WUNRN
Baha’I World News Service
http://news.bahai.org/multimedia/slideshow.php?storyid=1053
Also Via Human Rights Without Frontiers
Global Campaign Launched on 7th Anniversary of Arrest
of 7 Iran Baha’i Leaders – 2 WOMEN
14 May 2015 - NEW YORK —
The Baha'i International Community has today launched a campaign to mark the
seventh anniversary of the wrongful arrest and imprisonment of the seven former
Baha'i leaders in Iran.
The campaign will run until 21 May 2015. Events are being
planned around the world by Baha'i communities and others to call attention to
the plight of the seven, who were arrested in 2008. The plight of some 90 other
Baha'is in Iran - as well as other prisoners of conscience there - will also be
highlighted.
"What the events of the past year have demonstrated ever
more clearly to the people of Iran and others from around the world who promote
peace and concord is the stark contrast between the peaceful intentions and
selfless service of the Baha'i community and the lamentable and inhuman acts of
those who, under the influence of ignorant religious prejudice, continue to
perpetrate injustices against you," wrote the Universal House of Justice,
the international governing body of the Baha'i Faith, in a letter to Baha'is in Iran earlier this month.
The campaign will take the theme "Seven Days in Remembrance
of Seven Years for the Seven Baha'i Leaders." Each day in the next seven
days, events will focus on a different member of the seven, who are Mahvash
Sabet, Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie,
Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm.
Facebook event pages in English and Persian have
been set up as rallying points and a hashtag has been designated:
#7Bahais7years. There is more background at www.bic.org/7Bahais7years
The seven formed the entire membership of the now-disbanded ad
hoc group tending to the spiritual and social needs of the Iranian Baha'i
community in the absence of formally elected Baha'i leadership, which was
banned in 1983.
Ms. Sabet was arrested on 5 March 2008, while the other six were
arrested on 14 May 2008. In 2010, the seven were tried and wrongfully convicted
on charges of "espionage" and "spreading propaganda against the
regime," among other false accusations. They were sentenced to 20 years in
prison, the longest terms of any current prisoners of conscience in Iran.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: WUNRN ListServe
[mailto:list@wunrn.com]
Sent: Monday, May 13, 2013 9:04 PM
To: WUNRN ListServe
Subject: Iran - Call to Release Imprisoned Baha'i Leaders - 2 Women
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.........
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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. ...
____________________________________________________________
-----
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
Iran-Tehran - Tehran,
seven Bahai members have been reportedly sentenced to 20 years in prison.The seven are cultural figures and scientists. They have been
in Evin prison since 2008. They are accused of "spying for Israel, insult
to religious things, propaganda against the Islamic republic."
At least 47 members are in prison
because of their faith.
Tehran (AsiaNews) - Seven members of the Bahai, a religious minority in Iran, were sentenced to 20 years in prison.
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 Israel, insulting religious things, propaganda against the Islamic republic." They were also accused of "spreading corruption on earth".
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 Iran.
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 Haifa, northern Israel. Members have often explained that their presence in Israel has no political reasons, but religious: their founder, after being exiled from Baghdad and Constantinople, went to live in Haifa in 1868, long before the State of Israel was formed.
According to the organization, at
least 47 members of the Bahai community in Iran are in prison for their faith.