Additional Name(s): مژگان صمیمی

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: July/19/2023

Date of Sentencing: September/4/2024

Date of Release: August/12/2023

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Treason & Sedition

Mojgan Samimi

Extra Bio Info:

Mojgan Samimi was detained in relation to her religious belief and activity.

On July 19, 2023, security forces from Ministry of Intelligence reportedly arrested Samimi from her home in Rasht, Gilan province, in relation to her being Baha’i. After the arrest, Samimi called family to inform them of her detention at Lakan Prison. Samimi was reportedly charged with spreading “propaganda against the regime.”

On August 12, 2023, Samimi was released on bail.

In September 2024, Judge Mehdi Raskhi from Branch 3 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court sentenced Samimi to two years and one day in prison, fined her approximately 80,010,000 tomans ($1,300), and denied her social rights for five years. She was convicted of “educational activities and promoting the Baha’i faith.” 

Related Cases: Shiva Kashani-Nejad

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): Shiva Kashani-Nejad (Samieian), Shiva Kashaninezhad (Samieian), شیوا کاشانی نژاد

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: July/19/2023

Date of Sentencing: September/4/2024

Date of Release: August/10/2023

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Treason & Sedition

Shiva Kashani-Nejad

Extra Bio Info:

Shiva Kashani-Nejad was detained in relation to her religious belief and activity.

On July 19, 2023, security forces from Ministry of Intelligence reportedly arrested Kashani-Nejad from her home in Rasht, Gilan province, in relation to her being Baha’i.

On August 10, 2023, Kashani-Nejad was released on bail.

In September 2024, Judge Mehdi Raskhi of Branch 3 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court sentenced Kashani-Nejad to two years and one day in prison, fined her approximately 80,010,000 tomans ($1,300), and denied her social rights for five years. She was convicted of “educational activities and promoting the Baha’i faith.” 

Kashani-Nejad’s daughter, Anisa Samieian, and son-in-law, Vesal Momtazi, have also been sentenced related to their religious belief and activity.

Related Cases: Mojgan Samimi, Vesal Momtazi

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): کیوان رحیمیان

Gender: Male

Current Location: Evin Prison, Tehran

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Date of Detainment: July/18/2023

Current Status: Not Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Online Activity Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Identity Religious Instruction & Teaching

Nature of Charges: Illegal Assembly Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials

Keyvan Rahimian

Extra Bio Info:

Keyvan Rahimian is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On July 18, 2023, authorities in Tehran arrested Rahimian, a lecturer at an online Baha'i university, reportedly in relation to his being Baha'i. 

In February 2024, it was reported that the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Rahimian to five years in prison for "deviant educational or propaganda activities contrary to Islamic Sharia" and four years in prison for "colluding to commit crimes against the country's security." Rahimian was also deprived of social rights for six years and fined 50 million tomans. Rahimian is expected to serve five years in prison as the sentences run concurrently.

Rahimian has previously been arrested for his activism for the Baha'i community. 

Publicly Available Information:
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