Iran’s Forced Confessions and the Persecution of the Baha’i Community
In the ancient Iranian city of Kerman, Venus Hosseini-Nejad, a 28-year-old artist, has been detained for over a month as part of the regime’s crackdown on widespread protests. Her case, along with that of Peyvand Naeimi, 30, highlights a pattern of forced confessions and the targeting of Iran’s Baha’i religious minority.
Arrests and Forced Confessions
Venus Hosseini-Nejad was arrested on January 15th by plain-clothes security forces without a judicial warrant. Her cousin, Negar Manshady, expressed concern over her mental health, noting that Ms. Hosseini-Nejad has bipolar disorder and requires medication. Family members report being unable to visit her and receiving only brief, infrequent phone calls.
On February 1st, both Ms. Hosseini-Nejad and Mr. Naeimi appeared on Iranian state television, confessing to organizing the protests and collaborating with foreign governments. Their families maintain that these confessions were coerced by interrogators, including Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour, who has been sanctioned by the US and Australia for her role in extracting forced confessions from detainees. MSN, The Sunday Telegraph
Families say the televised confessions were scripted, and that Iranian security forces are using Baha’is as scapegoats for the protests, which have reportedly resulted in over 7,000 deaths and tens of thousands of arrests, according to trusted rights groups. Yahoo News
Targeting the Baha’i Community
Ms. Hosseini-Nejad and Mr. Naeimi are both members of the Baha’i religious minority, which has faced decades of persecution in Iran. The Baha’i faith is not recognized by the Iranian state, and its followers are often accused of espionage or inciting riots. IranWire
According to the Baha’i International Community, Iranian authorities consistently scapegoat Baha’is during periods of national crisis. The parents of Venus Hosseinejad have appealed to human rights organizations for assistance, detailing their daughter’s detention and the pressure she faced to make a false confession. IranWire
The United Nations experts describe the Baha’i community as “among the most severely persecuted religious minorities in Iran”.
Accusations and Potential Consequences
State media claims that Ms. Hosseini-Nejad, Mr. Naeimi, and other detainees were members of an online network called “Ma” (We), which is described as “satanic” and under the influence of Israel. However, their families deny these allegations. The Sunday Telegraph
Families fear that Ms. Hosseini-Nejad and Mr. Naeimi could face execution for crimes they did not commit. Mr. Naeimi’s family reports that he expressed exhaustion and a willingness to accept execution during a phone call, simply to finish his ordeal. Yahoo News
Mr. Naeimi’s family as well stated that he was arrested by plain-clothes agents at his workplace on January 8th, and has been denied legal representation.
International Response
The cases of Venus Hosseini-Nejad and Peyvand Naeimi have drawn attention to the human rights situation in Iran. Calls are growing for the international community to pressure the Iranian government to release the detainees and ensure their safety. MSN