E/CN.4/1995/91 page 50 Islamic Republic of Iran In an urgent appeal dated 3 August 1994, the Special Rapporteur transmitted the following observations to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran: "According to information received by the Special Rapporteur, Rev. Tatavous (Tateos) Mikaelian, successor of the recently murdered Bishop Haik Hovsepian-Mehr as the Chairman of the Council of Protestant Churches and former General Secretary of the Iran Bible Society, would have disappeared after leaving home on 29 June 1994 and would have been found murdered on 2 July. Besides Minister Mehdi Dibaj, released on 16 January after nine years in prison, would have disappeared on 24 June and have been discovered murdered. The Special Rapporteur would like to express his deep concern and would be grateful to your Government to provide him with any relevant information as well as with its views and observations." In a communication dated 18 August 1994, the Special Rapporteur transmitted the following information to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran: "Baha’i community The Special Rapporteur has been informed that the situation of the Baha’i community, as reported in the communication of 8 December 1993, has continued to worsen during 1994. The religious activities of the Baha’is continue to be strictly prohibited, and the Baha’is are being totally denied their various rights because of their religious belief. In particular, they continue to be banned from public office, agricultural cooperatives, institutions of higher education and ownership of businesses, and their individual and jointly-owned property is being confiscated and even destroyed. In addition to the cases of execution and disappearance referred to in the communication of 8 December 1993 addressed to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, nine Baha’is are currently imprisoned because of their religious belief: Mr. Bakhshu’llah Mithaqi, arrested at Karaj on 17 October 1985. Mr. Kayvan Khalajabadi and Mr. Bihnam Mithaqi, arrested at Gohardasht on 29 April 1989. On 31 August 1992, they were arbitrarily sentenced to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Tribunal after being held without formal charge or trial since April 1989. Following an appeal by the two accused, the Iranian authorities allegedly stated that their death sentence had been quashed by the Supreme Court. However, according to some reports, on 8 December 1993 the two Baha’is were again sentenced to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Tribunal in Tehran and filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. Mr. Husayn Ishraqi, arrested at Isfahan on 1 April 1992. Mr. Nijatu’llah Bihin-Ain, arrested at Isfahan in July 1992.