Additional Name(s): Mahvash Sabet Shahriari, مهوش ثابت

Gender: Female

Current Location: Evin Prison, Tehran

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Health Concerns: Broken hip

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Rejected

Sentence: 10 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: July/31/2022

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Espionage Illegal Assembly Miscellaneous Religious Crimes Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Treason & Sedition

Mahvash Sabet

Extra Bio Info:

Mahvash Sabet is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

On July 31, 2022, security forces arrested Sabet in Tehran after raiding her home. Security forces allegedly broke her kneecaps during interrogation. 

In November 2022, it was reported that Sabet was charged with "founding or leading an organization that aims to disrupt national security" (Art. 498 IPC).

In December 2022, it was reported that Sabet was sentenced to ten years in prison following a one hour trial on November 21, 2022.

In August 2023, it was reported that the Tehran Court of Appeal upheld Sabet's sentence. It was also reported that Sabet is suffering from various illnesses and has been hospitalized several times.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) advocates for Sabet as part of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Defending Freedoms Project.

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Sabet has previously been imprisoned for her religious leadership role.

On March 5, 2008, authorities arrested Sabet for her role as a Baha'i religious leader. Sabet was part of a group called “Yaran-i-Iran” or “Friends in Iran," whose other members were later arrested in May 2008.

In January 2010, it was reported that Sabet's trial had begun and that she had been charged with "espionage for foreign countries, propagating against the state, founding and maintaining illegal groups, collaboration with the Zionist occupying regime, conspiracy to collect classified information and sharing it with foreign nations in an attempt to disrupt national security, gathering and colluding against national security internally and externally, defacing the Islamic Republic of Iran in the international community and corruption on Earth." United for Iran lists the charges as "propaganda against the state" (Art. 500 IPC), "assembling and colluding to act against national security"(Art. 610 IPC), “cooperating…with foreign States against the Islamic Republic of Iran” (Art. 508 IPC), "committing corruption on Earth" (Art. 286 IPC), and "founding or leading an organization that aims to disrupt national security" (Art. 498 IPC).

In August 2010, it was reported that Sabet was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

In September 2010, it was reported that Sabet's sentence was reduced to 10 years in prison after an appeals court reportedly dropped the "espionage" charges.

In March 2011, it was reported that another appeals court had upheld Sabet's original 20-year sentence.

In 2012, it was reported that Sabet broke her hip while imprisoned and was not allowed to take medical leave from prison.

On an unspecified date, Sabet's sentence was reduced to 10 years in prison based on Article 134 of Iran's Penal Code. 

On September 18, 2017, Sabet was released from prison after completing her sentence.

Sabet is married with children.

Related Cases: Afif Naeimi, Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Enayatollah Naeimi

Sources:

Aug 3, 2022

USCIRF Commemorates the Eighth Anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide

Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today joined communities around the world in commemorating the eighth anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide perpetrated in Iraq by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).  

"Today, USCIRF remembers the thousands of Yazidi people who perished in the campaign of ethnic and religious cleansing by ISIS,” USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck said.  “As we honor the many lives lost, USCIRF remains deeply concerned for the human rights and religious freedom of the survivors. Over 2,760 Yazidi women and girls are still missing following their reported abductions, sex trafficking, and enslavement. We must also not forget the many Yazidis languishing in displacement camps in Iraq and Syria while their Sinjar homeland suffers continued attacks.”

ISIS launched the Yazidi Genocide in 2014, targeting Iraq’s Yazidi minority for mass execution, mass rape, systematic sexual slavery and forced labor, and forced religious conversion. In 2019, the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, which includes the United States, and its local partners liberated all territory controlled by ISIS in Iraq and Syria. However, the lives and homes of Yazidi Genocide survivors remain in peril, with over 360,000 in displacement camps throughout Iraq and Syria. ISIS maintains a presence in Yazidi-populated areas and Turkey continually wages military attacks on Sinjar. Recently, in May 2022, an Iraqi military operation against Yazidi fighters forced 3,000 Sinjaris to flee the region.

“USCIRF urges the U.S. government to support a multilateral end to continued attacks on Sinjar and help stabilize the region for the return of its traumatized Yazidi communities,” USCIRF Commissioner Frank Wolf added. “We further call on the United States to encourage the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to fully implement the Sinjar Agreement, in consultation with Yazidis and other religious minorities.”

USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report and March 2022 Country Update on Iraq highlighted continued threats against Iraq’s Yazidis and made recommendations for U.S. government action to support the human rights and religious freedom of the Yazidi people.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected]. 

Additional Name(s): Afif Naimi, Afif Naemi, عفیف نعیمی

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Iran

Ethnic Group: Fars

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Appeal: Rejected

Sentence: 7 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: April/29/2023

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Education Rights Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role Religious Instruction & Teaching

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Espionage Illegal Assembly Miscellaneous Religious Crimes Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Treason & Sedition

Afif Naeimi

Extra Bio Info:

Afif Naeimi is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On July 31, 2022, security forces arrested Naeimi in Karaj after raiding his home.

On December 13, 2022, Naeimi was released from prison.

In February 2023, it was reported that the Karaj Revolutionary Court had sentenced Naeimi to seven years in prison for “insulting and propaganda against Islamic Sharia, forming and participating in groups to act against national security through teaching and preaching the Baha’i faith to children in Kindergartens, promoting against Islamic Sharia through holding coaching courses." The conviction appears to stem from his religious educational activities to children.

On April 29, 2023, security forces arrested Naeimi in Karaj and took him to a prison in Rajaei. 

In June 2023, it was reported that Branch 12 of Alborz Provincial Court of Appeal had upheld Naeimi's sentence. 

Naeimi reportedly fell unconscious at some point during his detention due to cardiac issues. 

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Naeimi has previously been imprisoned for his religious leadership role.

On May 14, 2008, authorities arrested Naeimi and several other Baha'i religious leaders specifically for their roles as religious leaders. They were all part of a group called “Yaran-i-Iran” or “Friends in Iran."

In January 2010, it was reported that Naeimi's trial had begun and that he had been charged with "espionage for foreign countries, propagating against the state, founding and maintaining illegal groups, collaboration with the Zionist occupying regime, conspiracy to collect classified information and sharing it with foreign nations in an attempt to disrupt national security, gathering and colluding against national security internally and externally, defacing the Islamic Republic of Iran in the international community and corruption on Earth." United for Iran lists the charges as "propaganda against the state" (Art. 500 IPC), "assembling and colluding to act against national security"(Art. 610 IPC), "cooperating with a hostile government" (Art. 508 IPC), "committing corruption on Earth" (Art. 286 IPC), and "founding or leading an organization that aims to disrupt national security" (Art. 498 IPC).

In August 2010, it was reported that Naeimi was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

In September 2010, it was reported that Naeimi's sentence was reduced to 10 years in prison after an appeals court reportedly dropped the "espionage" charges.

In March 2011, it was reported that another appeals court had upheld Naeimi's original 20-year sentence.

On an unspecified date, Naeimi's sentence was reduced to 10 years in prison based on Article 134 of Iran's Penal Code. 

On December 20, 2018, Naeimi was released from prison after completing his sentence. 

Naeimi was denied proper medical care while imprisoned. He was subsequently hospitalized several times.  He was also subjected to inhumane prison conditions and other arbitrary mistreatment such as the repeated denial of medical furlough. He did go on medical furlough on a few occasions towards the end of his sentence.

Naeimi is married with children.

Related Cases: Mahvash Sabet, Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Enayatollah Naeimi

Sources:
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