Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

On January 11, 2010, Voice of America highlighted the latest persecution of Iran’s Baha’i community in an editorial expressing concern about human rights abuses in that country.

Diane Ala’i, the Baha’i International Community representative to the United Nations in Geneva, has voiced grave concern over the plight of 7 Iranian Baha’is who have been in Evin prison for over 20 months on false charges and who are reported to face trial on January 12. Iranian authorities have accused them of espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic republic.

In addition, Ms. Ala’i says the Iranian government is responsible for an anti-Baha’i media campaign which has culminated in accusations that Baha’is are provoking civil unrest in Iran. Thirteen Baha’is were rounded up in Tehran and taken to a detention center on January 3, she said, where authorities tried to get them to sign a document saying they would not engage in future demonstrations.

Read the full editorial from Voice of America

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