Remy Rowhani, the 71-year-old leader of Qatar’s Baha’i community, has been sentenced to five years in prison for social media posts prosecutors claim promoted beliefs undermining Islam’s foundations. Rowhani was arrested in April, and a three-judge panel of Qatar’s Supreme Judiciary Council rejected a leniency request despite his serious heart condition.
The verdict has drawn sharp condemnation from rights advocates. Saba Haddad called it a “grave violation of religious freedom” and urged international pressure for Rowhani’s release. His daughter described the ruling as “so unfortunate and so shocking.”
Human rights experts say the case reflects a wider pattern of repression against Baha’i followers across the Middle East, pointing to Iranian influence in persecution campaigns in Qatar, Yemen, and Egypt. The sentencing underscores both Qatar’s tightening restrictions on dissent and the vulnerability of religious minorities in the region.
