Iran's Baha'i Community Faces Intensified Persecution Amidst Government Crackdown
Severe Torture of Baha'i Prisoner Raises Alarm
Recent reports have unveiled the harrowing treatment of Borna Naimi, a 29-year-old Baha'i father from Iran, who has suffered extreme torture since his arrest on March 1 in Kerman. His ordeal includes mock executions and electric shocks that have left severe burns on his feet, raising serious concerns about the Iranian government's escalating crackdown on the Baha'i community, the largest non-Muslim religious minority in the country.
During his initial detention, Borna was subjected to brutal beatings and threats aimed at his family, including his three-year-old daughter. Authorities pressured him to sign a false confession implicating himself and his cousin, Peyvand Naimi, in the deaths of Basij guards during protests on January 8, despite the absence of any evidence linking them to these events.
Borna's forced confession was pre-written and handed to him, and he has yet to face a trial. The psychological torment inflicted on him, particularly concerning his daughter, has caused significant distress, leading her to believe he has abandoned her. Fellow inmates recognize Borna for keeping his daughter's drawings and clothes close to him.
Simin Fahandej, a representative of the Baha'i International Community at the UN in Geneva, expressed deep concern for Borna's family, highlighting the cruelty they endure solely due to their faith. She emphasized that history will remember both the Iranian regime's brutal actions and the resilience of those who stand firm in their beliefs.
Initially, Borna was held in a section of the prison known as the 'death suite,' where death row inmates are kept before execution. Reports indicate he was placed in solitary confinement in a cramped space, losing track of time.
The torture Borna experienced mirrors that of Peyvand, who also faced mock hangings and severe mistreatment. These incidents underscore the Iranian government's attempts to scapegoat the Baha'is amid national crises, particularly following the January protests.
Fahandej warned that the treatment of Borna and Peyvand reflects the regime's ongoing efforts to fabricate charges against the Baha'is, further entrenching a pattern of systematic persecution aimed at isolating and silencing this minority community.
Background: Borna was apprehended by six masked officers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and taken to a detention center without any communication with his family for three days. He is a skilled karate athlete with numerous accolades. Peyvand was arrested earlier on January 8 and has also faced torture and false accusations.
The Iranian government has imprisoned four Baha'is in Kerman as part of its strategy to blame the Baha'i community for the unrest following the January protests.