On Sunday, June 9, 2024, Tahereh Norouzi, a Baha’i resident of Shiraz, was arrested by security forces and transferred to an unknown location.
According to the Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, six security officers visited Ms. Norouzi’s residence, arrested her, and then searched her home. During the search, the officers confiscated several personal items, including her mobile phone, laptop, books, and photographs.
Reports indicate that Ms. Norouzi is the mother of two children, aged six and two, and her husband lives in another city. Her arrest has placed her children in a difficult situation.
There is currently no information available about the reasons for her arrest or her whereabouts.
The Baha’i Faith emerged in Iran in the mid-19th century and since then, Baha’is have faced numerous challenges and restrictions.
It is estimated that around 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, making them the largest non-Muslim religious minority in the country. However, the Baha’i Faith is not officially recognized, and Baha’is are deprived of many basic rights enjoyed by other Iranian citizens.