Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

Baha’i World News Service– In a vote today, the United Nations once again strongly condemned Iran for failing to live up to international human rights standards. By a vote of 78 to 45, with 59 abstentions, the UN General Assembly confirmed a resolution that expressed “deep concern at serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations.” [...]

On December 3, U.S. Senator Sam Brownback introduced a resolution condemning Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of religious minorities and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights. “We are deeply grateful to Senator Brownback and all those who have contributed to a strong legacy of U.S. congressional support for international religious freedom,” [...]

The U.S. Department of State’s newly released Annual Report on International Religious Freedom (2010) again ranked Iran as one of the world’s worst violators of religious freedom. The ongoing persecution of the country’s 300,000 Baha’is was highlighted extensively in the report. From the section on Iran: Baha’i religious groups reported arbitrary arrest and prolonged detention, [...]

Baha’i World News Service — Despite compelling evidence that they never committed a crime, three Iranian Baha’is today begin their fourth year in captivity. The two women, Haleh Rouhi and Raha Sabet – and Mr. Sasan Taqva – were arrested in May 2006, along with some 51 other Baha’is and a number of Muslim friends, [...]

Baha’i World News Service — A committee of the UN General Assembly today sharply criticized Iran for its continued and increasing violations of human rights. By a vote of 80 to 44, the Assembly’s Third Committee approved a resolution that “expresses deep concern at serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations” in Iran. There were [...]

Baha’i World News Service– The Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, has once again expressed strong concern over Iran’s ongoing human rights violations, including its persecution of Iranian Baha’is. In a report issued Thursday, Mr. Ban highlighted his continuing concerns over Iran’s use of torture and the death penalty, its poor treatment of [...]

On Saturday, October 9, the British newspaper The Guardian published a letter decrying the lack of due process leading up to the sentencing of seven Iranian Baha’i leaders in August. Rosalyn Higgins QC Former international judge; Linda Lee President, Law Society; Mark Muller QC Chairman, Bar human rights committee co-authored the letter, which called for [...]

An Iranian Baha’i woman living in Australia has received threats for advocating for the release of her sister Rozita Vasseghi, who has been held in solitary confinement in Iran since she was arrested in March 2010. Rosa Vasseghi  has lived in Australia since she received asylum in 1999. She and her family have been outspoken [...]

On Tuesday, August 31, CNN’s Belief Blog published an article about Minoo Vosough, an Iranian Baha’i who was arrested in 1984, at the age of 27, and held in Evin and Gohardasht prisons for 3 months before her release. Seven Iranian Baha’i leaders were transferred from Evin to Gohardasht earlier this month following more than [...]

Baha’i World News Service– The harsh prison sentences handed down to seven Iranian Baha’i leaders who are absolutely innocent of any wrongdoing is a judgment against an entire religious community, the Baha’i International Community said today. Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi, whose Defenders of Human Rights Center represented the Baha’i defendants, said she was “stunned” by [...]

On Thursday, August 12, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued the following statement concerning the seven Iranian Baha’i leaders who have each been sentenced to 20 years in prison for their religious beliefs. According to new reports, the seven prisoners have been transferred from Evin prison in Tehran to Gohardasht Prison – also [...]

Today, August 11, the Los Angeles Times published on its Mideast blog, “Babylon & Beyond,” an article about the 20-year sentence reportedly imposed on seven Baha’is who have already been imprisoned for more than two years in Tehran. From the article: The Bahai leaders have been held in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison since 2008. The [...]

Today, August 11, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom joined the international outcry on behalf of seven Iranian Baha’is recently sentenced to 20 years in prison for their beliefs. From the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom statement: The five Baha’i men and two women had been charged with several baseless and unsubstantiated crimes [...]

Several statements of international support for seven Iranian Baha’is each recently sentenced to 20 years in prison for their religious beliefs have been issued by the governments of Canada, France, Australia, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Germany, the European Parliament and the European Union. In Canada, Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said in a statement issued [...]

On August 10, Amnesty International issued a statement condemning the reported sentencing of seven Iranian Baha’i leaders each to 20 years in prison. News of their sentences followed six brief court appearances, which began on January 12, 2010, after they had been incarcerated without charges for 20 months. The trial ended on June 14. Statement [...]

Today, August 10, Human Rights Watch issued a public statement calling for the release of seven Iranian Baha’i leaders who were reportedly sentenced last Sunday to 20 years in prison for false charges stemming from their religious beliefs. From the Human Rights Watch statement: The Iranian judiciary should set aside any judgments issued in closed [...]

On Friday, July 2, BBC News covered the recent demolition of 50 Baha’i homes in Ivel, a small village in northern Iran. The report also included a summary of the history of Baha’i persecution in Iran, as well as the inconclusive trial of seven Baha’i leaders who have been imprisoned in Tehran for more than [...]

On Thursday, May 14, spokesman Philip J. Crowley of the U.S. Department of State issued the following statement condemning the continued incarceration of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran. The United States is deeply concerned about the ongoing persecution of Baha’is and other religious minority communities in Iran. Today marks the second anniversary of the imprisonment [...]

On Friday, May 14, The Washington Times published the following article on the two-year anniversary of the arrest seven Baha’i leaders in Iran. From the article… Two years ago to date, the top leaders of the Baha’i movement in Iran were enjoying the last peaceful morning they would see in a long time. While in [...]

On Wednesday, April 21, the Chicago Tribune published the following article about journalist Roxana Saberi speaking at Northwestern University in Chicago to promote her new book, “Between Two Worlds.” From the Chicago Tribune… In prison, Saberi shared a cell with two women who were persecuted for their Baha’i beliefs. Saberi said she found the strength [...]