90-year-old among dozens arrested in Iran’s latest crackdown

AFP :
A 90-year-old man is among dozens arrested in past weeks in a new crackdown by Iranian authorities against Bahais, Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority, a group said Wednesday.

The Bahais, whose faith is not recognised in the Islamic republic, say they have been the victims of a new wave of repression over the past year.

In the latest crackdown, almost 60 Bahais were reported to have been arrested in Iran in the last weeks, said the the Bahai International Community (BIC), which defends the interests of members of the faith.

Another 180 incidents of persecution, such as interrogations or raids against businesses, have been recorded in recent weeks, BIC said in a statement.

Those arrested include Jamaloddin Khanjani, a 90-year-old who had already served 10 years in prison.

Khanjani, a former member of a now disbanded informal leadership group for the Bahais in Iran, was detained with his daughter Maria Khanjani on Sunday, it said.

Two other former members of the group, Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamalabadi, who were arrested in July 2022, received confirmation of their 10-year prison terms which were upheld this week on appeal, it said.