Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

CNN International today published the following story: Baha’is say jailed leaders in Iran face harsh new accusation

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Because of the escalation in the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran in recent months and the circumstances surrounding the possible trial of the seven Bahá’í national leaders in Iran, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the U.S has decided to expand the scope of the video contest it launched late last fall about the denial of education of Bahá’í students in Iran to incorporate the general persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran. The video contest has now been opened up to any videos that cover general and specific aspects about the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran. Continue Reading »

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Iran’s Attorney General, Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi, wrote a letter to the country’s Minister of Intelligence, Muhseni-Azheh’i.  The letter is undated, but since it was published online on 19 February 2009, it appears that it was dispatched around mid-February.  The letter includes various instructions regarding the government’s treatment of the Baha’i community.

Below is a translation of the full text of the letter provided by Iran Press Watch. Continue Reading »

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In an open letter dated March 9, 2009, scholars and academic specialists in the fields of Middle Eastern and Iranian studies call on the Islamic Republic of Iran to put an end to human rights abuses against Baha’is in Iran. Continue Reading »

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H. Res. 175 condemning the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran introduced on February 13, 2009, has 30 cosponsors as of March 11, 2009. Continue Reading »

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The Jewish Daily Forward published an Op-Ep article about the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran titled “Then They Came for the Baha’i”.

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The International Herald & Tribune picked up an article titled “Baha’is accuse Iran of Religious Bias, Say Community Leaders Unfairly Detained” from the Associated Press.

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Iran Visual News Corps has posted a follow-up story about the arrests:

Washington, May 15 (IranVNC)—The U.S. government and non-governmental organizations have denounced the recent arrest of six leaders of Iran’s Baha’i community by Iran’s Intelligence Ministry, and have called for the release of all Baha’is in detention.

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The American Jewish Committee has expressed its concern over the arrest and detention of Baha’i leaders in Iran.

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CNN posted an article titled: “Iran’s arrest of Baha’is condemned”

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The Leadership Council for Human Rights has made a statement condemning the arrests of Bahá’í leaders in Iran, and has called for their immediate release. Continue Reading »

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The U.S. Department of State has issued the following statement about the recent arrests:

“We strongly condemn the May 14 arrest of six leaders of the Iranian Baha’i community– Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm–by Iranian authorities and the continued imprisonment of a seventh leader, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet. This is a clear violation of the Iranian regime’s international commitments and obligations to respect international religious freedom norms. We urge the authorities to release all Baha’is currently in detention and cease their ongoing harassment of the Iranian Baha’i community.”

http://www.state.gov/p/nea/ci/c2404.htm

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The Institute on Religion and Public Policy issued a statement about the arrests of Baha’i leaders in Iran. Continue Reading »

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Iran Visual News Corps posted an article concerning the arrest of the six Baha’i leaders.

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The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran today called on the Iranian judicial authorities to account for the detention of the six leading members of the Baha’i Faith, who have been taken to Evin prison. Continue Reading »

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The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center has condemned the arrest of Baha’i leaders in Iran. Continue Reading »

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On May 2, 2008, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom announced its recommendations to the State Department for Countries of Particular Concern for 2008. Iran was among these countries and its treatment of Bahá’ís was listed among reasons for the recommendation of Iran: Continue Reading »

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On Thursday, March 13, witnesses testified about the human rights situations of Iran’s ethnic and religious minorities before the Iran Working Group, a Congressional body co-chaired by Congressman Mark Kirk and Congressman Robert Andrews. The meeting included a testimony on the situation of the Baha’is in Iran, by Ms. Kit Bigelow, Director of External Affairs for the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the U.S. Continue Reading »

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The U.S. Department of State released, on March 11, 2008, its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2007. The section on Iran has several references to the difficulties experienced by the Baha’i community in Iran.

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On February 28, 2008, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (IL – 10th district) introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives condemning the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran. H. RES. 1008 is the tenth congressional resolution since 1982 on the Baha’is in Iran. Continue Reading »

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