A Baha’i’s Place of Business Closed and Sealed

Human Rights House of IRAN -- The business office of Arman Safai, a Baha’i living in Sari, was closed and sealed by the police department’s buildings unit over false charges.

According to the “Human Rights House of Iran”, on January 5, the police department’s public buildings unit raided the business office of Arman Safai, and after inspecting the office, confiscated a laptop that contained his financial information on apparent charges of its containing music material. Also, the officers objected to his sister’s dress, despite her having on a scarf and a headband. The police officers, without finding any suspicious material, gave him the order for the closing and sealing of his business. The order refers to articles 27 and 28 of the trade union laws as the reasons for revoking of his business license.

Based on these two articles, there are no legal grounds for the closing and sealing of this business unit; he has paid his union dues and he has not engaged in any business other than what he is licensed for.

Article 27 of the unionized trade laws:
A trade unit established by a natural or juridical person that lacks a permanent or temporary business license shall be closed and sealed by the police, after a declaration to that effect by the corresponding trade union.

Article 28 of the unionized trade laws:
A trade unit can be temporarily closed anywhere from 1 week to 6 months only after going through the process to be approved by the Minister of Commerce, in the following cases:

- Engaging in a busines other than what was stated in the license or permitted by the supervisory commission.

- Failure to pay the membership dues to the union based on the criteria stated in the codes adopted by the supervisory commission.