Iran Press Watch: The Baha'i Community

97 arrests in the month of December
Roya Ghanbari Detained; Security Forces Raid to Arrest Fataneh Nouri
Another Baha’i-Owned Business Fire Bombed, Threatening Letter Left Behind

Posted: 09 Jan 2011 07:20 PM PST

(RAHANA 22 Dec 2010) During December 2010 at least 79 of political, journalists and students were arrested and detained nationwide.

RAHANA reports, during December 7 events (students day) student arrests around the country have increased, 23 of whom have been mentioned in the below table.
Like other months Kurdish activists and citizens have had the highest number of arrests and at least 23 of them have detained following up their arrests.
Arrest of 8 journalists shows the severity of clashes between security agency and the press. 8 journalists have been arrested and detained during the security agency's attack to "Shargh" newspaper.
Religious minorities, especially Baha'i and followers of God have also has 11 arrestees. A Christian citizen had also been arrested, whom was released after a short term in detention.
Families of political prisoners and the victims of the presidential election events have also had several arrests, whom are still in prison.
12 of 79 arrests in the months of December are female.
For view the lists and tables as PDF click on the picture or here.

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Source: http://www.rahana.org/en/?p=8778

Roya Ghanbari Detained; Security Forces Raid to Arrest Fataneh Nouri

Posted: 09 Jan 2011 07:11 PM PST

(RAHANA 22 Dec 2010) Baha'i citizen Roya Ghanabri who is the sister of Amir Ghanbari, has been detained.

RAHANA: On Monday, Roya Ghanabri, a Baha'i resident of Sari, was detained without a judicial warrant. On Sunday, 11 security agents searched the house of Fataneh Nouri, the wife of Omid Ghanabri, after showing her arrest warrant.

Roya Ghanbari, Omid Ghanbari's sister, who is currently in detention had appeared at the news unit of the judiciary for questioning and had later contacted her family stating that she had been arrested.

Sari Intelligence Ministry authorities searched the house of Fataneh Nouri's father and father in law and stated that she has been summoned to the Intelligence Ministry for questioning and she also had to deliver the clothes of Roya's brother Omid. When Roya Ghanbari's husband delivered Omid's clothes to the Intelligence Ministry on Monday, the agents threatened that if Roya fails to show up, they will get a judicial arrest warrant.

After searching the house, the Intelligence Ministry contacted Mr. Ghanbari's home 4 times. In his first telephone contact, Omid Ghanbari asked questions about the whereabouts of his wife and in the second telephone call, he asked about the condition of his elderly parents who had witnessed the offensive behavior of the agents. In the other phone calls, the authorities stated that Roya should visit her brother in prison and should respond to several questions.

Eleven security authorities referred to the house of Fataneh Nouri's father and father in law and searched the house of his father in law despite the fact that the warrant had only been issued for her arrest.

During the raid, the authorities insulted the sacred rituals of the Baha'i faith and her family members. They also seized their Baha'i books, a Quran, a receiver and a number of CDs.

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Source: http://www.rahana.org/en/?p=8665

Another Baha’i-Owned Business Fire Bombed, Threatening Letter Left Behind

Posted: 09 Jan 2011 12:08 PM PST

(Persian2English, 5 Jan 2011)

Persian Report by the Association Against Educational Discrimination
Translation by Siavosh Jalili, Persian2English

The Association Against Educational Discrimination (AAED)- On December 30, 2010, the business and shop of yet another Baha'i citizen in the city of Rafsanjan (Province of Kerman, southeastern Iran) was fire bombed and the assailant(s) left a threatening letter at the shop.

Based on reports received by AAED, this was the ninth Baha'i-owned shop attacked in the city of Rafsanjan. The culprits threw a letter inside the shop that threatened if the Baha'is refuse to sign the enclosed treaty, "they [the assailants] will uproot the base of imperialism in the city".

Prior to this attack, eight other shops belonging to Baha'i citizens were set on fire over 14 attacks.

The shop owners have taken their grievances to the Kerman Governor's office, Rafsanjan's Member of Parliament, National Security Commission, and the Kerman provincial police, but to no avail. Even the insurance companies refused to cover the real cost of the damages incurred by the shop owners.

Below is part of the text of the threatening letter thrown in the shop that was attacked:

In the Name of God

Warning and Commitment letter

Members of the Baha'i cult in the city of Rafsanjan:

Fighting against disbelief (rejection of religion) and polytheism, especially against a cult whose supporters are the biggest enemies of Islamic Iran- Israel and the US is the duty of each and every Muslim. Since you, contrary to the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, preach and propagate [your religion], you will not be entitled to any citizenship rights or security. However, since the enlightened Islamic religion permits entering into contracts between Muslims and non-Muslims to guarantee protection of the lives and properties of the latter, we inform the Baha'is of this city that if you accept our conditions mentioned below, we will not aggress your life and properties. But if you do not accept the terms of this treaty, it will be interpreted as your insistence on hostility toward the Muslim and Shiite residents of the city, and we shall uproot the basis of imperialism in this city through our Jihadi actions. Inshallah (God willing)

The terms of the treaty

1. Refraining from propogating and preaching the Baha'i faith even in cyber space (internet)

2. Refraining from relationships and friendships with Muslims except in the work and business context

3. Refraining from hiring Muslim employees by Baha'i shopkeepers

Since in the books of Rouhi Foundation, friendship with Muslims has been greatly encouraged as a means of preaching, any unnecessary friendship and ties outside the business framework will be considered an attempt to preach [your religion], and will be deemed violation of the terms of this treaty.

…..

The recipients of the letters are asked to send their consent to the treaty through an e-mail and are urged to share the letter with other Baha'is. They have also been promised confidentiality should they send their names to the provided e-mail address.