the Iranian government has intensified its crackdown on members of the Baha’i faith, imprisoning dozens on spurious charges, denying them access to higher education and employment, and confiscating or destroying their properties.

In its latest annual report, Human Rights Watch described the systematic suppression and denial of basic rights to Baha’is as a crime against humanity.