Actress Eva LaRue is among the notable figures offering their support. Also featured in the video are Senator Kirk; U.S. Representative from New York, Michael Grimm; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Kathleen Fitzpatrick; Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the U.S., Kenneth E. Bowers; and brother of one of the imprisoned leaders, Iraj Kamalabadi.

Read a full review of the reception.

—

Source: http://iran.bahai.us/2011/11/21/video-yaran-iran-bahai-leaders/

]]> http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8631/feed 1 http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8614 http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8614#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:44:54 +0000 editor http://www.iranpresswatch.org/?p=8614 [RAHANA, 12 Nov 2011, Mojtaba Samienejad] The story began when life took the color of blood and prison; the 1979 Revolution in which the execution ropes were dancing in the skies to the death song and the sound of bullets were heard in every ear. Two years after the so called “glorious” revolution, 9 members of the Spiritual Assembly who thought of eliminating the republic disappeared when thinking of eliminating the Republic which was supposed to become Islamic. To this day, their bodies have not been found and no information has been heard. Those who went to the 8 year long Iran-Iraq War and never returned, were considered “missing” but what is the right name to call the 9 Baha’is who never returned.

The second Spiritual Assembly was established in 1981 and blood could still be smelled. The 9 members joined the destiny of those that the 1980s reminds us of.  The story continued and the third Assembly was created one year later. Their establishment was forbidden and only two of the 9 members survived execution. Jamaleddin Khanjani is one of the two individuals who survived.

Although Khanjani escaped death in the 80s, he was unable to escape the limitations placed on his minority religious group in Iran. He and his family were victims of discrimination for three decades. As a former employee of the Pepsi-Cola Company, he established a brick company after the revolution and employed hundreds of individuals which was confiscated by the Islamic regime.  He became a farmer afterwards and was still put under pressure by the Islamic regime.

The Spiritual Assembly refers to elected councils that govern the Baha’i Faith. Because the Baha’i Faith has no clergy, they carry out the affairs of the community.    After the execution of the members of the Spiritual Assembly, the “Friends of Iran” Council was formed by the two surviving members for governing the 300,000 Baha’is living in Iran.  Khanjani was one of its well-known members and the 7 members of the council have done nothing but serving their community and country based on the stories described by other Baha’is.

In addition to Jamaleddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaei, Behrouz Tavakoli, Vahid Tizfahm, Fariba Kamalabadi and Mahvash Sabet were the members of the last “Friends of Iran” Council.  Their arrest began in May of 2008 and they were eventually sentenced to 20 years in prison for the charge of espionage.

In May of 2008, six security forces enter his house in his absence by threatening his wife. Khanjani who was on his way to Semnan, returns after receiving a phone call from his home. The security forces search the house from 6 am until 4 pm and confiscate many of his belongings.  He was then taken to Ward 209 and put under temporary arrest for 814 days along with the other 6 members of the Council.

Their legal rights were violated all along and their first trial took place 635 days or 21 months later. Their charges were the typical ones given by the Islamic regime; espionage by Israel, blasphemy and anti-regime propaganda. The court verdict was not issued on that day and it was postponed to 5 months later after several delays in June of 2010.

The trial was not a trial for Khanjani and 6 other members of the Council. It was a prosecution for an entire community; a community who has been deprived of education, employment, citizenship and religious rights or in another word of human rights. A community which has 300,000 members and the regime has deprived them of all the basic rights. The 7 members who were sentenced to a total of 140 years of imprisonment represented the 300,000 Baha’is living in Iran.

Three months later, the appeals court informed them that their sentence has been reduced to 10 years verbally but the written verdict later given to the 78 year old Khanjani and 6 others stated the 20 years.

It took 814 days for them to transfer Khanjani to the Rajaei Shahr Prison which is even in a more appalling condition.

The God who he believes in should bless him; otherwise, God forbid, he will be in prison until he is 98 years old.  His wife Ashraf Sobhani passed away during his temporary arrest and he was not allowed to visit her for the last time and to say goodbye after all those years of marriage.

