Heavy Sentences Issued for Human Rights Activists

, , 6 Comments

Navid Khanjani, after his release from prison. (RAHANA 1-Feb-2011) Human rights activist Navid Khanjani has been sentenced 10 12 years of imprisonment

In a seperate case, Iranian judiciary slapped human rights activist, Navid Khanjani with 12 years in prison and a monetary fine for his journalistic activities, interviews with the foreign media and membership in Human Rights Reporters committee. Khanjani who is banned from pursuing higher education was also charged for “founding an organization for people banned from pursuing higher education.”

He was also banned from travelling abroad in an earlier sentence.

Navid Khanjani was arrested last March in Esfahan and after over two months in Evin Prison was released on a $100,000 bail.

Khanjani has been attacked in the media since his arrest as “a member of the cyber army” and “one of the perpetrators of the soft war” against the Islamic Republic.

Reportedly he was under severe pressure during his interrogations to submit to recorded interviews by the intelligence ministry confessing to self-incriminating charges.

A s a member of the Baha’i religious minority in Iran, he was banned from pursing higher education against which he was involved in many activities for defence of the right to education.

Khanjani’s 12-year sentence is the heaviest prison term handed to a human rights activist by the Islamic Republic so far.

read full story here: http://www.rahana.org/en/?p=9601

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

 

6 Responses

  1. Concorde

    February 12, 2011 8:00 am

    Time and time again history has shown that overthowing a dictator is not a sufficient move for establishing true civilisation. Decades of patient spiritual education is needed before individuals and then their societies become capable of converting hatred and strife into collaboration and cooperation needed for a peaceful and prosperous society. This is why in the midst of persecution, Baha’is are bravely striving towards reconciliation and spitualisation around them wherever they live.

    Reply
  2. Ali

    February 12, 2011 9:24 am

    The rate of persecution of your correligionist in Iran shows the fear factor of Aya Khamenei and Aya Rafsanjani and the top 50 mollahs from losing their grip on power and falling into the trash heap of Iran’s history. Ironicaly Iran’s history shows that all the Zahaks in Iran had become just as brutal in their final days and prior to being pushed into the abyss by the same security forces they used to oppress the people — who at the last minute– turned their coats and sided with the people they had pledged to protect rather than the snakes they were mesmerized by.

    Reply
  3. Concorde

    February 12, 2011 6:07 pm

    @Ali, you are probably right, but Baha’is are invited to look beyond the inevitable downfall of tyrants. Humanity is as a whole in danger. We urgently need planetary reconciliation and close collaboration if we want to survive. The Baha’i teachings provide the basis for individual and collective transformation necessary for peace and prosperity. The issue is not that of the survival of this or that minority. The issue is that of the survival of humanity.

    Reply

Leave a Reply