Yazd: Three Baha’i adherents sentenced to a combined 51 years in prison

Hengaw – Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Three members of the Baha’i religious minority in Yazd — Nematollah Shadpour, Shafiq Eslami, and Nima Shadpour — have been sentenced to a total of 51 years in prison by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s judiciary.

According to information received by the Hengaw Human Rights Organization, Shafiq Eslami was sentenced to 17 years by the Criminal Court of Yazd and an additional 2 years and 7 months by the Revolutionary Court. Nima Shadpour received 15 years from the Criminal Court and 2 years and 7 months from the Revolutionary Court, while Nematollah Shadpour was sentenced to 10 years by the Criminal Court and 3 years and 10 months by the Revolutionary Court.

The charges include “propaganda against the state,” “insulting religious sanctities,” “insulting Ali Khamenei,” “attending anti-government meetings,” as well as accusations related to “featuring a Muslim woman in an eyewear advertisement,” “dog breeding,” and “threatening public health.”

The three men were initially arrested by security forces on July 19, 2022, and were later released on bail pending trial. During the arrests, security agents raided their homes and workplaces, confiscating personal belongings.