Jamalledin Khanjani is one of the 9 Baha’is who survived executions of the 80s, one of the seven Baha’is imprisoned and one of the 300,000 individuals of the Baha’i community and the Iranian community who at the age of 78, when many suffer from medical problems which accompany old age, is deprived of regular phone calls, prison visits and medical attention. A man who at this age is supposed to live comfortably at his home and to enjoy the company of his children and grandchildren after what the regime has put him through. Alas that Islamic Republic has deprived him of that.

Yes, Jamalledin Khanjani is one of the prisoners of Rajaei Shahr Prison with a 20 year long imprisonment sentence and without a single day of furlough.

—

Source: http://www.rahana.org/en/?p=12211

]]> http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8614/feed 0 http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8403 http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8403#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:14:32 +0000 editor http://www.iranpresswatch.org/?p=8403 [It is surprising that AhramOnline news agency is still using condescending terms such as "Haifa-based sect" to refer to the Baha'i Faith when all news agencies, all NGO's, Governments and Individuals use the proper reference, "Baha'i Faith." Editor]

[Cairo, AHRAMONLINE, 27 Sep 2011] Members of Haifa-based sect will face trial for allegedly conspiring against Iranian national security.

Six Bahai men and one woman accused of proselytising began to appear, individually and in groups, before the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, which deals with crimes against the regime, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the National Assembly of Bahais [it is not clear to the IPW what the National Assembly of Baha'is refers to].

The seven individuals are leaders and teachers of BIHE (Bahai Institute for Higher Education), an online university, the statement noted, adding that Iranian authorities had announced their arrest in May on charges of “proselytising.”

Iranian media did not report the opening of the trial.

The statement added that defence lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani had also been arrested on 10 September.

The arrest was first reported by Amnesty International and has since been denounced by the European Union. Soltani is a co-founder of the Centre for Human Rights in Iran, along with Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi.

The Bahais are barred from holding posts in higher education or government in staunchly Shiite-Muslim Iran, where they are widely regarded as infidels. They have been persecuted both before and after the country’s 1979 Islamic revolution.

The statement said the seven Bahais were among a group of 19 people arrested on 21 May, noting that the others had since been released.

In July, the assembly said they had been accused of “conspiracy against national security and against the Islamic Republic” for their activities on behalf of the BIHE.

Iranian Bahais are routinely persecuted. In late 2010, seven Bahai community leaders were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

There are more than seven million Bahais worldwide, including 300,000 in Iran, where the religion was founded, community leaders say.

The European Union and the United States have repeatedly expressed their concern about the plight of Bahais in Iran.

Followers of the Bahai faith consider Bahaullah, born in 1817, to be the last prophet sent to earth by God and believe in the spiritual unity of all religions and all mankind.

The faith is officially banned in Iran, where Bahais are regarded as heretics and “spies” linked to Israel, since the sect’s global headquarters are located in Haifa, Israel.

—

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/22679.aspx

Omid Djalali,   guardian.co.uk, 10 July 2011

Back in the mid-90s in my show I’m A Short Fat Kebab Shop Owner’s Son, I touched on cultural clashes that shaped my personality as an Iranian immigrant in Britain. Authenticity is paramount for a comedian, and as I prepare to tour a new standup show I’m getting braver: this time, I will be exploring what it is like to be an Iranian born into a Bahá’í family.

The plight of the Bahá’í community in Iran has served as a backdrop to my life growing up in London, particularly since the Islamic revolution in 1979.

Bahá’ís follow teachings that include the oneness of humanity and the unity of religion. This worldwide community – Bahá’ís of almost all backgrounds live in 188 countries – is striving to contribute to the betterment of the world through an educational process that seeks to raise capacities within populations to take charge of their spiritual, social and intellectual development, thus bringing positive change to their communities.

Iran, however, has not looked kindly on the Bahá’ís. There are currently about 300,000 Bahá’ís in Iran (the country’s largest religious minority) and the community has suffered brutal repression since its inception in 1844. After the revolution of 1979 this became a state-sanctioned campaign of persecution, and there have been hundreds of executions and arrests.

