A new wave of arrests and raids on Baha’i homes across different cities in Iran has raised concern for the Baha’i community in the country. The systematic nature of the arrests, which have unfolded in multiple provinces such as Isfahan, Alborz and Razavi Khorasan, suggests a coordinated strategy on the part of government authorities. In many cases, detentions have been accompanied by raids on personal homes and the seizure of religious books and writings. This upsurge in orchestrated persecution has been noted by a variety of news agencies and is the latest in the ongoing campaign of harassment against the Baha’is in Iran. The Baha’i International Community calls on the Iranian government to ensure the immediate release of all these individuals and to end the four-decade long discrimination of its Baha’i citizens.

Persian language press release (PDF).