On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, security forces in Semnan arrested Anisa Fanaiyan, a Bahaii citizen, to enforce her seven-year prison sentence. She was detained on the street and transferred to prison.
According to a ruling issued on December 4, 2024, by Branch 7 of the Semnan Court of Appeals, Anisa Fanaiyan was sentenced to seven years in prison for “forming a group with the intent to disrupt national security” and one year for “propaganda against the state.” Under sentence aggregation laws, only the seven-year prison term will be enforced as the most severe punishment.
Initial 16-Year Prison Sentence in the Lower Court
Earlier, on March 10, 2024, Branch 1 of the Semnan Revolutionary Court issued a much harsher sentence of 16 years in prison against Anisa Fanaiyan, which included:
- 10 years for “forming a group with the intent to disrupt national security”
- 5 years for “engaging in educational or promotional activities deemed contrary to or disruptive of Islam”
- 1 year for “propaganda against the state”
Additional Punishments and Asset Seizure
In addition to her prison sentence, the court imposed supplementary punishments, including:
- A fine of 500 million rials (approximately $1,000)
- 15 years of social rights deprivation (Grade 5 restrictions)
- Confiscation of $4,350 belonging to her family, which was seized during a raid on their residence
Previous Arrest and Continued Persecution
On August 21, 2023, security forces raided Anisa Fanaiyan’s home and arrested her. After spending seven days in detention, she was released on August 28, 2023, upon posting a 10-billion-rial ($20,000) bail.
Anisa Fanaiyan has previously been arrested and sentenced due to her religious beliefs. The ongoing arrests and harsh sentences against Bahaii citizens in Iran continue despite repeated warnings from international human rights organizations about the systematic persecution of the Bahaii community.