In the mid-80s, at university in Northern Ireland, I experienced the ripples of what was happening in Iran in the unlikely setting of a five-a-side football team called “The Persian Empire”, a team of Iranians guys bonding over our heritage and a love of football. I was their star player (in the days when I was four stone lighter). After casually revealing my Bahá’í identity to my team I was dropped. I was shocked that the tentacles of oppression and prejudice had reached as far as Northern Ireland.

Nowadays, the climate feels different. In February 2009 a group of Iranian intellectuals, writers, activists and artists signed an open letter to the Bahá’ís stating their regret concerning the Iranian government’s treatment of its Bahá’í minority. They made an open apology for their silence during Iran’s long-running persecutions: “a century and a half of oppression and silence is enough”. This letter was welcomed by the Bahá’ís, who have always made it clear they are humanitarians, not political activists, working towards social transformation for all at a grassroots level, not concerned with overthrowing governments.

Which is why the arrest in May 2008 of seven Bahá’í leaders seems all the more ridiculous. These individuals were imprisoned with minimal access to lawyers for a year. Their lawyer, Nobel peace prize winner Dr Shirin Ebadi, said there was no evidence for their alleged crimes against the state, and yet they each received 20-year prison sentences. After international condemnation their sentences were reduced to 10 years. But the Iranian authorities restored the full sentences in March of this year as soon as the world’s attention shifted to the Arab spring.

So as I’m writing my show, and pondering on whether there’s any comedy to be gained from all this, the only thread I’ve come up with is: “Iran clearly has control issues.” A memorandum from 1991 signed by the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, states that the Bahá’í community should be dealt with in such a way “that their progress and development are blocked”, and stipulates that Bahá’ís be denied livelihoods and university education.

As my own daughter celebrates the end of her A-levels with her friends and looks forward to university, perhaps there is a similar backdrop now to her life. I’m reading about the shutting down of the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education, an online programme set up in 1987 to support the Bahá’í youth as they are barred from universities. A few weeks ago the authorities raided 39 homes of Bahá’ís who operated the institute and 12 people were arrested.

If I was to even attempt to find humour in any of this, it would be to highlight the absurdity of a mentality that seeks to control private thought and beliefs. The seven leaders, as well as the many other Bahá’ís currently in prison, could all be released if they simply recanted their faith. The fact they choose not to means they are holding on to who they are, showing authenticity to the highest degree. They’re a bit different from me who, in 1979, temporarily changed my name from Omid Djalili, Iranian Bahá’í to Chico Andolini, Italian Catholic to save face in the playground.

—

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2011/jul/10/bahai-iran-repression

]]> http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8133/feed 2 http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8087 http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8087#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:46:20 +0000 editor http://www.iranpresswatch.org/?p=8087 (BWNS 6 July 2011) HILVERSUM, Netherlands — A series of special postage stamps portraying victims of human rights abuses in Iran has been launched in the Netherlands.

Current and forthcoming stamps in the series depict the acclaimed poet Simin Behbahani; trade unionist Mansour Osanlou; Mahvash Sabet – one of Iran’s seven Baha’i leaders; and human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh.

The stamps are officially accepted by the Netherlands’ national postal service and are valid for use on mail.

The initiative was the brainchild of Mina Saadadi, managing editor of media organization Shahrzad News, which produces radio programs and online content in Persian and English.

“Here in the Netherlands, we have the possibility to publish and design our own stamps,” said Ms. Saadadi. “There are a lot of violations of human rights in Iran, so we thought, ‘Why don’t we cover the different sections of Iranian society and give a face to those who are under pressure?’”

Shahrzad News has entered into partnerships with relevant organizations to produce and promote the stamps. The one depicting Mansour Osanlou, the imprisoned leader of a transport workers’ union, has been used on letters to Iran from the Dutch federation of trade unions – Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV) – concerning the situation of Iranian labor activists.

Five thousand copies of the stamp showing Mahvash Sabet have just been printed.

“It’s very moving to see the face of someone who has been willing to sacrifice everything for her values going out on letters and postcards all over the world,” said Marga Maartens of the Netherlands Baha’i community.

