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Se alarga la detencion de siete lidreres baha’is en Iran
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Detention extended for seven Iranian Baha’i leaders
GENEVA, 5 August (BWNS) – The imprisonment of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran has been extended for a further two months, the Baha’i International Community has learned.
The trial of the seven concluded on 14 June. No verdict has yet been given.
“These innocent Baha’is have now been held for more than two years under a series of successive orders for their ‘temporary’ detention, which by law must not exceed two months,” said Diane Ala’i, representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations in Geneva.
On 24 July, two days after the most recent two-month prison term concluded, the defense attorneys for the seven once again issued a formal request that the prisoners be released on bail, as permitted under Iranian law.
Since then, the judge presiding over the case has told the prisoners that their detention had once again been extended for two months.
The attorneys have now submitted a written objection to the extension, said Ms. Alai.
“There is no legal basis whatsoever to refuse the request that the defendants be released on bail,” she said.
The seven prisoners are Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm. They categorically deny charges of espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, and “corruption on earth,” among other allegations.
Before their incarceration, the seven attended to the spiritual and social needs of Iran’s Baha’i community, which numbers more than 300,000. They have been held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison since they were arrested in 2008 - six of them on 14 May and one of them two months earlier.
Their trial consisted of six brief court appearances which began on 12 January after they had been imprisoned without charge for 20 months, during which time they were allowed barely one hour’s access to their legal counsel.
“That these people – held purely for their religious beliefs – have now entered the third year of their so-called ‘temporary’ incarceration under such inhumane conditions constitutes a deplorable violation of their human rights,” said Ms. Ala’i.
“The Iranian government must know that its actions are under close international scrutiny and that it is held wholly responsible for this terrible injustice,” she said “Once again, we call upon the authorities in Iran to take immediate action to release them.”
To read this article online and view a photograph, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/784
For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/
________________________________________________
Copyright 2010 by the Baha’i World News Service. Stories and photographs produced by the Baha’i World News Service may be freely reprinted, re-emailed, re-posted to the World Wide Web and otherwise reproduced by any individual or organization as long as they are attributed to the Baha’i World News Service. For more information, go to http://news.bahai.org/terms-of-use/
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Un autor espanol descubre un “puente entre Oriente y Occidente”
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Spanish author discovers “bridge between East and West”
MADRID, Spain, 3 August (BWNS) – When author Rafael Cerrato decided to pay a short visit to the north of Israel in 2006, little did he suspect that it would give rise to a new book.
Passing through the city of Haifa, he was deeply impressed by the buildings and gardens of the Baha’i World Centre, situated on the slopes of Mount Carmel.
“I was amazed,” said Mr. Cerrato. “I immediately thought I had to discover what lay behind that beauty.”
Returning to Spain, the author – who is Roman Catholic and has written extensively about religion – started looking into the history and teachings of the Baha’i Faith and was fascinated by what he found out.
“I discovered that the long-awaited bridge between East and West – which many politicians and intellectuals have tried to create with the Alliance of Civilizations and such – already exists,” he said.
“Without losing any of the principles of previous religions, the Baha’i social teachings have it all – the need for supranational bodies, the equality between men and women, universal education… I believe in these principles and they attract me – so I have no problem in broadcasting them.”
During his research, Mr. Cerrato also became impressed by “the great faith and steadfastness” that the Baha’i community of Iran shows in the face of opposition.
He decided to write a book charting the story of the Baha’i Faith, with an emphasis on the severe oppression its members have experienced at the instigation of the authorities in Iran – the land of the Faith’s birth – since its inception in the middle of the 19th century.
The book, titled “Desde el corazon de Iran - Los baha’is: La esperanza oprimida” (”From the Heart of Iran - The Baha’is: Oppressed Hope”), has recently been published by Erasmus Ediciones. It is one of the first major works written in Spanish about the genesis and persecution of the Baha’i community in Iran.
Mr. Cerrato’s book has been described in one review as a “deftly handled, well-documented and panoramic journey.”
The reviewer, Enrique Cordoba – a columnist for “El Nuevo Herald” – wrote, “I celebrate that Cerrato has published this book…for those who want to inform themselves of a doctrine that should be studied.”
Miami-based radio journalist Ninoska Perez Castellon wrote that it is “a necessary book… It’s a call to the world to ensure that the abuses against the Baha’i community in Iran are not left to fall into obscurity.”
“It is because of the integrity of writers like Rafael Cerrato that we can become deeply familiar with a subject that should be on the front page of newspapers,” she wrote.
