Jun30
In Los Angeles, Baha’is held a public meeting to raise awareness about the July 11 trial of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran. Watch KTTV FOX 11 News’ coverage of the event, which was held July 29, 2009, in Baldwin Village.
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Jun29
On June 26, 2009, religion columnist Samuel G. Freedman of the New York Times wrote, “The Bahais have long served as the proverbial canaries in the coal mine of Iran’s theocracy.” Read more >
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Jun24
The trial of seven Iranian Baha’i leaders, arrested in the spring of 2008, is scheduled to be held at Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court on July 11, 2009. American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi was recently convicted of espionage in Branch 28 of this Court and sentenced to eight years imprisonment. She was eventually released, but only after an international outcry at the clear politicization of the case and manifestly unjust legal procedures.
News of the July 11 trial date was conveyed only orally to the family members by authorities at Evin prison, where the seven Baha’i leaders are being held. As information conveyed by officials concerning the judicial process has often proved unreliable, it is possible that the Iranian authorities may find some reason to change the trial date.
The seven Baha’i leaders have been held for over a year without formal charges or access to their attorneys. Official Iranian news reports have said the Baha’is will be accused of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.” The charge of “espionage for Israel” is punishable by death.
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Jun23
A message from the Baha’i International Community in the words of Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith:
“We entreat God to deliver the light of equity and the sun of justice from the thick clouds of waywardness, and cause them to shine forth upon men. No light can compare with the light of justice. The establishment of order in the world and the tranquillity of the nations depend upon it.” – Baha’u'llah
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Jun23
On June 23, 2009, Human Rights Activists in Iran issued an “alarming update” on the status of seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin Prison. You can read the English translation provided by Iran Press Watch here.
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Jun18
The external affairs office of the Baha’is of the U.S. is happy to announce the winner of its video contest about the plight of Baha’is in Iran.
The overall winner of the contest is the video “Murder with Impunity” submitted by Bobby Aazami. The panel judging the contest felt that this submission provided a very comprehensive and informative insight into the persecution of Iran’s largest religious minority. (Some 300,000 Baha’is live throughout the country.)
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Jun18
On June 18, 2009, Farhad Sabetan discussed the situation of the Baha’is in Iran with NPR’s Michel Martin, host of “Tell Me More.” Check the show’s broadcast schedule for local air times, or listen to the interview here.
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Jun11
In an article published in The Washington Post on June 11, 2009, journalist Roxana Saberi describes meeting Baha’is in Tehran’s Evin Prison. From the article, “I also got to know two Baha’i female leaders, who along with five male colleagues have been detained for more than a year without trial. While peacefully pursuing the religious rights of Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority, they have been accused of spying for Israel and ’spreading corruption on earth,’ charges punishable by death.” Read the full article.
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Jun10
On June 9, 2009, Iran Press Watch published English translations of several updates on the situation of the Baha’is in Iran. Here you can access each update, originally published in Persian by the Baha’i World News Service.
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