A trained psychologist, Mrs. Sabet worked as a teacher and a principal at several schools. After the 1979 Islamic revolution, however, along with thousands of other Baha’i educators, she was fired from her job and barred from working in public education.

Mrs. Sabet has been incarcerated since 5 March 2008. She was the first to be arrested of a seven-member, national-level ad hoc group that helped attend to the needs of Iran’s 300,000-strong Baha’i community. After an illegal 30-month detention, the seven were tried on trumped-up charges and each sentenced in August 2010 to 20 years in jail.

“In many ways, this stamp not only represents the seven leaders – and the other 90 or so Baha’i prisoners in Iran – but all who are victimized for standing up for their principles,” said Ms. Maartens.

“At a time when the Iranian authorities are clamping down on community initiatives to educate young Baha’is who are banned from university, Mrs. Sabet – as a teacher, a mother and a Baha’i – symbolizes a commitment to education, and the right to freedom of religion for all.”

Nasrin Sotoudeh – whose face will appear on another stamp in the series – is a prominent lawyer who has represented numerous victims of human rights abuses, including prisoners sentenced to death for crimes committed when they were minors. In January this year, authorities sentenced Ms. Sotoudeh to 11 years in prison for charges that include “activities against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” Additionally, she has been barred from practicing law and from leaving Iran for 20 years.

83-year old Simin Behbahani – also to be depicted on a stamp – is one of the most prominent figures in modern Persian literature. Called the “lioness of Iran” by her admirers, she is also unable to leave the country.

Shahrzad News is publishing articles about the stamps and presenting them at events including, for example, a conference held in the Netherlands last week attended by some 300 Iranian women.

“They were glad to hear about the idea of giving a face to people who are struggling in Iran,” said Ms. Saadadi.

“The art is for groups to be able to connect together with others while focusing on their own issue. It is very important to work with others; ethnic minorities, religious minorities, other movements, are not loud enough to be heard alone.”

—

Source: http://news.bahai.org/story/838

[BWNS 29 June 2011] BRUSSELS,

Mahnaz Parakand told the meeting that the expectation of the people of Iran is “not to be left alone by the governments and international organizations whose primary policy is the respect of humanity and human rights…”

All of Iran’s peoples are “held in a large prison named the Islamic Republic of Iran,” she said, “under various oppressions and sufferings, and are imprisoned, tortured and executed for a number of allegations.”

The meeting, held yesterday at a conference room within the European Parliament, was Ms. Parakand’s first public appearance since fleeing her homeland after learning she was about to be arrested for her support of the seven Baha’i leaders and other cases, including that of Nasrin Sotoudeh – herself a lawyer, sentenced to 11 years in prison for representing human rights activists.

Members of the European Parliament – joined by staff from the European Commission and the European External Action Service – heard Ms. Parakand give a detailed account of the case of the seven, and of the escalating persecution faced by their co-religionists.

“The pain and suffering that the Baha’is have to endure are in addition to the cruelties suffered by all the people of Iran,” she said.

Expressing gratitude that she could “talk freely and without any restrictions, and without feeling unsafe and being afraid of being imprisoned and tortured,” Ms. Parakand said she felt honoured to be “the voice of the martyrs who were executed merely for their beliefs,” and “to speak loudly on behalf of those who spent a number of years in prison and were tortured merely for voicing their opinion…”

Ms. Parakand said that she also spoke on behalf of “those who are barred from employment in government positions and those who have been deprived of higher education; those whose homes have been destroyed and even their cemeteries desecrated only for their beliefs; those individuals who are constantly harassed when pursuing private businesses, because of having a belief other than the one that is ruling the country.”

Alluding to the Iranian authorities’ recent attack on the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education – a community initiative offering higher education to young Baha’is barred from university – Ms. Parakand said she represented “the people who are deprived of having any kind of institutions for the education of their children, who are barred from entering schools and public universities.

“If there are such institutions, they are closed and their managers are arrested and imprisoned,” she said.

