Additional Name(s): سهراب نقی‌پور

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Iran

Ethnic Group: Fars

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 5 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: February/4/2019

Date of Release: June//2019

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization

Sohrab Naghipour

Extra Bio Info:

Sohrab Naghipour was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On March 27, 2017, authorities arrested Naghipour and four others in Isfahan under unclear circumstances. He was reportedly denied access to a lawyer.

In April 2017, Naghipour was reportedly released on bail.

On November 20, 2017, the Isfahan Revolutionary Court sentenced Naghipour to five years in prison for "membership in organizations that aim to disrupt national security (Art. 499 IPC).

On February 4, 2019, Naghipour was reportedly arrested to begin serving his sentence. 

In June 2019, Naghipour was reportedly released from prison.

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): منوچهر رحمانی

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Iran

Ethnic Group: Fars

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Reduced to 1 Years, 8 Months' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 5 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: January/5/2019

Date of Release: July/4/2019

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization

Manouchehr Rahmani

Extra Bio Info:

Manouchehr Rahmani was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On January 24, 2017, authorities arrested Rahmani in Isfahan under unclear circumstances. He was reportedly denied access to a lawyer.

On May 16, 2017, Rahmani was released on bail.

On November 20, 2017, Branch 1 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court sentenced Rahmani to five years in prison for "membership in organizations that aim to disrupt national security (Art. 499 IPC). 

On an unspecified date, Branch 23 of the Isfahan Court of Appeals reduced Rahmani's sentence to 20 months in prison.

On January 5, 2019, Rahmani was taken into custody to begin serving his sentence. 

On July 4, 2019, Rahmani was released from prison.

Publicly Available Information:

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Health Concerns: Heart, kidney, eye disease

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Rejected

Sentence: 5 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: November//2017

Date of Release: December/3/2019

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Education Rights Religious Association Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Hassan Sarvestani Momtaz

Extra Bio Info:

Hassan Sarvestani Momtaz was imprisoned for his religious association and for providing religious education.

In the years prior to his arrest, Momtaz, an educator, had been questioned by authorities about his work with the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE). On May 22, 2011, authorities raided Momtaz's and other homes of BIHE staff. In March 2013, Momtaz appeared before the Evin Court.

In February 2014, Momtaz was reportedly sentenced to five years in prison.

In November 2014, an appeals court reportedly upheld his sentence.

In November 2017, Momtaz was taken into custody to begin serving his sentence.

While in prison, Momtaz's health reportedly began to deteriorate and underwent an angiography.  He suffers from acute heart, kidney, and eye disease.

In August 2019, Momtaz was granted a medical furlough for a few days.

On December 3, 2019, Momtaz was released from prison.

Publicly Available Information:
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