Six articles reporting harrassment, threats, illegal confiscation, arrest and expulsion from university in Semnan. More recent news on this locality available here.
From iranpresswatch.org.
The graffiti reads
Unknown assailants attacked the home of a Baha’i resident on three (3) separate occasions last week.
In recent months, the town of Semnan has witnessed many pervasive assaults on the Baha’is, including attacks by grenades on their residences, destruction of cemeteries, interrogation and widespread arrest of Baha’is, coupled with the searches of their homes.
On three occasions, the residence of Mr. Yahya Hedayati was attacked during the last week, from April 9 to 16. These incidents took place during the late hours of the night by unknown assailants riding on motorcycles, and often involved throwing rocks at the windows.
In these attacks, windows were broken and Mr. Hedayati’s family, particularly his elderly mother, were terrorized and made to fear for their lives. It appears that the perpetrators were trying to create an unsafe environment for this Baha’i family, and to instill anxiety and emotional distress in the members of the household.
Efforts of this Baha’i through legal channels have borne no result, and it is feared that these organized assaults will continue.
Posted: 18 Mar 2009 04:07 PM PDT
Editor’s Note: On Saturday, March 7, 2009, several Persian online journals carried this report, which appears below in translation.
On March 1, 2009, the government-run University of Semnan expelled Miss Minoo Shahriari, a student majoring in economics, on the grounds that she was a Baha’i.
In an interview with the Committee that pursues the right of Baha’is to education on behalf of Iran’s Committee for Human Rights, she described her expulsion in these terms: “I was a student in macroeconomics, and about 5 weeks had passed since our second term classes had started. Before the semester had started, I had been threatened that if I did not write one of the approved religions in the form and insisted on continuing my education, then severe consequences awaited me, including preventing me from entering university, and if I were to enter, that other students and professors would have no relations with me. They said that I would be so harassed that I would be compelled to resign from the university.
Disregarding all these threats, I was eager to attend classes and showed my eagerness.
There was no particular problem, until one day I was told that I was no longer on the class roster. Officials in charge of registration and student files swore that they had not changed my student status.
Since previously I had been threatened many times by the president of the university and his deputy, I thought that the latest tactic was to scare me and they would not follow through with their threats [and dismiss me permanently].
To pursue the matter, I went to the central office of the university, but the person in charge completely ignored me — on purpose he would not even look at me. Eventually, he only said, “You must leave the university and Semnan at once.If you have a complaint, you can register it with the judiciary in the city.”
It should be noted that recently, with much greater intensity the authorities are expelling the few Baha’i students who had been able to participate in the college entrance exam and had enrolled at universities.
[Sources: http://hra-iran.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=647:567&catid=160:6954&Itemid=368 and http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/055658.htm. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]
In a highly questionable legal act, the shop of a Baha’i in Semnan was closed and sealed.
On March 10, officers of the Edareh Amaken [Buildings and Municipality] came to Mrs. Shamil Pirasteh’s store and announced that her store should be vacated in one week and then be sealed, because they had received a warning notice from the Clothing Union of Semnan stating that her store did not qualify [for selling cloths] and that her business license was terminated.
The ambiguity of the legal procedure for preventing from operation and prohibiting the means of livelihood of this Baha’i citizen rests on the fact that for the past five years she had been allowed, legally, to continue her business and no warning had ever been issued. According to industrial law, there must be a sequence of four warning letters before a business may lose its license and be forced into closure. In this case, none of these procedures were followed.
[Source: http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/056218.htm. Translation by Iran Press Watch. The incident was also reported by HRA Iran at http://hra-iran.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=699:215&catid=84:502&Itemid=219 with these pictures]
Semnan continues to be a hotbed of anti-Baha’i hostility. The following report was filed by Iran Press News on Sunday, March 15, 2009, and is presented below in translation by Iran Press Watch:
On early hours of Sunday morning, March 15, either an unknown individual or a group of individuals sprayed hate-statements on exterior walls of many Baha’i homes in Semnan.
These sprayed graffiti included such expressions as, “Death to Baha’is”, “Get lost Baha’is”, “Baha’i = Israel and infidel” and other hateful statements.
Homes that were defaced in this manner belonged to such Baha’i citizens as, Ali Ehsani, Nushazar Khanjani, Hajir Hedayati, Ezatu’llah Vujdani, Behrouz Firouzian, Nejatu’llah Khanjani, Behfar Khanjani, Behnaz Khanjani, Siavash Jabbari, and Shahnaz Pirasteh.
On seeing these evil deeds, the people of Semnan immediately informed the security forces. However no investigation or follow up has occurred as of now by the authorities.
It should be noted that Semnan is among the towns in Iran that in recent months has witnessed many incidents of aggression and violence towards its Baha’i residents, including firebombing Baha’i homes with homemade explosives.
[Source: http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/056136.htm. Translation by Iran Press Watch. Pictures from HRA Iran.]