“I want to talk about those children who are not free to express their beliefs, otherwise they would be dismissed from school; talk about those who do not have the freedom of choosing their own friends and whose friendship with individuals who are not Baha’is is considered to be teaching the Baha’i Faith, leading to their being imprisoned and tortured.”

A catalogue of injustices

Ms. Parakand is a member of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre, founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, which handled the defence of the seven Baha’i leaders. At yesterday’s meeting Ms. Parakand was able to provide the first detailed account of what happened behind closed doors during the trial of the seven Baha’i leaders last year, presenting a long list of injustices and legal mis-steps by the Iranian court system.

These included the clandestine arrests of the seven – without summons – in 2008; their initial detention in solitary cells, without contact with their families; individual interrogations and their illegal imprisonment for more than two years without access to legal counsel; their trial on trumped-up charges; and the subsequent appeal procedure that saw their 20-year sentences reduced to 10 years, and then reinstated.

“The bill of indictment that was issued against our clients…was more like a political statement, rather than a legal document,” recalled Ms. Parakand. “It was a 50-page document…full of accusations and humiliations leveled against the Baha’i community of Iran, especially our clients. It was written without producing any proof for the allegations.

“There was only one bill of indictment issued for all the seven leaders…against all the legal standards, without specifying what kind of offence each one of them had been accused of,” she said.

The meeting heard that prior to the trial, during the two and a half years of illegal detention, neither Ms. Parakand nor her colleagues were allowed to visit their clients.

“We diligently studied the case file, which contained over 2,000 pages, over the period of one month and studied each page carefully, trying to find out how and based on what reason, document, proof or witness the freedom of seven individuals had been taken away from them in that manner. Fortunately, we could not find any document or legal reason proving that any of the accusations that were leveled against our clients were true,” she said.

“We were hoping that they would be exonerated, as there was no reason for them to be convicted.”

After reviewing the case file, the lawyers were allowed only one meeting with the prisoners. “Our visit with the clients was conducted in such a condition that the prison authorities were monitoring, and the women present were clandestinely taping our conversation…This act violates the right of the clients to freely describe what happened to them in prison,” explained Ms. Parakand.

Recalling the trial, Ms. Parakand spoke of numerous violations of legal procedures, and the presence in court of Ministry of Intelligence agents, intended to intimidate the defendants.

“One of the conditions of a fair trial is the impartiality of the presiding judge,” said Ms. Parakand, whereas in this case, “the presiding judge…was using the same language and phrases outlined in the bill of indictment such as ‘perverse Bahaist sect.’ This clearly shows the lack of impartiality of the presiding judge and an unfair trial based on one’s belief.”

During the trial, the judge often cut short the clients’ defence statements on the pretence that their argument was considered to be ‘teaching Bahaism’, she said.

“The injustice imposed upon our clients…is a reflection of the oppression forced upon all the Baha’is who live in Iran,” added Ms. Parakand.

Appeal for continued action

Ms. Parakand concluded by urging governments and organizations to demand that Iran modify its internal discriminatory laws against intellectual and religious minorities, and coerce those countries that violate human rights to follow precisely the content of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

She also appealed to the European Union to send a representative to Iran to investigate the situation of the seven Baha’i leaders, “to improve their unlawful current circumstances and to take necessary measures for their immediate release.”

Ms. Parakand’s appearance at the European Parliament was at the invitation of Barbara Lochbihler, a German MEP, who is the chair of the Parliament’s delegation for relations with Iran. Ms. Lochbihler assured Ms. Parakand that the situation of human rights in Iran is not forgotten.

In addition to the seven leaders, some 90 Baha’is are currently imprisoned in Iran, including nine staff and faculty members of the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education, still detained after raids on 39 Baha’i homes last month.

Special Reports

The Baha’i World News Service has published a Special Report which includes articles and background information about the seven Iranian Baha’i leaders – their lives, their imprisonment, trial and sentencing – and the allegations made against them. It also offers further resources about the persecution of Iran’s Baha’i community.

Another Special Report includes articles and background information about Iran’s campaign to deny higher education to Baha’is. It contains a summary of the situation, feature articles, case studies and testimonials from students, resources and links.

