From iranpresswatch.org.
Update on the Baha’i Prisoners in Semnan
Yesterday [April 27] at 10 AM, agents of the Ministry of Intelligence went to the shop of Siyamak Iqani and Mrs. Susan Tebyanian-Jabbari, showed a warrant and arrested them.
Previously, on December 15, the homes of these two individuals were among the Baha’i homes that were searched and investigated by forces of the Intelligence Ministry.
This afternoon, Mrs. Tebyanian contacted her family and asked her husband to bring their one and a half year old daughter with him to prison at 9 pm at night, and to come again in the morning at 7 am and take her home. They have a 7 year old son also, but he has not been allowed to stay with his mother in prison.
Mr. Iqani also contacted his wife on two occasions and asked for some personal items.
No other details are available about these imprisoned Baha’is or the charges against them.
On related news, Mr. Pooya Tebyanian, who was arrested on March 8, 2009 in Semnan, was sentenced to two and a half years of incarceration. The charges against him: propaganda against the regime, activities against national security, and teaching the Baha’i religion.
In the case of Mrs. Sahba Rezvani-Fanaian, who was arrested in Semnan on December 15, 2008, the appeals process confirmed the earlier sentence of 3 years and 8 months imprisonment. The authorities stated that in accordance with the court ruling, she will be transferred to Tehran to serve out her sentence.
Taher Eskandarian, Adel Fanaian and Abbas Noorani, who have spent the last year in prison, were granted another family leave for 72 hours on Monday, April 27.
Harassment of Baha’is in Semnan
01 May 2009
Khabar Navard site reports the following:
In a continuation of the harassment, aggravation and threats against the Baha’is of Semnan, as well as their friends in some cases, Mrs. Khadijeh Nabavi has been summoned to the Information Office in that city on a number of occasions. Each of these visits has ended in a lengthy interrogation.
However, this time the harassment did not just end with the interrogation, but rather, Erfani (which of course is just one of his pseudonyms), who is the interrogator of the Baha’is of Semnan and has a history of harsh and cruel treatment towards the Baha’is of this town, threatened her further by saying, “You must cease to support your Baha’i husband, otherwise he too will be treated ruthlessly.”
The presence of such individuals with pseudonyms, such as Erfani (the interrogator in Semnan), or Muhed (an interrogator in Mazandaran) or Matin Rasekhi (an interrogator in Tehran who is filled with spite and malice towards the Baha’i community), is increasing in all regions of Iran. They seem willing to barter their humanity and goodwill to win a piece of bread.
[Posted on Saturday, April 25, 2009, at; http://www.khabarnavard.blogspot.com/. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]
On Thursday and Friday, April 23-24, 2009, automobiles of two Baha’i residents of Semnan were vandalized. These two residents were Nezamu’d-Din Fanaian and Yahya Hedayati. The assailants threw rocks at these cars to break their windows and splashed chemicals [most likely, acid] on them to destroy the exterior of these vehicles.
After destroying Mr. Hedayati’s car, the attackers left a note saying, “This is how Baha’is will end up.”
These two Baha’is reported the incidents to the police and security forces of the city, but so far no steps have been taken to investigate the situation or arrest the assailants.
It should be noted that the wife of Nezamu’d-Din Fanaian is Mrs. Sahba Rezvani who has been incarcerated in Semnan for the past 5 months. Furthermore, the home of Yahya Hedayati has been attacked 3 times in recent times by individuals on motorbikes - and no effort has been taken by police to investigate these attacks or prevent their reoccurrence.
[Source: http://hra-iran.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=949:54&catid=84:502&Itemid=219. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]
09 Apr 2009
Semnan continues to be a hotbed of anti-Baha'i activity, and many incidents against the Baha'is of that town have been reported in the pages of Iran Press Watch.
Iran Press Watch learned earlier today of the arrest of another Baha'i in that locality through a posting on Iran Press News dated Thursday, April 9, 2009. The following is that report in translation:
In continuation of the worrisome condition of the Baha'i community of Semnan, another Baha'i citizen of that town has been arrested by security agents.
On April 6, 2009, Mr. Ali Ehsani, one of the Baha'is of Semnan, was summoned by the Revolutionary Court. When he appeared at the court, charges against him were stated orally by the town's prosecutor-general. In the same session, surety and bail were determined for his release in form of a deposit of property titles. However, as he was unable to provide the bail surety, he was taken into custody and incarcerated in Semnan's prison facilities.
On Wednesday, April 8, Mr. Ehsani's wife went to Semnan's prison to visit her husband. However, when Mr. Ehsani was brought to the visiting hall, the prison authorities refused to allow the husband and wife to meet, stating that he was being held incommunicado.
Mrs. Ehsani observed that her husband's condition was highly stressed, and that his head had been shaven.
It should be noted that this incident has taken place after a series of anti-Baha'i activities, such as attacks against and looting of a number of Baha'i homes, arrest of several Baha'is, destruction and arson of the Baha'i cemetery, and the bombing of several Baha'i residences.
According to Human Rights Activists in Iran, the Ehsanis were among the 20 Baha'i families whose homes in Semnan were searched by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence on December 15, 2008, and some of whose personal property was confiscated.
On the same day, Mr. Ehsani's store, which distributes medical and dental equipment, was searched without a legal warrant, and all the furniture, equipment and merchandise in the store was confiscated and transferred to the office of the Ministry of Intelligence. From that date, the store has been illegally kept shut by the Ministry.
In regards to Mr. Ehsani's arrest, the charges against him are propaganda against the regime and not having tags on all his merchandize.
[Posted in Persian on Thursday, April 9, 2009 at http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/057199.htm. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]
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