Authorities in Iran on Saturday said that 13 adherents of Baha’i religion have been arrested for allegedly proselytising to children and adolescents. Notably, the Baha’i faith is banned in Iran.
Local media in Iran published a statement issued by Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence unit, saying that the arrests were made in Isfahan city in central Iran. The short statement said that the 13 people “were acting illegally and were indirectly promoting their ideological deviation by exploiting children and adolescents.”
Islamic Republic considers the Baha’i faith a heretical offshoot of Islam and is not recognized by the govt. The authorities routinely arrest followers of the faith accusing of trying to spread the banned faith.
10 women from Baha’i faith were arrested in the country on Wednesday over similar charges that included conducting “deviant” educational and propaganda activities banned under to Islamic law.
Ten #Bahai women were detained in Baharestan, near Isfahan, #Iran today by the Islamic Republic's security forces at 6am without warrants or prior notification. Agents reportedly scaled walls and coerced neighbors to raid the homes of Boshra Motahhar, Sara Shakib, Sanaz Rasteh,… pic.twitter.com/eRswlxDgDu
— Baha'i International Community (@BahaiBIC_Rights) January 22, 2025
Earlier this week, UN rights experts expressed concern over persecution and harassment of religious minorities in Iran, and asked the Islamic govt to stop the same. They said, “We are deeply concerned at the increasing arbitrary arrests, and on occasions, enforced disappearances of members of the Baha’i faith and the destruction or confiscation of their properties, in what bears all the signs of a policy of systematic persecution.”
Notably, the famous Lotus Temple in Delhi is a Baha’i place worship.