The International Reaction page of the Baha’i World News service is regularly updated with responses from governments, nongovernmental organizations, and prominent individuals, to actions taken against the Baha’is of Iran.

The Media Reports page presents a digest of media coverage from around the world.

—

Source: http://news.bahai.org/story/836

]]> http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8055/feed 2 http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8025 http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8025#comments Sat, 25 Jun 2011 19:47:54 +0000 editor http://www.iranpresswatch.org/?p=8025 Debates of the Senate (Hansard)1st Session, 41st Parliament,
Volume 148, Issue 6, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker

Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: Honourable senators, I rise before you today to speak about the long-standing persecution of the Baha’i people in Iran. Over the past 17 months, the human rights of the Baha’i people have been deteriorating. Although time does not permit me to describe the wide range of human rights violations that have been perpetrated by the Iranian government, I rise before you to shed light on a few developments that are particularly troubling.

Honourable senators will recall that when I last addressed the Senate on this subject, the seven Baha’is who had served on an ad hoc committee providing for the spiritual and social needs of the Baha’i community had been held in Evin prison without charges or due process under intolerable conditions for 18 months.

In June 2010, those innocent people were sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, notwithstanding the insistence of their Nobel Peace Prize winning lawyer, Shirin Ebadi, that there was not a shred of evidence to support the charges brought against them.

On May 14, 2011, the seven began their fourth year of imprisonment. The Baha’i community remains deprived of its leadership, their family members — some of whom are in Canada — and their loved ones.

On May 21, 2011, Iranian authorities conducted a series of coordinated raids on 30 Baha’i homes, confiscated computers and papers, and arrested the 16 Baha’is most closely involved with the organization of the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education. This institute was established in 1987 by the Baha’i community of Iran to meet the needs of the Baha’i youth denied access to Iranian universities because of their faith.

We as Canadians can be proud that prestigious Canadian universities have admitted Baha’i Institute graduates into postgraduate programs where they have excelled. We also can be dismayed that Iran refuses to recognize these Canadian degrees when the graduates return to Iran.

Arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of Baha’is simply because they are Baha’is is a third element of the persecution, and that, too, has been intensified. In August 2004, four Baha’is were in Iranian prisons. Six years later, in August 2010, 308 Baha’is had been arrested and 38 were in prison. Over the past nine months, the number arrested has risen to 416 and there are 97 Baha’is in Iranian prisons.

(1430)

These developments are not isolated incidents but are elements of Iran’s official policy, which is being pursued in an attempt to eradicate the Baha’i community as a viable entity.

Honourable senators, our government has identified religious freedom as a key element of its foreign policy. The ongoing persecution of the Baha’i of Iran underlies its necessity, and I respectfully suggest that our government urgently assist the Baha’is of Iran.

—

source: http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/Sen/Chamber/411/Debates/006db_2011-06-14-e.htm

Participants travelled from all over Brazil to take part in the rally, held at Rio’s Copacabana Beach yesterday, some spending up to 15 hours on buses to get there.

Almost 8,000 images depicting the faces of Iran’s seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders were on display at the beach, corresponding to the number of days of detention the seven had suffered after three years in prison. The photographs were arranged in a large circle, representing the world, and the union of people of all races and nations.

In his remarks, Brazilian congressman Chico Alencar set the tone for the day’s activities, saying, “Religious freedom is something that cannot be touched.”

A Jewish participant, Natan Klabin, agreed. “We know well what it is to be persecuted because of one’s religion, and thus we know how important it is to show solidarity with other repressed minorities,” he said.

Babalowa Ivanir dos Santos – representing the Afro-Brazilian religion, Candomble – spoke of the persecution his community has often faced. “This is why we feel that we must protest against all kinds of religious intolerance. I hope one day we will no longer need to promote demonstrations like this one, in any country,” said Mr. Santos.

One thousand yellow vests – printed with the phrases “Today we are all Baha’is” and “Free the 7 Baha’is imprisoned in Iran” – were distributed, along with leaflets about religious freedom. Musicians also contributed to the programme, performing songs on the themes of freedom and solidarity.

