Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

On October 30, Voice of America published the following editorial about religious freedom in Iran: The continuing imprisonment of 7 leaders of Iran’s Baha’i community falsely accused of capital crimes, as well as the incarceration of 2 Iranian Christian women who also lack adequate medical care, are 2 of the many cases that contribute to [...]

On October 26, the U.S. Department of State released its 2009 International Religious Freedom Report on Iran, which includes several mentions of the persecution of Iran’s Baha’i minority. For example, Adherents of religious groups not recognized by the Constitution, such as the Baha’is, do not have freedom to practice their beliefs. The Government prohibits Baha’is [...]

Welton Gaddy, host of the radio program “State of Belief,” interviewed Los Angeles Baha’i Randolph Dobbs about the situation of the Baha’is in Iran in a segment that aired over the weekend, October 24-25. The program’s website also includes information about the pending resolution in the U.S. Senate, condemning the ongoing persecution of Iran’s Baha’i [...]

On October 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, by a vote of 407-2, a resolution condemning the government of Iran for “state-sponsored persecution of its Bahá’í minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights.” H.Res.175 is the eleventh congressional resolution since 1982 to address the religious oppression of the Bahá’ís [...]

On October 22, the Committee of Human Rights Reporters published an interview with Iranian human rights attorney, Abdolfattah Soltani, who along with Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi, is one of the lead attorneys defending the seven Baha’is currently awaiting trial in Tehran. Read the original interview (in Farsi) from the Committee of Human Rights Reporters Read [...]

Floor speeches pertaining to H.Res.175, condemning the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran, were held today in the U.S. House of Representatives. Representatives John Boozman, R-Ark., Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and Diane Watson, D-Calif., delivered statements urging the adoption of the resolution, which can be viewed on CSPAN. (Please refer to time markers provided below to [...]

The Institute on Religion and Public Policy today called on U.S. Representatives to support H. Res. 175, “Condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha’i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights.”

Although the trial of seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned in Iran for more than 17 months was scheduled for today, when attorneys and families arrived at the court offices in Tehran they were told it would not take place. No new trial date was given. Diane Ala’i, the Baha’i International Community’s representative to the United Nations [...]

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon yesterday expressed strong criticism of Iran’s human rights record, voicing concern about the use of excessive force after Iran’s presidential election, the harassment of women’s rights activists, the ongoing execution of juveniles, and the continued persecution of minorities, including Baha’is. In a 19-page report written specifically to address a request [...]

The trial of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran, which, following previous postponements, was most recently scheduled to take place on Oct. 18, 2009, will likely be delayed again. No future trial date is known at this time. Although family members of the seven Baha’i prisoners have not been informed of any change to the trial [...]

On Wednesday, October 14, Baha’is in Los Angeles will host an event at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Southern California’s Bovard Auditorium to express strong support for seven imprisoned Iranian Baha’is. The event will be hosted by actor and comedian Rainn Wilson of NBC’s “The Office,” and will feature guest speakers, an array of [...]