Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

Baha’i World News Service— The  seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned for more than two years in Iran are scheduled to make their fourth court appearance on 12 June, according to the latest update provided by the Baha’i International Community. The date coincides with the first anniversary of last year’s contested presidential election in Iran, as well [...]

Baha’i World News Service–Details are emerging from yesterday’s court appearance [on April 12] in Tehran of seven imprisoned Iranian Baha’i leaders. The Baha’i International Community has learned that when the prisoners arrived at the court, their families were not allowed to enter, signaling a closed hearing. Inside the courtroom, however, the prisoners saw numerous officials [...]

Baha’i World News Service–The seven imprisoned Iranian Baha’i leaders were called to court today, April 12, in Tehran for a third session in their trial. The hearing was again closed, and no details are available. “We know that a session did take place, but we do not have any specific information from reliable sources,” said [...]

The Baha’i World News Service–The Baha’i International Community has learned that there was a miscommunication as to the date of the trial of seven Iranian Baha’i leaders imprisoned in Tehran. A court session believed to have been scheduled for today is set for Monday, 12 April.

On March 31, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that 50 Baha’is in southern Iran were barred from leaving the country. These Baha’is were arrested in 2006 for teaching classes to children on the outskirts of Shiraz and received prison sentences varying from one to four years. According to Diane Ala’i, representative of the Baha’i International [...]

The third court session for seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned in Iran is scheduled for April 10, a day earlier than originally announced. Diane Ala’i, representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations in Geneva, said attorneys in Iran have now received written notice of the court date, confirming it as Saturday, April 10. [...]

On February 15, 2010, the United States and other member-nations of the U.N. Human Rights Council expressed concern over Iran’s human rights record, particularly since the crackdown that followed the country’s disputed presidential election last June. The session was part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a relatively new procedure that seeks to review the [...]

On February 14, 2010, English-language news outlets, including the Associated Press, Reuters and Voice of America, reported that at least five more Baha’is have been arrested in Iran. This follows the arrest of 13 Iranian Baha’is on January 3; ten of whom remain in prison. There are currently around 60 Baha’is in prison throughout Iran, [...]

The Baha’i International Community has issued a statement condemning the trial of 16 individuals in Iran on January 30 as a “violation of all internationally accepted standards of legal due process.” The statement highlights the lack of proper legal representation for the defendants and the use of unreliable “confessions” in the trial. One of the [...]

On January 27, the Baha’i World News Service published the following article concerning the “lack of information about the status of 10 Baha’is who were arrested earlier this month in Iran.” From the article: In addition to worry about their safety, there are fears that charges against these 10 will be used to create false [...]

Iranian authorities have notified the lawyers of seven imprisoned Bahá’í leaders that the next session of their trial will be held on February 7, 2010, the Bahá’í International Community announced today. After 20 months in prison, with limited access to their attorneys, the defendants— Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid [...]

The trial of seven Iranian Baha’i leaders, which began January 12,  has drawn widespread attention from the international community. According to a Baha’i World News Service article published today, public statements of concern on behalf of the seven have been issued by the governments of Brazil, Canada, India, the United States, and by the European [...]

The following is an update from the Baha’i World News Service regarding the trial of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran, which commenced on January 12, 2010. The trial of seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders began today in Iran. Initial reports indicate that the trial is marked by numerous violations of legal due process. “We understand that [...]

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 [...]

On Saturday, January 9, 2010, the Baha’i World News Service published the following article in response to Iran’s allegations, published in recent news reports, that “arms and ammunition were found in the homes of Baha’is who were arrested in Tehran last Sunday.” The Baha’i International Community today categorically rejected new allegations by the Iranian government [...]

On Saturday, January 9, 2010, CNN International published the following story concerning the latest wave of persecution of the Baha’is in Iran and its potential impact on the expected trial of seven Baha’i leaders tomorrow, January 12. A trial for seven Iranian Baha’is that has come to symbolize the persecution of followers of the faith [...]

A recent state-sponsored media campaign falsely accusing Baha’i in Iran of inciting the latest wave of protests in that country has raised grave concern about the fate of seven Baha’i leaders who are expected to go on trial next Tuesday, January 12. “Over the past several days, Iranian state-sponsored media have accused the Baha’i of [...]

Today, the U.N. General Assembly issued a strong condemnation of human rights violations in Iran, including violations against Baha’is. The resolution, which was approved in the Third Committee of the U.N. General assembly by a vote of 74-48, expressed “deep concern at serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran” [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]