Brazilian Baha’i Iradj Eghrari said that demonstrating solidarity among religions is essential to show the Iranian authorities that persecution is not only a matter of concern for Baha’is.

“If a person does not demonstrate support towards persecuted religious minorities, he or she may well be the next victim of religious intolerance,” said Mr. Eghrari.

The seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders were members of a national-level ad hoc group that helped attend to the needs of Iran’s 300,000-strong Baha’i community. After an illegal 30 month detention, they were tried on trumped-up charges and each sentenced in August 2010 to 20 years in jail.

—

Source: http://news.bahai.org/story/834

]]> http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/8019/feed 6 http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/7897 http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/7897#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 20:28:37 +0000 editor http://www.iranpresswatch.org/?p=7897 [BWNS 25 May 2011] GENEVA — The two women amongst Iran’s seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders have been returned to Tehran’s notorious Evin prison.

The Baha’i International Community has confirmed that Fariba Kamalabadi and Mahvash Sabet are now back behind bars in the jail where their incarceration began three years ago.

The transfer of the two women to Evin followed a brief spell held in reportedly appalling conditions at Qarchak prison, some 45 kilometers from Tehran.

It is understood that family members of the two prisoners have now been able to visit them at Evin.

Mrs. Sabet and Mrs. Kamalabadi – along with five male colleagues – were members of a national-level ad hoc group that helped attend to the needs of Iran’s 300,000-strong Baha’i community. After an illegal 30 month detention in Evin, they were tried on trumped-up charges and each sentenced in August 2010 to 20 years in jail.

Following the trial, the seven were sent to Gohardasht prison, where the five men are still being held under close scrutiny in a wing reserved for political prisoners.

Global support

An ongoing series of events is marking the third anniversary of the detention of the seven Baha’i leaders. Seehttp://news.bahai.org/story/823.

In India, more than 250 supporters gathered for a Solidarity Concert, held at the Baha’i House of Worship in New Delhi.

Emmy award-winning journalist Rohit Gandhi informed the audience of a campaign in which more than 100 prominent Indians have petitioned the Iranian authorities to release the seven, as well as others in Iran who have been unjustly imprisoned.

“Today this is the support of those representing the members of parliament, judiciary, members of legislative assemblies, religious leadership, academics, artists, human rights organizations, media and other civil society agencies,” said Mr. Gandhi, calling upon India and the world community to impress upon Iran to treat all its citizens with justice.

The Baha’is in Iran are truly reflecting the face of the Iranian public, he said.

Also present at the concert, held on 18 May, was Farah Motallebi from Orissa – a niece of Fariba Kamalabadi – who spoke of the 7,734 days spent in jail by the seven, under harsh physical and psychological conditions.

“They were imprisoned only because they were Baha’is,” said Mrs. Motallebi.

Special Report – “The Trial of the Seven Baha’i Leaders”

The Baha’i World News Service has published a Special Report which includes articles and background information about the seven Iranian Baha’i leaders – their lives, their imprisonment, trial and sentencing – and the allegations made against them. It also offers further resources about the persecution of Iran’s Baha’i community.

The International Reaction page of the Baha’i World News service is regularly updated with responses from governments, nongovernmental organizations, and prominent individuals. TheMedia Reports page presents a digest of media coverage from around the world.

—

Source: http://news.bahai.org/story/826

It has been reported that conditions in the Varamin prison were extremely harsh, with very limited facilities to handle the large number of political and  criminal prisoners it holds.

Ms. Sabet was arrested on March 5, 2008 (15 Esfand 1386) and  Ms. Kamalabadi has been in prison since May 14, 2008 (25 Ordibehesht 1387). They are serving  a 20-year sentence [for being members of the Baha’i leadership council of Iran].

—

Translation by Iran Press Watch

Source: http://www.iranpresswatch.org/fa/post/2921 and http://edu-right.net/از-همه-جا/حقوق-بشر/901-sabet_kamalabadi.html