Iran: Religious persecution and issues – Monthly Digest May 2025
Christians
US Congresswoman calls for protection from deportation for religious refugees
Article 18 (21.05.2025) – A US Congresswoman has proposed a change to US law to prevent future deportations of asylum-seekers whose countries of origin are designated by the State Department as “severe” violators of religious freedom – such as Iran.
Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari
The proposed bill, which was introduced yesterday by Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari, seeks to prevent the deportation of individuals whose country of origin has been listed as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) for religious-freedom violations or is on the State Department’s ‘Special Watch List’.
Christian convert can’t afford bail, remains in Evin Prison months after arrest
Article 18 (19.05.2025) – A Christian convert arrested over three months ago remains in Evin Prison, having been unable to afford the extremely high bail set for her.
Aida Najaflou, 43, was arrested at her parents’ home in Tehran on 6 February and taken to Ward 209 of the prison, which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence.
After weeks of interrogations, she was transferred to the women’s ward of the prison, where she remains because her family can’t afford the bail set for her – equivalent to $130,000.
Pastor’s wife released on $50,000 bail after month in Evin Prison
Article 18 (13.05.2025) – An Iranian-Armenian pastor’s wife detained in Evin Prison for the past month on unknown charges has been released on bail equivalent to $50,000.
Lida Alexani, 56, was released earlier today, one month and one day after her arrestat her home in Tehran.
Lida is the wife of Iranian-Armenian pastor Joseph Shahbazian, who remains in Evin Prison more than three months after his re-arrest. The pastor was previously sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a house-church, and spent over a year in Evin before his release in September 2023.
It is understood that Lida may be facing “propaganda” charges related to her involvement in house-churches, but throughout her detention she was never informed of any official charge, in violation of Iran’s own laws, under which detainees must be informed of any charges within 48 hours.
Armenian Christian bemoans ‘unfair’ imprisonment on ‘unfounded’ charges
Article 18 (09.05.2025) – An Armenian Christian serving a 10-year prison sentence in Tehran’s Evin Prison has written a letter protesting against his “unfair” imprisonment on “unfounded” charges, following the rejection of his second application for a retrial.
Hakop Gochumyan, 36, has been in prison since August 2023, when he and his wife Elisa, who is the Iranian-Armenian daughter of a renowned former church leader, were arrested while holidaying in Tehran.
Hakop was sentenced in February 2024 and his appeal was rejected in June 2024.
In his letter, which was published earlier today by CSW, Hakop bemoaned that Iran’s Supreme Court had rejected his two applications for a retrial – in February and April 2025 – and said the court had failed to “acknowledge the fact that the charges were fabricated”.
Christian converts summoned to begin sentences or forfeit $20,000 bail
Article 18 (08.05.2025) – Three Christian converts including a woman pregnant with her first child have been summoned to begin prison sentences totalling over 40 years on charges related to their religious beliefs and worship meetings.
Narges Nasri, Abbas Soori and Mehran Shamloui were sentenced in March, and their appeals were rejected in April, meaning they could be summoned to begin their sentences at any time.
Baha’is
Unpacking “The Bahá’í Question”: 46 Years of Institutionalised, State-Sponsored Persecution Against the Bahá’ís in Iran
Iran Press watch (29.05.2025) – In the years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iranian government executed more than 200 Bahá’ís, members of the country’s largest non-Muslim religious minority. It then pivoted to a systematic policy signed by the Supreme Leader in an official memorandum in 1991 to block the progress and development of the entire Bahá’í community.
Iran’s Islamic Revolution took place 46 years ago, meaning that for 46 years, Iran’s largest religious minority, the Baha’i community, has been suppressed across all aspects of life. Baha’is make up Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority, yet the country’s constitution fails to recognise their existence and they have endured systematic persecution since the earliest days of the Islamic Republic.
Persecution beyond death: Islamic Republic of Iran continues to harass Bahai’s in times of grief
Iran press watch (29.05.2025) – The Islamic Republic of Iran continues its discriminatory treatment of Baha’is—even after death. In Rafsanjan, Baha’i families have been forced to pay large sums of money to obtain burial permits for their deceased loved ones. These actions violate basic human rights, including freedom of religion, dignity, and the right to observe religious rituals at the time of death.
According to reports received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, and based on photo and video evidence, deep trenches have been dug around the only Baha’i cemetery in Rafsanjan. These trenches appear to be aimed at physically blocking access to burial sites—an act of systematic harassment and an attempt to isolate the Baha’i community.
A local source told Hengaw that Baha’is in Rafsanjan are not allowed to use traditional mortuary facilities. As a result, they are forced to wash and prepare bodies for burial in the open grounds of the Behesht Zahra cemetery. This violates international human rights standards, especially Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects religious freedom even at the time of death.
Three Baha’i women sentenced to prison by Kerman appeals Court
Iran Press Watch (29.05.2025) – The Kerman Province Court of Appeals has sentenced three Baha’i citizens from Rafsanjan — Elna Naeimi, Didar Ahmadi, and Boshra Mostafavi — to a total of one year in prison.
They were tried on May 14, 2025, on the charge of “propaganda in favor of anti-regime groups.”
Previously, Branch 3 of the Rafsanjan Criminal Court had acquitted them due to lack of evidence, but the prosecutor challenged the ruling, leading to the appeal.
These women were initially arrested on June 7, 2020, after security agents searched their homes. They were later released on a temporary basis.
HRANA’s compiled reports show that in 2024 alone, the Iranian regime’s judiciary sentenced 82 members of religious minorities to nearly 400 years in prison on charges solely related to their religious beliefs and sharing those beliefs. This alarming figure highlights the regime’s relentless persecution of religious communities through its judicial system.
Baha’i Gathering Raided in Yazd
BIC (20.05.2025) – YAZD PROVINCE: On the evening of Friday, May 16, 2025, in a repeat of previous incidents a Baha’i gathering in Yazd was raided by 15 security agents who entered and searched the venue of the gathering without prior notice or a warrant. They conducted widespread filming and body searches of all individuals from five-year-old children to eighty-year-old elders. All mobile phones, digital devices and personal belongings of the participants including books and religious jewelry were confiscated by the security forces. The agents also created a state of fear by wielding handguns and physically assaulted one of the young people present.
The home of Ahmad Naimi, one of those present at the gathering, was also separately searched. During this search, all religious items, picture frames, books, laptops, and mobile phones were confiscated by the agents. Mr. Naimi is now reportedly facing an ongoing judicial case.
Place of business for 4 Bahá’í citizens in Urmia sealed
Iran Press Watch (16.05.2025) – The places of business for four Bahá’í citizens in the city of Urmia were sealed by officers from the Public Places Supervision Office. The sealing of these commercial units occurred after these Bahá’í citizens closed their shops in observance of one of their religious holidays.
According to information received by HRANA, on that day the following stores were sealed by officers from the Public Places Supervision Office:
A clothing store owned by Farāyez Rezāei, an electronics store owned by Enāyat Javāherdoost, a clothing store owned by Shiva Dehqān, a cooling equipment spare parts store owned by Shahāb Najafzādeh.