Ghazaleh Raiat sentenced to 22 months in prison following January protest arrest

Hengaw – Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Ghazaleh Raiat, a Baha’i woman from Mashhad who was arrested during the January protests, has been sentenced to 22 months in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad, amid the Iranian authorities’ ongoing crackdown on religious minorities, particularly members of the Baha’i community.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the sentence was issued at the preliminary stage, and her case has since been referred to the Khorasan Razavi Provincial Court of Appeal for final review.

Raiat was arrested on Thursday, January 15, 2026, while at her workplace in Mashhad. Simultaneously with her arrest, government forces raided her home, searched the property, and confiscated several personal belongings.

After nearly one month in detention and interrogation at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, Raiat was released on bail pending the outcome of judicial proceedings.