Saturday , 18 May 2024

Baha’i Woman Handed Long-Term Prison Term amid Crackdown on Faith

Iranwire – Iranian authorities have sentenced a Baha’i woman to 10 years and 9 months in prison for her religious beliefs and activities as a member of the persecuted minority. 

Iranian authorities have sentenced a Baha'i woman to 10 years and 9 months in prison for her religious beliefs and activities as a member of the persecuted minority

The First Branch of the Revolutionary Court in the north-eastern city of Mashhad sentenced Sanaz Tafazoli on July 15 on charges of “collusion against security, leading a group with the intent to disrupt national security, and engaging in propaganda” against the Islamic Republic.

Tafazoli, 46, had been accused of “engaging in humanitarian and social endeavors as a Baha’i, as well as having pamphlets and literature pertaining to the Baha’i faith at her residence.”

The Iranian government has intensified its crackdown on Baha’is, arresting and imprisoning dozens of them on spurious charges over the past few weeks.

Shia Islam is the state religion in Iran. The constitution recognizes several minority faiths, including Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, but not the Baha’i faith.

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