Isfahan: Three Baha’i adherents jailed to serve prison sentences

Hengaw: Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Three Baha’i adherents from Isfahan—Arshia Rouhani, Hamid Manzavi, and Arash Nabavi—have been arrested and transferred to Dastgerd Prison to begin serving two-year prison sentences.

According to reports received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Monday, May 5, 2025, the three appeared at the Enforcement Branch of the Isfahan Prosecutor’s Office and were taken into custody to commence their sentences.

Previously, the Isfahan Court of Appeals reduced their original prison terms: Arash Nabavi’s 10-year sentence and the five-year sentences of Manzavi and Rouhani were each reduced to two years. Their initial fines of 50 million tomans were also halved to 25 million tomans.

On June 9, 2024, Manzavi and Rouhani were sentenced by Branch 1 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mohammadreza Tavakkoli, to five years in prison and a 50-million-toman fine each. Charges included “propaganda in favor of groups opposed to the state,” “propaganda against the government,” and “membership in groups intending to disrupt national security.”

Earlier, on September 12, 2023, Iranian security forces raided and sealed their business premises, confiscating personal property.

In July 2024, Arash Nabavi, a 38-year-old Baha’i man, was sentenced by the same court to five years for “membership in groups intending to disrupt national security,” and another five years for “propaganda against Islamic law.” He had been arrested on August 14, 2023, during a raid on his home, and released on bail two months later.