Series of home raids lead to 13 arrests of Baha’i women

Series of home raids lead to 13 arrests of Baha’i women

Commentary by Pete Haug | FāVS News

Iran’s current persecution of Baha’is continues traditions that began in the 1840s. Early on the morning of Jan. 22 security forces, in a series of “shocking” home raids, without warrants or prior notification, arrested 13 Baha’i women, according to the Baha’i International Community (BIC) in Geneva.

International news agencies corroborated these arrests, one stating, “United Nations human rights experts have expressed concern over increasing systematic persecution of women from Iran’s Baha’i religious minority.” Iran wire reported the same concerns.

“Raids are an outrage”

BIC called the raids “the latest outrage against the Baha’is of Iran,” reporting that security forces “scaled walls, coerced neighbors, and posed as utility workers to force entry into the women’s homes.” They subjected women “to distressing and invasive searches.” Neighbors were “intimidated into silence and children in the homes were left traumatized by the operation.”

One woman, visiting her family in a neighboring province, was not at home. Agents waited until noon for her return, then proceeded to the village where she was visiting and arrested her. BIC noted that several of the detained women “are mothers of young children and infants, or caregivers to aging parents….have faced previous convictions for their faith.”

“The Iranian government has once again shown its true face,” said Simin Fahandej, representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations in Geneva. “Two days before the United Nations reviews Iran’s human rights record, it commits yet another senseless act against women who are completely innocent. Their so-called ‘crime’ was to serve their local communities, and now the Iranian government has detained them in violent home raids.”

Similar arrests and raids have occurred periodically over decades, according to BIC.  Women often are singled out because of both their faith and their gender. BIC called this an “appalling trend” and condemned such arrests as part of a systematic and escalating campaign of persecution against Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority.

From personal knowledge during 60 years as a Baha’i, I can attest that these kinds of persecutions are not new. I’ve met Iranian Baha’is who were imprisoned on trumped-up charges. I’ve written about thes persecutions before on FāVS News. Many people don’t realize that Baha’is are forbidden by their faith to disobey their government. The only exception is when a Baha’i is required to deny his or her faith. As early believers did in other religions, many Baha’is have died rather than recanting. Iran’s history has been documented with examples of government persecution of Baha’is, ranging from general harassment to death by torture.

BIC called for the international community to use the UN reviews of Iran’s human rights record to call on Iran to:

• End discrimination against Baha’is in all areas of life, including education and employment.
• Uphold freedom of religion and belief.
• Cease state-led persecution, arrests, raids and property confiscations.
• Stop disseminating hate propaganda against the Baha’is.
• Restore confiscated properties and ensure justice for affected individuals.

I heartily concur.

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.

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