Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

Amnesty International, United4Iran, International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Education Under Fire, The Boroumand Foundation, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, the Baha’i national communities of the United States and Canada, and other organizations will be encouraging their supporters to spread these new Angels of Iran videos far and wide through social media.

The Education Under Fire initiative will release seven new “Angels of Iran” videos — short films of Iranian citizens’ personal stories of courage and resilience in the face of torture, imprisonment and execution under the Islamic Republic of Iran. Beginning Jan. 17, the videos will be released weekly.

The human rights world lost two of its staunch defenders this month. Abdelfattah Amor, a noted human rights lawyer and Tunisian jurist, and Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, a prominent diplomat and professor of law from El Salvador, played key roles in exposing the harsh treatment and unjust policies of the Iranian government toward the Baha’is in Iran.

The Baha’i International Community released public statements expressing its condolences over their passing and extolling their contributions to the United Nations in their respective capacities as UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief (1993 to 2004) and UN Commission on Human Rights’ Special Representative on Iran (1987 to 1994.)

In an open letter addressed to Iran’s representative to the UN, Mohammad Khazaee, 48 medical school deans and senior vice-presidents, who “believe that education is an inherent human right,” called for the release of educators associated with the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE), which was set up to provide university-level studies for young Baha’is denied their right to education.

Video: On May 12, 2011, Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois hosted a reception to raise awareness about the seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned in Iran. Actress Eva LaRue is among the notable figures offering their support. Also featured are U.S. Representative from New York, Michael Grimm; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Kathleen Fitzpatrick; Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the U.S. Kenneth E. Bowers; and brother of one of the imprisoned leaders, Iraj Kamalabadi.

The UN General Assembly Third Committee today voted in favor of a resolution that condemned Iran for its “serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations.” The resolution – which is expected to be confirmed by the full Assembly in December – also requests that the UN Secretary General issue a report on human rights in Iran again next year.

Representatives of Coptic, Kurdish, Baha’i and Jewish communities discussed the plight of religious and ethnic minorities in the Middle East, during a panel hosted by the New York City Bar Association on Nov. 8 at their Manhattan headquarters.

Listen to the recorded session: http://www.cfr.org/iran/iranian-crackdown-regime-against-baha/p26439

In some 40 years as a university professor, I have been privileged to teach students who went on to serve their people as senators, ambassadors, prominent scholars and even U.S. president. None of this would have been possible had I lived in my family’s homeland of Iran. As a member of the Bahai faith, I would have been barred from teaching freely—and I might even have been imprisoned, as seven Bahai educators now are.

Attacks such as these, against the rights of citizens to organize and be educated in freedom, can no longer be tolerated. We call upon the Iranian government not only to cease its persecution of Bahá’ís, but to provide, and promote, education for all.

The release of an open letter from two Nobel Peace Prize winners regarding the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education coincided with the first round of trials for imprisoned staff members of the beleaugured Institute. Laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu and East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta called for an end to education discrimination in Iran in a [...]

“We are deeply concerned at the detention of Mr. Soltani,” said Diane Ala’i, the Baha’i International Community’s representative to the United Nations in Geneva. “What precisely are the motives of the Iranian authorities for this arrest, just before his clients are expected to face trial?”

Event details Where: Freedom House, 4th Floor, 1301 Connecticut Ave., Washington, D.C. When: Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011 10 a.m. All media, organizations and public welcome. Delegation to visit Washington to speak out about resilience of Baha’i students and educators in Iran Washington, D.C. — With looming court dates for 8 Baha’i educators charged with conspiracy [...]

“While Iran’s leaders hypocritally claim to promote tolerance, they continue to detain, imprison, harass, and abuse those who simply wish to worship the faith of their choosing.” — U.S. Department of State spokeswoman Victoria Nuland Read entire editorial here. Excerpt Earlier this month, Iranian authorities reportedly refused to allow a Baha’i family to bury a [...]

British spy novelist Jon Stock featured the Iranian government’s persecution of Baha’is as a central element of Dead Spy Running. The book was published in 2009 by Thomas Dunne Books and is slated to be made into a movie set for release in 2014. In fact, the book’s climactic scene takes place outside the Baha’i House of [...]

Eleven Baha’is charged with “conspiracy against national security” for operating an institute for higher education

Iranian authorities faced a deadline two months after the May 21st raids carried out on more than thirty Baha’i homes* connected to the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education. Under Iranian law, the authorities had to either formally charge defendants or set the prisoners free.

The Baha’i International Community just learned that charges have been laid and 11 of the 19 individuals originally detained in the raids will continue to be held in detention*. The remaining 8 individuals were released over time since the raids.

Update: check out the Facebook event for the call-in campaign! Invite your friends! There’s a map for that! Want to know which senators have already co-sponsored S.Res.80? Has your representative signed on yet to H.Res.134? Which officials received delegation visits on behalf of the Baha’is in Iran? Find answers at: http://iran.bahai.us/congressional-outreach-maps/ Congressional outreach campaign on [...]

From one group of academics to another, the Scholars for Peace in the Middle East board of directors is sticking up for the imprisoned faculty and staff of the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education in Iran. According to its website, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) is an independent, not-for-profit, grass-roots organization of [...]

Arrests on the rise According to the latest reports, 103 Baha’is are currently behind bars because of their religious beliefs. This number has risen dramatically from the beginning of the year. Another nearly 100 Baha’is have received prison sentences and await appeal or summons to begin serving their terms.  An additional 160 Baha’is are free on bail but could [...]

Read statement on State Department website Persecution of Religious Minorities in Iran Victoria Nuland Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC July 6, 2011 We are dismayed over reports that the Iranian courts are requiring Youcef Nadarkhani to recant his Christian faith or face the death penalty for apostasy – a charge based on his [...]