IranWire

In an escalation of harassment against religious minorities, a Revolutionary Court in central Isfahan province summoned 15 Baha'i women on Wednesday.

The summons indicate they are being called to trial. However, specific charges against them remain unknown.

The development follows a period of surge in the harassment of Baha'i citizens in Iran.

In April 2021, authorities raided the homes of the same women, confiscating religious items and books.

Eleven of them were arrested, only to be released on bail after a month.

Over a hundred Baha'i women have been arrested or imprisoned in the past year alone.

Baha'is have been systematically persecuted in Iran for 44 years because of their faith and are often accused of being spies or opposed to the Iranian government.

The Baha'i International Community notes that no evidence has been provided to demonstrate these charges.

The government has intensified its crackdown on members of the Baha'i faith, imprisoning dozens of them on spurious charges over the past year, denying them access to higher education and livelihoods, and confiscating or destroying their personal properties.