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Five Cases of Baha’i Persecution Across Iran as Prison Sentences, Court Proceedings and Family Detentions Continue As of 19 October 2026, 66 Baha’is, including 35 women and 31 men, remain detained or imprisoned across Iran. At least 20 others are serving sentences under electronic monitoring or are temporarily on leave, amid continued religious persecution. On 12 October, Branch 1 of the Yazd Revolutionary Court sentenced Flora Samadani, 56, and her husband, Ahmad Jafari Naimi, 59, to a combined three years, six months and two days in prison. Samadani received three years and one day for allegedly promoting the Baha’i Faith through religious propaganda, while Naimi received six months and one day for aiding and abetting the same activity. Both had previously been arrested and detained during 2026 before being released on bail, with their court hearing held in September. Elham Khollas Ardestani and her husband, Navid Tashakkor, both Baha’is and parents of two children, are scheduled to appear in court on 21 October in Isfahan. Their case developed after authorities confiscated their electronic devices and examined materials relating to the Baha’i Faith, with allegations against Khollas including possessing a religious article, studying at the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education and having contact with Israel. Tashakkor was arrested in December 2025 and Khollas in August 2026, with both subsequently released on substantial bail pending further proceedings. Iman Rahmatpanah, a Baha’i resident of Shiraz, has begun serving a five year prison sentence outside prison under electronic monitoring, with his movement restricted to a 1,000-metre radius of his home. He has also been sentenced to six years of deprivation of social rights and a two year travel ban. Rahmatpanah was previously arrested in June 2025 and spent approximately two months in detention before being released on bail in August of that year. On 13 October, Forough Ram, a 30 year old Baha’i resident of Zahedan, was taken into custody and transferred to Zahedan Prison to begin serving a one year sentence. Her lawyer was barred from attending the original court session, and her appeal was heard in her absence, while the authorities have not disclosed further details about the charges or the court responsible for the ruling. Ram was previously arrested during an armed raid on her home in January 2026, when family belongings were confiscated, and she was also dismissed from her workplace on the orders of the Ministry of Intelligence. Jila Sadeghi, also known as Jila Moghen, was arrested at her home in Isfahan on 6 October by Ministry of Intelligence agents, who also confiscated two family vehicles. She was transferred to Dowlatabad Prison and placed in solitary confinement, separately from her daughter, Sarir Moghen, who has been held in solitary confinement at the same prison for more than a month and a half. As of 19 October, authorities had not disclosed the reason for Sadeghi’s arrest or any charges against her, deepening concerns for the family. These updates cover 9 October – 19 October 2026 and are drawn from bulletins provided by the Baha’i International Community. #Bahai #Yazd #Isfahan #Shiraz #Zahedan iranpresswatch.org/post/2623…