Baha’i couple Kourosh Ziari and Sholeh Shahidi face arbitrary detention in Iran. No info on charges or location. Urgent human rights concerns for family.
Iran Human Rights Society, Monday, November 17, 2025 – Iran detains Baha’i citizens Kourosh Ziari and Sholeh Shahidi without charges or contact. Authorities arrested them in October 2025, leaving their disabled child and elderly parents in crisis. This Baha’i detention in Iran highlights severe religious persecution. Families endure uncertainty and isolation. Human rights groups demand immediate release and transparency.
Sudden Arrest of Kourosh Ziari and Home Raid
Security agents grabbed Kourosh Ziari on October 4, 2025, at his Gonbad-e Kavus workplace. They rushed in without warning. Agents seized bank papers, checkbooks, and personal items. Witnesses saw the chaos unfold quickly.
Hours later, forces raided the family home. They took electronic devices, documents, and belongings. No clear warrant appeared. The family still waits for answers. Why these invasions? No one explains. This raid deepens the fear.
Furthermore, Kourosh vanished to an unknown spot. Relatives panic over his safety. Such tactics crush Baha’i families in Iran.
Sholeh Shahidi’s Detention During Husband Inquiry
Around two weeks passed Kourosh’s arrest, Sholeh Shahidi acted. She visited a security office on October 21, 2025, to check his status. Instead, agents detained her right there.
They whisked Sholeh away to a secret location. She gets no calls, visits, or lawyers. A family source reveals the shock: “Sholeh just sought news. Now, silence engulfs her too.”
Therefore, the couple suffers total blackout. No updates flow. This Baha’i detention in Iran strips basic rights. Families beg for mercy, yet doors stay shut.
Family Struggles: Disabled Child and Elderly Parents Abandoned
The arrests hit hard at home. Kourosh and Sholeh’s young son has physical disabilities. He cannot manage alone. Their elderly parents, once under care, now battle health woes and poverty.
A relative shares the pain: “The child needs constant help. Parents are frail. We lack news or legal paths. Despair grows daily.”
Moreover, isolation worsens everything. No support arrives. This pressure targets vulnerable Baha’i lives. Human rights demand protection here.
Extra Burdens: Missing Sister’s Funeral and Severed Ties
Tragedy struck during detention. Kourosh’s sister died suddenly. The family pleaded for his release. They offered bail. Yet, authorities blocked his attendance at the burial.
Activists condemn this cruelty. It rips at family bonds. How can grief heal without closure?
Additionally, Gorgan Prison holds them, sources say. But visits? Rare. Contacts? Almost none. One brief call linked the disabled son to his mother. That’s all. Therefore, uncertainty festers.
Kourosh Ziari’s Past: Repeated Arrests for Faith
Kourosh knows this nightmare. From 2012 to September 20, 2017, prison claimed nearly five years. Why? His Baha’i faith. Relatives insist: “Religion drove it all.” Now, history repeats. No charges named. Just faith as the target. Baha’is face endless hurdles in Iran—arrests, seizures, rights denied.However, the community persists. This couple’s story spotlights the pattern. Global eyes must watch.
No Accountability: Agencies Pass the Buck
Reports show chaos in official responses. No group owns the detentions. Families call security offices. Each points elsewhere. Silence reigns on reasons. A close source laments: “No rulings, no visits, no lawyers. Are they alive? We don’t know. The son suffers most.” Thus, the void terrifies. Baha’i detention in Iran breeds fear. Justice demands answers now.
Deep Worries Grip the Family
Imagine the nights without word. Relatives pace in dread. The couple’s fate hangs unclear. Health? Charges? All hidden.
Furthermore, daily life crumbles. The disabled boy cries for parents. Elders fade without aid. This Baha’i ordeal shakes souls.
Yet, hope flickers. Voices rise worldwide. Pressure builds for freedom.
Human Rights Breaches in Baha’i Couple’s Case
Iran’s actions scream violations. Prolonged holds without cause. Zero info on spots or health. No lawyer access. Family torments. These mark blatant abuses against Baha’is.
Activists rally. Release them. Restore rights. The world listens.
Key Violated Rights
Arbitrary Holds Breach Security
Agents snatched Kourosh and Sholeh sans warrants. They hid charges and spots. This shatters UDHR Article 9 and ICCPR Article 9. Freedom vanishes. Personal safety crumbles.
No Lawyers Means Unfair Trials
Detainees face early stages alone. No defense aid. ICCPR Article 14(3) forbids this. Fair trials demand counsel. Justice slips away.
Cut Ties Cause Cruel Treatment
Unknown jails. No calls. Family anguish. UDHR Article 5 and ICCPR Article 7 decry such inhuman acts. Psychological scars run deep.
Vulnerable Kin Left to Fend Alone
Disabled child. Frail parents. No care net. UDHR Article 25 guarantees welfare. Iran fails here. Support must flow.
Blocked Grief at Funeral Invades Privacy
Kourosh missed his sister’s rite. Bail ignored. UDHR Article 12 and ICCPR Article 17 protect family life. Dignity erodes.
Faith-Based Persecution Stifles Belief
Arrests hit for Baha’i ties. UDHR Article 18 and ICCPR Article 18 champion religious freedom. Conscience thrives free. Iran suppresses it.
See also the below articles:
- 16 Executions in Iran: Spark Human Rights Alarm
- International Condemnation of Section 41 Destruction in Behesht Zahra
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