Key PointsMembers of the Baha’i neighborhood in Australia say the spiritual minority is going through ‘new and harsh strategies’ of persecution in Iran. Mona Fahandezh Saadi has had solely minor contact from her sister, Yekta, since she was arrested on 18 December. A Baha’i neighborhood spokesperson calls on the Australian authorities to ‘maintain Iran to account’ over human rights agreements.
On 18 December 2023, whereas many Australians have been making ready for the festive holidays, Mona Fahandezh Saadi obtained information that made her “coronary heart ache”: Yekta, her sister, had been arrested in Iran.
“Some authorities brokers bumped into her within the streets and arrested her. Then six brokers took Yekta to her place and took some stuff, like books, together with spiritual ones,” Mona instructed SBS Persian.
Yekta is a follower of the Baha’i religion, the most important non-Muslim spiritual minority in Iran. The neighborhood is estimated to be 300,000 individuals.
In line with Mona, her sister has been accused of “establishing and creating teams to disrupt the nation’s safety”.
However Mona strongly refutes these costs.
“Baha’i individuals are not allowed to hold out any political actions in Iran, and Yekta has not performed something. It’s purely as a result of she’s Baha’i and is making an attempt to serve her neighborhood and assist it develop,” she stated.
Mona and Yekta Fahandezh Saadi Credit score: Provided
That is the fifth time Yekta has been arrested since 2012. Every time she was sentenced to between two and 11 years, and every time, in response to her sister, “the sentence was annulled by the Supreme Courtroom.”
Mona stated her household solely heard from Yekta 35 days after she was imprisoned, once they had a quick telephone name.
‘An harmless grandma wanting ahead to seeing her solely grandchild’
Mahvash Sabet, a Baha’i poet in Iran, had already spent 10 years of her life in jail when she was arrested on 31 July, 2022.
Negar Sabet, her daughter, lives in Australia.
“She was arrested simply due to her Baha’i religion,” Negar stated.
In March 2008, Mahvash was and charged with spying for Israel, propaganda in opposition to the Islamic Republic, insulting sacred websites, and institution of an unlawful administration. She was launched in September 2017.
The identical 12 months, the poet was named PEN Worldwide Author Of Braveness, a prize awarded yearly to a author who has been persecuted for talking out about their beliefs.
Mahvash Sabet was reunited along with her household in 2017. She has since been arrested. Credit score: Provided
“There is a sense of déjà vu. I by no means anticipated that she must relive the horrible nightmare yet again,” Negar stated.
Negar is worried about her 71-year-old mom’s well being.
“My mum will not be actually in an excellent situation, and she or he is simply an harmless grandma who was wanting ahead to getting the possibility to return over right here and see her solely grandchild.”
After Mahvash was launched from Jail in 2017, she utilized for a tourism visa to return to Australia. Her utility was rejected, despite the fact that she had come to Australia as a vacationer earlier than.
Requires continued stress on the Iranian authorities
In line with the 2021 Census, there are shut to fifteen,000 Bahai’s residing in Australia and so they comprise about 10 p.c of the Iranian-Australian inhabitants.
Following the 1979 revolution in Iran, Australia established a humanitarian program targeted on Baha’i Iranians fleeing persecution.
Awa Momtazian, a spokesperson for the Australian Baha’i neighborhood, stated they’ve a “relationship with the federal government and civil society” concerning the human rights state of affairs of Baha’is in Iran.
“We ask that the Australian authorities proceed to maintain a highlight on the human rights violations of the Baha’is in Iran. And likewise maintain Iran to account for the guarantees they’ve made concerning the human rights agreements that concern all its residents no matter their faith, ethnicity or cultural background,” she stated.
A Division of International Affairs and Commerce spokesperson instructed SBS Persian, “The federal government is gravely involved concerning the human rights state of affairs in Iran, together with the persecution of ethnic and spiritual minorities.”
