Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

In an article published Sept. 10, 2009, Julia Duin of The Washington Times mentioned seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders in an article about two Christian women who are also being detained for their religious beliefs in Tehran’s Evin prison. From the article: These women aren’t the only religious minority to suffer the wrath of Iran’s mullahs. [...]

GENEVA — The trial of seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned in Iran has been postponed until October 18, 2009, the Baha’i International Community learned today. According to Diane Ala’i, the Baha’i International Community representative to the United Nations in Geneva, following a request for postponement of the trial from Mr. Hadi Elsmaielzadeh and Ms. Mahnaz Parakand [...]

In an article published online by CNN on August 13, Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi called for the release seven Baha’i prisoners falsely accused of espionage and other crimes. Ebadi, who is the senior attorney registered with the court to defend the Baha’is, said Iranian authorities do not have any evidence against the seven prisoners.

Babylon & Beyond, a Los Angeles Times blog focusing on the Middle East, published the following article about Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi–one of seven Baha’i leaders currently waiting trial in Iran. Article excerpt: Iraj Kamalabadi of Rancho Cucamonga constantly worries about his sister Fariba Kamalabadi, who is sitting in Tehran’s infamous Evin Prison, nearly 7,600 miles [...]

Prime Minister Gordon Brown restated his support for the seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders during the first meeting ever to occur between a UK Prime Minister and representatives of the UK Baha’i community, which was established in 1898. MP Lembit Öpik of Montgomeryshire, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Friends of the Baha’is group, also attended the [...]

Excerpted below is a statement from Amnesty International, released on July 14, 2009, in response to news that the trial of Iran’s seven Baha’i leaders had been delayed. Amnesty International is continuing to call on the Iranian authorities to release the seven immediately and unconditionally, as it considers them to be prisoners of conscience, held [...]

From Baha’i World News Service: Iranian officials have reportedly told families of the seven Baha’i leaders currently held in Evin prison in Tehran that their trial has been delayed. No new trial date was given. Held for more than a year, the seven were reportedly to have been tried on Saturday, although this information, too, [...]

Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) have called for the release of seven Baha’i leaders who may face trial tomorrow, July 11, 2009, in Tehran. Ms. Saberi stated, in a letter to the Commission, The seven Baha’is, along with at least 20 other Baha’is imprisoned across Iran, are [...]

The trial of seven Iranian Baha’i leaders, arrested in the spring of 2008, is scheduled to be held at Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court on July 11, 2009. American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi was recently convicted of espionage in Branch 28 of this Court and sentenced to eight years imprisonment. She was eventually released, but [...]

On June 23, 2009, Human Rights Activists in Iran issued an “alarming update” on the status of seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin Prison. You can access an English translation at Iran Press Watch.

In an article published in The Washington Post on June 11, 2009, journalist Roxana Saberi describes meeting Baha’is in Tehran’s Evin Prison. From the article, “I also got to know two Baha’i female leaders, who along with five male colleagues have been detained for more than a year without trial. While peacefully pursuing the religious [...]

Download high resolution photo 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. [...]

GENEVA, February 18, 2009 (BWNS) – The European Union yesterday issued a statement expressing its “deep concern” over Iran’s plans to bring seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders to trial for espionage and other charges soon. The Baha’i International Community has called for their immediate release, maintaining their innocence and characterizing the regime’s claims as an “escalation [...]

The Institute for Religion and Public Policy has issued the following statement condemning the upcoming trial of Baha’i leaders in Iran. Washington, DC–After Iran arrested all seven national Bahá’í leaders almost a year ago, it is now expected to put them on trial in revolutionary court next week. The charges against the seven, who are [...]

Six Nobel Peace Prize laureates have issued a statement calling on the Iranian government to immediately free seven prominent Iranian Baha’is imprisoned in Tehran.

NEW YORK, 19 June 2008 (BWNS) — Seven prominent Baha’is imprisoned in Iran have each been allowed a brief phone call to their families, the Baha’i International Community has learned.

The Bahá’í International Community today expressed its deep concern for the fate of the six Baha’i leaders who were arrested on May 14, 2008. At present, the whereabouts of none of the seven are known.

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.

Members of the national coordinating group of the Iranian Baha’i community   On May 14, Iranian intelligence officials arrested six Baha’i leaders and took them to the notorious Evin prison. The imprisonments are ominously similar to episodes in the 1980s when scores of Iranian Baha’i leaders were summarily rounded up and subsequently executed.

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.