Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

The release of an open letter from two Nobel Peace Prize winners regarding the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education coincided with the first round of trials for imprisoned staff members of the beleaugured Institute. Laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu and East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta called for an end to education discrimination in Iran in a [...]

ROUND-UP: A congressman’s website blogpost, a senator’s thoughtful letter and a prominently placed op-ed article in a metro daily newspaper—these are the latest examples of the positive outcomes of the nationwide effort by the U.S. Baha’i Community to raise awareness of the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran. Also, check out S.Res.80 and H.Res.134 for updates [...]

Roxana Saberi, the American journalist of Iranian and Japanese descent who was imprisoned in Iran’s Evin prison in 2009, has written an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal calling for the release of two Baha’i women with whom she shared a cell. Saberi recalled the kindness shown to her and other prisonmates by Mahvash Sabet, [...]

On Saturday, August 28, The Washington Post published an op-ed article by journalist Roxana Saberi advocating for the release of seven Iranian Baha’i prisoners, two of whom she shared a cell with during her 100-day incarceration in Evin prison last year. In the article, Saberi describes how the two Baha’i women, Fariba Kamalabadi and Mahvash [...]

While in Washington, D.C.,  last week, American journalist Roxana Saberi described meeting two Iranian Baha’is during her 100-day incarceration in Evin prison, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. From the article… At the Northern Virginia Baha’i Center and at a discussion at the National Press Club last week, Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi recounted her 100 [...]

On Monday, May 17, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty published the following article about the two-year anniversary of the arrest of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran. Accompanying the story is a video chronicling a photo campaign initiated by the human rights group United4Iran, advocating for the release and fair trail of the seven Baha’i leaders. From [...]

Today the Iranian-American journalist who spent 100-days imprisoned in Iran, again mentioned the persecution of the Baha’is of Iran in an op-ed published in The Washington Post on May 13. From the article… If the international community fails to condemn such atrocities, Iran’s regime will continue to trample on the basic rights of individuals, many [...]

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 [...]

In an interview with Marco Werman on PRI’s The World, journalist Roxana Saberi describes how she used music to pass the time during her 10o-day imprisonment in Tehran. Among this music, which is recorded on her new CD, is a Baha’i piece Saberi sang while imprisoned with two of the seven Baha’i leaders, Fariba Kamalabadi [...]

A musical compilation created by Roxana Saberi to accompany the release of her new book, “Between Two Worlds,” includes a Baha’i hymn, according to an article published in The Concordian, the campus newspaper at her alma mater. Saberi graduated from Concordia College in 1997, where she returned after her release from Iran to record a [...]

On Friday, April 9, American journalist Roxana Saberi mentioned the pending trial of two Iranian Baha’i women she met while imprisoned in Tehran, during an interview on CBS News’ Washington Unplugged. Her interview begins about 7 minutes into the following video; she mentions the Baha’is toward the end of her appearance. Watch CBS News Videos [...]

During an interview on the Kojo Nnamdi Show on Thursday, April 8, journalist Roxana Saberi mentioned that two of her cellmates in Tehran’s Evin prison were Baha’is. She explained that these women, Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi and Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, had been in captivity for nearly two years because of their Baha’i beliefs. Listen to the [...]

On Monday, April 5, journalist and author Roxana Saberi mentioned the Baha’i Faith in a Q&A with Inter Press News about her new book, “Between Two Worlds.” “I tried to describe many aspects of Iranian society, partly through the stories of my cellmates. I described the situation of minority religions (specifically the Baha’i faith) in [...]

On Saturday, April 3, NPR’s Scott Simon interviewed journalist Roxana Saberi about her experience in Iran’s notorious Evin prison. Saberi, who is on tour promoting her new book, “Between Two Worlds,” described meeting two of the seven Baha’i leaders in Evin prison–Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi and Mrs. Mahvash Sabet–and the strength and inspiration they gave her [...]

On Wednesday night, March 31, Roxana Saberi was interviewed on The Daily Show with John Stewart. Saberi, an Iranian-American journalist, was arrested in Iran, taken to Evin prison and held there for 100 days. During her interview, she mentions that some of her prison mates were Baha’is who were charged with the crime of “promoting [...]

The seven Baha’i leaders, with spouses, before their arrest in Spring 2008. Photo courtesy of Baha’i World News Service. WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following last week’s show trial of post-election protesters in Iran, seven Baha’i leaders face yet another failure of legal due process as they prepare to stand trial Aug. 18, 2009, on a series [...]

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 U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, in response to a letter written by journalist Roxana Saberi, today issued a statement demanding the release of seven Baha’i leaders who are said to face trial July 11, 2009. Saberi was imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin prison, where the Baha’is are currently being held, for nearly four months [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]