Jan23
New York Times: Bahai on Trial in Iran Worries Brother From Afar
On January 22, The New York Times published the following article, written by religion columnist Samuel G. Freedman, about the persecution of the Baha’i Faith in Iran from the perspective of a D.C.-area Baha’i whose brother, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, is among seven Baha’i leaders who are currently on trial in Tehran.
From the article…
In 2001, after his own arrest and interrogation, after the ransacking of his office, after the confiscation of his car and his books, Mr. [Rezvan] Tavakkoli used connections to gain a passport to Abu Dhabi. From there, he went on to the United States to reunite with his wife and children and to learn the particular anguish of survivor guilt.
Behrouz had remained behind in Iran and was ultimately named a member of the Yaran, an unofficial leadership body for Iran’s 300,000 Bahais. Security agents arrested and jailed him for four months in 2005. Then, in the spring of 2008, he was arrested and charged along with all seven members of the Yaran.
After several postponements, their trial began on Jan. 12 with the reading of the charges, according to reports that reached the Western news media. The proceedings are expected to resume Feb. 7. A chorus of condemnation from around the world — the European Union, the United States State Department, Amnesty International — has done nothing to derail the trial.
Mr. Tavakkoli heard a week or two ago from his sister about a visit she made to Behrouz in prison. She said that he looked old and weak, like he was 80, this boy who showed movies on the wall.
“I’m hoping for the light of justice to shine on the men in power,” Mr. [Rezvan] Tavakkoli said, “because they say they are people of religion.”
And, if not, then Bahai theology has provided an answer. “It’s the mystery of self-sacrifice,” he said, “for the world to have a better future.”
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