WUNRN
IRAN - CALL TO RELEASE IMPRISONED
BAHA'I LEADERS - 2 WOMEN
FULL Press Release
UN
Experts Urge Iranian Authorities to Free Jailed Baha’i Community Leaders
13 May 2013 – A group of independent United Nations experts today reiterated its call on Iranian authorities for the immediate release of seven Baha’i community leaders imprisoned five years ago this month with 20-year sentences – the longest of any current prisoners of conscience.
“The Iranian Government should demonstrate its commitment to freedom of religion by immediately and unconditionally releasing these prisoners of conscience,” the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed, said in a news release that also urged the international community, including faith leaders worldwide, to join in the appeal.........
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Baha'i World News Service
"FIVE YEARS TOO MANY"
CAMPAIGN TO FREE BAHA'I IMPRISONED LEADERS IN IRAN - 2 OF THE 7 ARE WOMEN
12 May 2013 - Throughout the world people are raising their voices in a
global campaign to free the seven imprisoned Iranian Baha'i leaders.
The
"Five Years Too Many" campaign marks the fifth anniversary of the
arrest of the seven and seeks to highlight their entirely unjust and wrongful
imprisonment and the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran.
"Midway
through our ten-day campaign we have seen an overwhelming and heartfelt
response from both ordinary people and prominent individuals," said Bani Dugal,
the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the
United Nations. ...
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----- Original Message -----
From: WUNRN
ListServe
To: WUNRN ListServe
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 3:29 PM
Subject: Iran - 2 Women Among 7 Baha'i Reportedly Sentenced to
Prison
WUNRN
08/19/2010
IRAN -
2 WOMEN OF 7 BAHA'I SENTENCED TO PRISON
At least 47 members are in prison because of their faith.
According to the community’s spokesman, the Iranian authorities have decided the sentence August 8 last but only orally communicating it to defence lawyers. They are still waiting for written confirmation from the courts.
The seven members were arrested in March and May 2008 and are being held in Evin prison. Their trial has had its ups and downs, with hearings set and then cancelled throughout 2009. In 2010 there were a few brief sessions from January to June, the defendants had only an hour to confer with their lawyers.
It was never drafted a written sentence, but the semi-official agency ISNA,
reported that the seven were tried for "spying for
The seven are: Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm (see photo).
The seven - cultural figures and scientists - are among national leaders of
the minority in
The Bahai community was founded around 1860 by the Persian nobleman Baha'u'llah, a new self-appointed prophet and continuer of the work of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. In direct contrast then with Islam’s proclamation that sees Mohammed as the last prophet. Permitted at the time of the Shah, since the Islamic Revolution of '79 it has been branded as heretical and banned. Since '79 more than 200 followers have been executed or murdered, hundreds jailed, tens of thousands have been deprived of employment, pensions, and commercial activities. All Bahai institutions are prohibited and their holy places, cemeteries and properties have been confiscated by the government or destroyed
Many Bahai have been imprisoned for simply having taught their children their religion. Their young people can not go to university, if they do not declare themleves "Islamic".
The group has about 7 million followers worldwide and also has a temple in
According to the organization, at
least 47 members of the Bahai community in