Persecution of Baha'is in Semnan Intensified
Posted: 13 Mar 2009 04:29 AM PDT
The following report was posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009, on Khabar Navard site:
Following the intensification of persecution and harassment of the Baha'is of Semnan in December 2008 which has reached an unprecedented level, large advertisements were posted across the city inviting people to a public seminar, titled "Ways to Combat the Wayward Sects of Baha'ism and Wahhabism." This seminar was given by Nasiri-Fard and took place on Tuesday, March 10, in 'Abedinih Mosque.
It should be noted that after a similar seminar about two months ago, waves of harassment were visited upon the Baha'is of Semnan, including the destruction of the Baha'i cemetery of that town, arson against its funeral facilities, 5 incidents of throwing Molotov Cocktails at Baha'i homes and shops, and repeated threats against the lives of various members of the Baha'i community by unknown individuals.
It is interesting that after 2 months and all these incidents, which the authorities in both the Intelligence and Security Ministries attributed to "reactionary elements" or "popular sentiments", no one has been charged with any of these crimes. This point becomes even more peculiar when we note that according to both national and local media, Semnan is a model town for its low crime rate.
It appears that after the seminar of two days ago, we must await more Molotov cocktails!
[Source: http://khabarnavard.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post_8655.html. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]
Baha'i Youth Arrested in Semnan
Posted: 13 Mar 2009 04:31 AM PDT
The following report was posted on Iran Press News on Thursday, March 12, 2009:
Following recent activities against the Baha'i citizens of Semnan, a Baha'i youth of 24 years age by the name of Pooya Tebyanian was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence at his place of work on March 9 at 3 p.m.
So far, he has been granted only one telephone call with his family.
It should be noted that this person has held no position in any of the organizing bodies of the Baha'is of Semnan [all now dissolved on the initiative of the Baha'i community of Iran].
Therefore, considering that such hostilities as widespread raids on Baha'i homes, the arrest of Baha'is, destruction and arson of Baha'i cemeteries, as well as attacks on Baha'i residences with explosives, paint a most troubling and worrisome picture, this illustrates that their harassment, persecution, imprisonment and maltreatment is continuing unabated.
Furthermore, reliable sources have informed Iran Press Watch:
- Despite the fact that Mr. Behfar Khanjani had business and commercial licenses, on Monday, March 9, 2009, his shop was shut and sealed.
- Mr. Afshin Iqani's store was attacked and half of his merchandize confiscated.
- Warrants for the arrest of another Baha'i youth has been issued (name withheld).
- Temporary leaves of 3 Baha'i prisoners were cancelled. These were: Mr. Nurani, Mr. Fanaian and Mr. Eskandarian.
[Source for Iran Press News report: http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/056006.htm. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]
February 26, 2009
Editor’s Note: The following disturbing report is a translation of a news story appearing in Iran Press News (reference cited below).
An unknown group has used explosives to attack several Baha’i homes in Semnan in a deeply alarming assault.
In a continuation of recent persecutions and harassment of the Baha’is of Semnan, once again, at one o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, 25 February 2009, an appalling and brutal attack was carried out against the Baha’is of this town by an unknown group.
This attack started with makeshift hand-grenades (known as Molotov cocktails) being thrown. A number of individuals intended to fire-bomb two Baha’i residences by throwing these explosive materials through the windows of two apartments belonging to Baha’i families of Semnan by the names of Pirasteh and Pur-Husayni. Luckily, their bombs hit the edges and did not enter through the windows.
It should be noted that on 15 December 2008, these same apartments were raided by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence, when a large quantity of personal affects, such as documents and papers, were confiscated by the Security forces.
Subsequent to that incident, on 1 February 2009, a similar attack took place against the residence of another Baha’i of this city by the name of Mr. Khanjani. In that incident, once again, his home was assaulted using explosive materials.
These attacks have taken place in an environment charged by the Imam Jum’ih of Semnan, Ayatollah Siyyid Muhammad Shah-Cheraqi, who in the course of his sermon on Friday, 20 February 2009, spoke about the letter of the country’s Attorney General to the Minister of Intelligence in which he requested severe and final confrontation with the Baha’is through legal channels. The Ayatollah declared, “The same way that the people were able to throw out the Shah from Iran, they can rid this nation of the Baha’is.” He also stated that according to religious rulings, business transactions and marriages with the Baha’is are not permissible.
Of recent attacks on the Baha’i community of Semnan, the following can be enumerated:
A widespread attack on the homes of many Baha’is on 15 December 2008.
Arrest of Mrs. Sahba Rezvani (Fana’ian), one of the Baha’i organizers in Semnan, on 15 December 2008.
Arrest of Mr. Adel Fana’ian, Mr. Abbas Nurani (who were both among the present Baha’i organizers in Semnan) and Mr. Taher Eskandarian (a former Baha’i organizer in Semnan) on 4 January 2009.
Attack with a Molotov Cocktail on 1 February 2009 on the home of Mr. Khanjani, one of the Baha’is of Semnan.
Destruction and burning of the Baha’i Cemetery of Semnan on 15 February 2009.
Given the intensity of these recent assaults, it can be said that the condition of the Baha’is of Semnan is most disturbing.
[Story originally published on Wednesday, 25 February 2009 at http://hra-iran.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=592:564&catid=84:502&Itemid=219. Translated by Iran Press Watch.]
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