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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Human Rights Watch put out a statement today calling on the Iranian authorities to release the seven detained Baha’i leaders: Iran: Free Baha’i leaders

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NEW YORK,  May 12, 2009 (BWNS) – The seven Baha’i leaders currently imprisoned in Iran are facing the anniversary of their arrest this Thursday, along with new and extremely grave accusations, after spending a year in jail without formal charges or access to their lawyer, Shirin Ebadi. Continue Reading »

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openDemocracy published the following article by Bernd Kaussler on April 23, 2009, about the persecution of the Baha’i community in Iran.

Iran: a faith on trial

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A spokesman for Iran’s Judiciary, Ali-Reza Jamshidi, announced on 17 February that the seven Baha’i leaders would have court hearings within a week on charges of espionage,but no specific hearing date was ever announced. They have been charged with spying for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic. These charges are unfounded and no evidence against them has been brought to light. The Baha’i leaders have been held for nearly a year in Evin prison and denied access to their attorney, the Nobel Laureate, Shirin Ebadi.

In mid-March, the families of the seven imprisoned Baha’is who were the members of the group called the Friends in Iran were informed that prosecutors were still working on the case and that court proceedings were a month away.

We have compiled a list of all the U.S. Government and NGO statements along with statements from other governments which can be accessed by clicking on the links below.  We also have links to all significant national and international media coverage, and a selection of blog postings.

Statements by U.S. Government and NGOs

International Statements

National & International Media Coverage

Local U.S. Media Coverage

Selection of Blog Postings

Latest summary update on the situation of the Baha’is in Iran

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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, http://www.yjc.ir/News/NewsDesc.aspx?newsid=150113.

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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