NEW YORK, June 15 (JTA) — Thirteen Iranian Jews were arrested in recent months by Iranian authorities. No explanation for the arrests have been given. The Jews, residents of Isfahan and Shiraz, have been charged with spying for Israel and the United States. Espionage is punishable with execution in Iran. Those arrested and now being held in Shiraz include a rabbi, religious teachers and community leaders. According to reports by organizations monitoring the situation, most of the men have been denied family visits and legal representation, and no bail has been set. Amnesty International reports that trials in Iran’s Revolutionary Courts often fall short of minimum international fair trial standards.
The detainees are:
Javeed Beit Yakov, 40, arrested in Shriaz
Navid Bala Zadeh, 16, arrested in Isfahan
Nejat Broukhim, 35, religious leader arrested in Isfahan
Ramin Farzam, 35
Nasser Levi Haim, 45, community leader arrested in Isfahan
Faramarz Kashi, 34, and his brother Farzad Kashi, 30, arrested in Shiraz
Ramin Nemati, 22
Shahrokh Paknahad, 29, religious leader arrested in Isfahan
Farhad Saleh, 30, arrested in Isfahan
Dani Teffilin, 28, and his brother Omid Teffilin, 25, arrested in Shiraz
Asher Zadmehr, 48, arrested in Isfahan.
