Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

Stephen Magagnini of The Sacramento Bee recently published two articles about the persecution of the Baha’i religious minority in Iran, including seven Baha’i leaders currently awaiting trial. From today’s story: Dr. Abbas Milani, director of the Iran Democracy Project at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, said Iran’s Islamic regime “has been obsessive about persecuting [...]

Babylon & Beyond, a Los Angeles Times blog focusing on the Middle East, published the following article about Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi–one of seven Baha’i leaders currently waiting trial in Iran. Article excerpt: Iraj Kamalabadi of Rancho Cucamonga constantly worries about his sister Fariba Kamalabadi, who is sitting in Tehran’s infamous Evin Prison, nearly 7,600 miles [...]

On July 27, 2009, the Los Angeles Times published the following article by Kate Linthicum and Amber Smith about how Baha’is in southern California have responded to the ongoing persecution of their religious brethren in Iran. Article excerpt: The 2,700 or so followers of the Bahai faith in Southern California enjoy a life their brethren [...]

The Baha’i International Community issued the following statement in support of the planned Global Day of Action for the advancement of human rights in Iran. On 25 July 2009, in more than 80 cities around the globe, well-wishers of the people of Iran will mark a Global Day of Action “to demand respect for the [...]

In an article published July 22, 2009, in the National Review Online, J. K. Choksy & Nina Shea call attention to Iran’s harsh treatment of religious minorities, including Baha’is. From the article: Thus Iran’s Zoroastrians, Jews, Mandeans, Christians, and Bahais are subordinated and indeed treated as a fifth column by the revolutionary Islamic Republic. No [...]

On July 9, 2009, Robert A. Oden, Jr., president of Carleton College in Norfield, MN, sent a letter to Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaee, advocating for Baha’is’ right to higher education in Iran.

On July 15, 2009, Voice of America published the following editorial calling for the release of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bi-partisan government body known as USCIRF, is calling for the release of 7 leaders of Iran’s Baha’i community who have been imprisoned for over a year. [...]

Prime Minister Gordon Brown restated his support for the seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders during the first meeting ever to occur between a UK Prime Minister and representatives of the UK Baha’i community, which was established in 1898. MP Lembit Öpik of Montgomeryshire, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Friends of the Baha’is group, also attended the [...]

Excerpted below is a statement from Amnesty International, released on July 14, 2009, in response to news that the trial of Iran’s seven Baha’i leaders had been delayed. Amnesty International is continuing to call on the Iranian authorities to release the seven immediately and unconditionally, as it considers them to be prisoners of conscience, held [...]

From Baha’i World News Service: Iranian officials have reportedly told families of the seven Baha’i leaders currently held in Evin prison in Tehran that their trial has been delayed. No new trial date was given. Held for more than a year, the seven were reportedly to have been tried on Saturday, although this information, too, [...]

View Andrew Sullivan’s blog post about the Baha’is in Iran on The Atlantic blog, The Daily Dish. The post features a video from the Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights, inspired by Marjane Satrapi’s film, Persepolis.

Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) have called for the release of seven Baha’i leaders who may face trial tomorrow, July 11, 2009, in Tehran. Ms. Saberi stated, in a letter to the Commission, The seven Baha’is, along with at least 20 other Baha’is imprisoned across Iran, are [...]

The following excerpted from a press release issued by the European Parliament Delegation for Iran on July 9, 2009: Angelika Beer, Chair of the EP Delegation for Iran, has issued a call for the release of the seven leading figures of the Bahá’í religious community who have been in custody more than a year (since [...]

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, in response to a letter written by journalist Roxana Saberi, today issued a statement demanding the release of seven Baha’i leaders who are said to face trial July 11, 2009. Saberi was imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin prison, where the Baha’is are currently being held, for nearly four months [...]

On July 9, 2009, Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia made the following statement, urging the Obama administration “to make human rights and religious freedom, including the persecuted Baha’is, an integral part of the dialogue” with Iran. Madam Speaker, May 14 marked the one-year anniversary of the imprisonment of the seven-member national committee of the Iranian [...]

Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis MP called for “transparency”, “openness” and “international best practice” in the upcoming trial of seven Iranian Bahá’í leaders, expected to take place on July 11, 2009. The Foreign Minister issued this call to action during a Westminster Hall debate held in London’s Houses of Parliament on July 8, 2009. Access [...]

Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere expressed concern for the Baha’i community in Iran, in particular the upcoming trial against seven Baha’i leaders in Tehran, during a meeting with Mohsen Bavafa, Iran’s charge d’affaires in Oslo. The meeting took place on July 7, 2009. Both Washington TV and The Norway Post covered the meeting.

Following a speech given by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in the Commons on July 1, 2009, Liberal Democrat Lembit Opik of Montgomeryshire asked the prime minister about seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders who face trial in Iran on July 11, 2009. You can read an excerpt from his response below, or access the full article [...]