9 Baha’is Detained in Iran Over Medicine Smuggling Allegations

Nine members of the Baha’i faith, primarily from a single family, have been arrested in Iran on allegations of smuggling medicine and financial impropriety, the state-run IRAN newspaper reported on Monday. The individuals are accused of operating a medicine smuggling operation spanning numerous pharmacies, bribing medical professionals to direct patients to their establishments, and engaging in money laundering and tax evasion. The Baha’i religion, founded in the 1860s in Persia, has faced long-standing persecution in Iran. The faith is not recognized in the country, and its followers historically have been arrested on charges ranging from espionage to security threats. In 2013, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei advised the population to refrain from any dealings with the Baha’i community, reinforcing previous fatwas issued by clerics. Last year, multiple Baha’i members were detained on allegations of spying. The Baha’i community has consistently voiced concerns over increased persecution since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.