The residence of the parents of Sepehr Atefi, a Europe-based journalist and filmmaker, was raided on Monday, August 24, by agents of the Isfahan Ministry of Intelligence on account of their Baha’i faith.
In a post on Instagram announcing the news, Atefi wrote that Ministry of Intelligence agents raided his parents’ home in Isfahan for the second time in recent months on Monday morning. Presenting a warrant, agents spent over six hours searching the residence and his father’s workplace.
According to Atefi, eight male agents and one female agent searched various areas of the home, even sifting through plant soil and rice bags.
Atefi stated that during the search, agents gathered numerous household items, including a television, vacuum cleaner, and toolbox, along with personal documents, gold, valuables, communication devices, and even his nephew’s toys. The items were loaded into his parents’ luggage and bags, hauled onto a pickup truck, and confiscated along with the family’s personal vehicle.
In his post, Atefi wrote that when his mother protested, agents responded, “These are haram goods,” adding, “You weren’t taught a lesson the first time…” Atefi explained that the phrase was intended to mean, “You didn’t change your religion!”
