Baha’i man Ahmad Naeimi arrested in Yazd as wife remains in detention

Hengaw – Sunday, June 14, 2026

Iranian authorities have arrested Ahmad Naeimi, a Baha’i resident of Yazd, following a summons to the prosecutor’s office. His arrest comes as his wife, Flora Samadani, remains in detention more than 40 days after being taken into custody.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Naeimi was arrested after appearing before Branch Six of the Investigation Office of the Yazd Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office on Saturday, June 14, 2026. He was subsequently transferred to an undisclosed location by order of judicial authorities.

Samadani, who was arrested by Iranian security forces on May 3, 2026, was later transferred to Yazd Central Prison following the completion of preliminary judicial proceedings and interrogations. Judicial authorities also extended her temporary detention order for an additional month on June 6.

Authorities have not disclosed the reasons for Naeimi’s arrest, the charges against him, or his place of detention. His current whereabouts and legal status remain unknown.

The persecution of Baha’is in Iran, including house raids, arbitrary arrests, and social deprivation, constitutes a clear violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which guarantee freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. Nevertheless, the security apparatus of the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to systematically enforce such discriminatory practices.