Iran upholds 90-year prison sentences and additional penalties against ten Baha’i women in Isfahan
Hengaw – Monday, October 6, 2025
The Iranian judiciary has upheld prison sentences totaling 90 years and additional punishments against ten Baha’i women in Isfahan: Shana Shoghi-Far, Negin Khademi, Neda Badakhsh, Arezoo Sobhaniyan, Yeganeh Rouhbakhsh, Mojgan Shahrzayi, Parastoo Hakim, Yeganeh Agahi, Bahareh Lotfi, and Neda Emadi.
According to information obtained by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Branch 47 of the Isfahan Court of Appeal, presided over by Firooz Ravanmehr and Ali Deyani, confirmed the lower court’s verdicts. The ruling upholds ten-year prison terms and fines of 100 million tomans each for Khademi (34), Shoghi-Far (27), Agahi (31), Hakim (47), Shahrzayi (32), Rouhbakhsh (19), Sobhaniyan (48), and Badakhsh (60), and five-year prison terms and fines of 50 million tomans each for Lotfi (27) and Emadi (42). All ten women have also been subjected to travel bans and restrictions on social media use.
They were charged with “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” “deviant proselytizing and educational activities contrary to Islam through promoting and teaching Baha’i beliefs among Muslims,” and “collaboration with hostile groups against the government.”
The verdicts were issued in absentia and, citing the “security and confidential nature of the case,” were only communicated verbally to their legal representatives.
An earlier verdict issued by Branch 1 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Tavakkoli-Rad, had imposed similar sentences, including 90 years in prison, monetary fines, two-year travel bans, and two-year bans on social media use.
During interrogations by the Intelligence Department in Isfahan, the women were reportedly subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment aimed at extracting forced confessions against themselves, other detainees, and their families.
They were also threatened with rape, sexual assault, the removal of their fingernails, and being placed on an electric chair. These threats later escalated to include being seated on an electric chair and having boiling water poured on their faces.
The ten women were arrested on October 23, 2023, by Iranian security forces and were each released on bail after approximately two months in detention pending trial.
The verdicts and reports of ill-treatment have not been covered by state-run media, including outlets affiliated with the Iranian judiciary.