“We usually increase our considerations about Iran’s oppression of members of the Baha’i religion straight with Iranian officers in Tehran and Canberra and thru advocacy in multilateral boards, together with on 24 October 2023 after we delivered an announcement on Iran’s discrimination in opposition to ethnic and spiritual minorities, together with members of the Baha’i religion, on the UN Basic Meeting,” the spokesperson stated.
‘A variety of latest and harsh strategies’
Awa stated many within the Australian Baha’i neighborhood have expressed fears for his or her family, as persecution “intensifies”.
In October 2023, the Baha’i Worldwide Neighborhood (BIC) reported that 26 Baha’i residents – together with 16 ladies – had been sentenced to a mixed 126 years in jail.
There’s a vary of latest and harsh strategies that the authorities have began to make use of that we have not seen for some time, like violent residence raids.
Awa Momtazian, spokesperson for the Australian Baha’i neighborhood
In a launched in December, the organisation stated, “The previous few months have witnessed a number of more and more disturbing traits within the incidents of persecution of the Baha’is in Iran. A scientific program of residence invasions and arrests has been unfolding in cities throughout the nation.”
In November, the BIC submitted an pressing attraction to the UN Particular Rapporteur on Iran reporting that “greater than 80 people are detained, with 1,200 going through ongoing authorized proceedings”.
A Baha’i temple in Sydney. Supply: SBS
In late 2023, it reported new strategies of persecution in opposition to the neighborhood included “prevention of burying the family members” and banning Bahai’s from “registering their marriage on-line”.
In early January, it claimed that farmlands belonging to Baha’i households within the north of Iran “have been forcibly seized”.
Awa confused that repression of the Baha’is will not be a brand new improvement.
“It is effectively documented that Baha’is have been persecuted and have skilled various ranges of persecution because the inception of the Bahá’í religion within the nineteenth century. And because the early Nineteen Eighties, the persecution has develop into state-sponsored and systematic and multi-dimensional.”
On a number of events, Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme chief, has the Baha’i religion a cult.
In a 2019 , the United Nations Particular Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, wrote of a secret official doc authorized by the supreme chief which “was ready with a view to the gradual elimination of the Baha’is as a recognisable entity in Iran.”
“The fixed menace of raids, arrests and detention or imprisonment, nonetheless, stay the principle options of the nation’s persecution of Baha’is,” the report stated.
Javaid Rehman (centre), UN’s Particular Rapporteur on the state of affairs of human rights within the Islamic Republic of Iran, assembly the Baha’i neighborhood in Australia in November 2023. Credit score: Provided
Goals come true in Australia, however hearts stay in Iran
Mona stated she skilled persecution when she was 18 and sat the Iranian college entrance examination.
“Within the examination sheet, they requested us about our faith. Clearly, I didn’t deny that I’m Baha’i. Thus, the end result by no means got here via. I could not attend college solely as a result of I wrote I am a Baha’i,” she stated.
“I all the time dreamt of being a trainer, however this was unattainable for me in Iran.”
Equally, Negar stated she misplaced misplaced her job in a pharmaceutical firm in Iran as quickly as her employers found her spiritual beliefs.
“Having that place was like a miracle for me; I cherished my job, and it suited my abilities and data. After I misplaced it, my mum was in jail, and I assumed it was the tip for me,” she stated.
In the present day, residing in Australia, each ladies say their lives have modified for the higher.
Mona studied on the College of Newcastle and is now a main faculty trainer.
“I cried once I graduated. Being a trainer was my childhood dream. Australia helped me to achieve my dream, however once I take into consideration my sister and different Baha’is, I really feel my coronary heart continues to be there.”
Negar is experiencing related torn emotions.
“For everybody else, it could look like I’ve a standard life, however to me, this can be a miracle. Alternatively, my coronary heart is with my dad and mom again residence. At all times a second after I smile, snicker or benefit from the sunshine, I take into consideration how my mum is struggling in jail.”
This text has been up to date with a correction – in October 2023, the Baha’i Worldwide Neighborhood reported that 26 Baha’i residents in Iran had been sentenced to jail time, not 36.