The family of Peyvand Naimi, a 30-year-old member of the Bahá’í faith, is calling for urgent international intervention as they warn that the man held in Iran faces possible execution. Naimi has been in custody since early January, following a wave of anti-government protests that have seen a tightening of security across the country.
According to his cousin, Sama Sabet, who is currently based in Dublin, Naimi is being held under conditions that include severe psychological and physical abuse. The family describes a harrowing pattern of detention designed to extract confessions, alleging that Naimi has been subjected to torture and mock executions while being denied access to legal representation.
The case has drawn attention not only for the severity of the allegations but for a glaring contradiction in the state’s timeline. Naimi has been accused of involvement in the killing of three members of the Basij—a paramilitary volunteer militia under the command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—on January 8, 2026. However, Ms. Sabet asserts that Naimi had already been arrested by security forces and taken into custody that same day, rendering the accusation “preposterous.”
A Timeline of Detention and Forced Confessions
The ordeal began on January 8, 2026, when Naimi was arrested and transported to an IRGC detention center in Kerman. For the first several weeks, his family reports he was held in isolation and pressured to admit to crimes against the state.
By February 1, 2026, the Iranian authorities moved to a public phase of the prosecution. Naimi was forced to appear on national television to deliver a confession, a process managed by an interrogator identified as Ameneh Zabihpour. The following day, the state officially announced charges of propaganda against the regime and membership in a subversive group.
The legal pressure escalated on February 28, when the more severe charge regarding the deaths of the Basij militia members was introduced. This shift in charges significantly increased the risk of a capital sentence.
| Date | Event | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 8, 2026 | Arrest | Taken to IRGC detention center in Kerman |
| Feb 1, 2026 | Forced Confession | Appearance on national television |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Initial Charges | Propaganda and membership in subversive group |
| Feb 28, 2026 | Capital Charge | Accused of killing three Basij militia members |
| Mar 7, 2026 | Last Contact | Final phone call to family members |
Allegations of Torture and Psychological Warfare
The details emerging from Naimi’s brief communications with his family paint a grim picture of the IRGC’s interrogation methods. Ms. Sabet reports that Naimi described being tortured for 48 consecutive hours, during which he was beaten and tied against a wall.
Most distressing to the family are the reports of mock executions. Naimi allegedly described two separate incidents where he was led to believe he was about to be killed. In the first instance, he was asked to say his prayers before the execution was halted. In the second, he claims the guards nearly kicked the stool from beneath his legs.
These tactics are often used in high-pressure detainees’ environments to break the will of the prisoner and secure televised admissions of guilt. Despite this, Naimi told his family during his last contact on March 7 that he rejected the accusations and maintained they were false.
The Systematic Persecution of the Bahá’í Community
The detention of Peyvand Naimi does not occur in a vacuum. As a member of the Bahá’í faith, Naimi belongs to the largest non-Muslim religious minority in Iran, a group that has faced systematic, state-sponsored persecution since the 1979 revolution.
Bahá’ís in Iran are frequently denied access to higher education, government employment and basic legal protections. Human rights organizations have long documented the employ of “subversive group” charges to target Bahá’í individuals, effectively criminalizing their religious identity and community ties. Ms. Sabet described Naimi’s situation as part of a broader “pattern of state-sponsored persecution.”
The fear for Naimi’s life is compounded by recent precedents. The family noted the recent execution of 18-year-old Amir Hossein Hatami, who was convicted of participating in an attack on a military facility during similar anti-government protests. The execution of a minor underscores the judiciary’s willingness to apply the death penalty in cases linked to civil unrest.
A Global Campaign for Release
Because Naimi has no legal representation within Iran, his family is turning to the international community to create a “pressure campaign.” The effort is being coordinated across borders, with Ms. Sabet in Dublin and other relatives in Iran and Turkey. Information is often relayed through expensive, short international phone calls—some lasting only 30 seconds—and visits from family members still residing in Iran.
The family is urging media outlets, civil society groups, and international human rights organizations to rally behind Naimi, hoping that global visibility will deter the Iranian authorities from carrying out a death sentence.
The case highlights the precarious position of political and religious prisoners in Iran, where the line between judicial process and political retribution is often blurred. For the Naimi family, the goal is simple: a transparent legal process and the safe return of their son.
Disclaimer: This report contains accounts of torture and state violence. For those affected by these themes, support is available through organizations such as Amnesty International.
The family continues to monitor the situation closely, awaiting any official word on a trial date or a possible appeal. Further updates are expected as human rights groups attempt to establish a formal channel of communication with the IRGC detention center in Kerman.
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