Teachers Sheikh ‘Ali bin Dhib al-Maan, Mahdi bin Dhib al-Mahan, and other detained members of the Ismaili community have reportedly been sentenced to 1,500 lashes on charges of “sorcery”. Many others arrested with them are now held incommunicado. Amnesty International fears that many may be prisoners of conscience, and that they are at risk of torture or ill-treatment.
