According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Saman Ostevar is a Baha’i citizen who resided in Kerman.  He was arrested on March 2, 2011 and transferred to Bam’s prison.  For a period of 48 days, Saman Ostevar was locked up in solitary confinement and placed under horrific psychological pressure.  During this time, he was cut off from the world without being able to see or contact anyone.

Judicial authorities refuse to tell his family what charges have been filed against him.  Saman Ostevar’s arraignment was held on April 17, 2011 in one of the courts in the city of Bam.  Although Saman Ostevar’s wife has repeatedly visited judicial authorities to inquire about his case, they have refused to answer any of her questions.

It has been reported that on the morning of March 2, 2011, five security officers raided Saman Ostevar’s house and after searching the property, they seized his PC, laptop, books and CDs containing Baha’i teachings and cell phone. Saman Ostevar’s wife had no news of him and didn’t know his whereabouts for 48 days following the arrest.

Saman Ostevar was a member of a charity organization dedicated to help children orphaned after the 2003 earthquake in Bam.  Currently, there are 100-120 children sponsored by this organization.

Following the court session, Saman Ostevar’s family asked the prosecutor to release him on bail.  However, the prosecutor opposed the bail sighting new evidence against the defender.

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Source: http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=326:fate-of-saman-ostevar-in-bams-prison-uncertain&catid=13:religious-minorities&Itemid=13

 TEHRAN (AFP) – A number of Bahais who were “promoting their faith in kindergartens” have been arrested, a prosecutor in the southern city of Bam was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying on Saturday.

“A number of Bahais who were promoting their programmes under the guise of kindergartens in Bam, Kerman and Tehran were arrested by intelligence agents after nine months of intelligence work,” prosecutor Mohammad Reza Sanjari said.

“This group had also infiltrated a local newspaper in Kerman province and were weaving Bahai views into children’s stories,” Sanjari added without naming the publication.

He did not say how many people had been arrested or when.

The Bahais, who are barred from higher education and government posts in staunchly Shiite Muslim Iran, are regarded as infidels and have been persecuted both before and after the country’s 1979 Islamic revolution.

In August, Iran sentenced seven leading members of the community to 20 years in jail on charges ranging from spying for foreigners, spreading corruption on earth, undermining Islam and cooperating with arch-foe Israel.

The French Bahai community later said its lawyers had been told the sentences, which had sparked criticism from the international community, had been halved.

The Bahais consider Bahaullah, born in 1817, to be the latest prophet sent by God and believe in the spiritual unity of all religions and all mankind.

Bahai leaders believe a total of 47 members of their religion are imprisoned in Iran simply for their beliefs.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110312/wl_mideast_afp/iranreligionbahaiarrest

According to HRA reporters, on Saturday Tir 26th [July 17th], agents of the Ministry of Information raided the house of Hedayat-Allah Rezayi, a Baha’i living in Abadan, searching the premises and arresting him.

In addition, on Thursday Tir 31st [July 22nd], a few unidentified individuals began demolishing Baha’i cemeteries using bulldozers.

Translation by Iran Press Watch

Source: http://www.hra-news.org/1389-01-27-05-24-07/2983-1.html and also see http://www.iranpresswatch.org/fa/post/1008