Three Baha’i Women from Rafsanjan Begin Prison Sentences in Iran Three Baha’i women from Rafsanjan in southeastern Iran have begun serving prison sentences after being transferred to Kerman Prison. The women—Didar Ahmadi, Bushra Mostafavi, and Elna (Nahid) Naeimi—were sentenced to four months in prison each by Branch 7 of the Kerman Provincial Court of Appeals. Their trial took place on May 14, 2025, on charges of “propaganda in favor of groups or organizations opposing the Islamic Republic system.” According to HRANA, the news arm of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the women were arrested on Saturday, April 25, 2026, and moved to Kerman County Prison to begin serving their sentences. One of them, Bushra Mostafavi, is currently pregnant. Earlier, Branch 3 of the Rafsanjan Criminal Court had acquitted the three women due to a lack of sufficient evidence. However, that decision was later challenged by the Rafsanjan prosecutor, leading to the appellate court’s reversal and sentencing. The women were first arrested on June 7, 2020, after Ministry of Intelligence agents raided their homes. They were released on bail at a later stage before being re-arrested and sentenced. During the appellate proceedings, the judge reportedly displayed a discriminatory stance, telling the women: “You are Baha’i, and in an Islamic country, you must pay the price for being Baha’i.” This statement was reported by the human rights group Hengaw. International human rights organizations continue to monitor the case, citing ongoing concerns over religious discrimination against Iran’s Baha’i community, which faces systemic restrictions on education, employment, and worship under current Iranian law.
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