Born in Cordoba in 1951, Mr. Cerrato studied economics in Malaga before devoting his energy to exploring what he describes as the “great truths not recorded in history but that are key to understanding our present.”
Religion plays a major role in that understanding.
“I have always thought man is a ‘religious animal’ – even more than the political animal that many philosophers have defined,” said Mr. Cerrato. “Without religion, social phenomena or the evolution of the world cannot be understood.”
In his 2005 work, “Letter to Fernando Sanchez Drago”, he drew comparisons between the founders of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. The following year, “Lepanto, the Unfinished Battle” explored the history of the West’s relationship with Islam.
“Religion should be a force for good and a unifying element,” he said. “But, unfortunately, it is the cause of many problems. The origin of these problems is not religion itself…They are mainly caused by the distortion men make of its content and message.”
Mr. Cerrato has lived for 10 years outside of Barcelona, close to the popular pilgrimage destination of Montserrat, from which he derives his own spiritual inspiration.
He is also passionate about traveling and immersing himself in the world’s diverse cultures. After carrying out numerous speaking engagements and book signings in Spain, he will be visiting the United States next month to speak about “From the Heart of Iran” at the prestigious “Books and Books” store in Miami, Florida.
“I consider Miami to be the gate to America for the Spanish-speaking culture,” he said.
Gilbert Grasselly – a professional translator based in Hollywood, Florida – agrees. “There’s a very large Spanish-speaking population here in Miami Dade County. It’s an important point for Hispanics.”
Mr. Grasselly has been asked to translate “From the Heart of Iran” into English.
“He’s calling the public’s attention to what’s happening,” said Mr. Grasselly. “It touched me when I read these histories. It’s very moving.”
Mr. Cerrato hopes that his book will inform Spanish-speaking readers both about the the situation the Baha’is face in Iran, and the values for which they are prepared to suffer.
“I hope it will open the eyes of leaders, journalists, and intellectuals who read it – if they do – about the plans and actions of the present government in Iran.”
“And at the same time, I hope they see that, through the Baha’i Faith, many constructive processes of dialogue can be opened between East and West.”
To view this article and photographs online, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/783
For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/
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The Baha’is of Ivel: Undaunted Spirit
GENEVA, 11 July (BWNS) - Following the demolition of Baha’i homes in the
Iranian village of Ivel - reported last week - there is another story that
must also be told: that of sympathetic villagers who have commiserated with
their Baha’i neighbors over the injustices they have been forced to endure.
It is also the story of an undaunted spirit and a commitment to social good
that continues to enable the Baha’is to transcend their prolonged
persecution and be active participants in the social and economic
development of their village.
Service and persecution
In its earliest days, Ivel was the summer residence for sheep farmers from
the surrounding region of Mazandaran. There have been Baha’is in the village
for more than a century and a half. Indeed, since the years immediately
following the establishment of their Faith in mid-19th century Iran, the
Baha’is have comprised about half of Ivel’s total population. All the while,
they have lived side by side with their Muslim neighbors in comparative
harmony.
Unfortunately, however, outside elements strongly inimical to the Faith have
periodically sought to stir up the local population against the Baha’i
community, resulting in intermittent persecution - ranging from
life-threatening to less harsh forms of harassment.
In 1941, for example, lives were imperiled when gangs from outside roused
local citizens to attack the Baha’is. The Baha’is were arrested, severely
beaten and subjected to extortion; their houses and belongings were
plundered. Finally, they were banished to a village seven kilometers away.
When the situation eased some months later, the Baha’is returned to their
homes and farms.
The lengths to which those holding enmity towards the Baha’is would go are
perhaps best summed up in an incident that occurred in the mid-1950s when a
member of the newly-established “Hojjatieh” society arrived in Ivel.
Hojjatieh - a semi-clandestine traditionalist Shia organization - was
founded on the premise that the most immediate threat to Islam was the
“heresy” of the Baha’i Faith, which had to be eliminated.
When this individual proved unsuccessful in his attempts to drive a wedge
between the Muslims and the Baha’is, he endeavoured to prevent their cows
from grazing in the same pasture, on the basis that the Baha’i cows were
“unclean”.
For a few days, the cattle belonging to the Baha’is were confined to their
barns while those of the Muslims went to graze. The Baha’is repeatedly
referred the matter to the village head, appealing for compassion to be
shown to the animals. Consequently, a decision was made to have the cows
enter the pasture from opposite sides, so as to respect the decree. This did
not accord with the natural instincts of the livestock, who continued to
graze together.
Contribution to social progress
Throughout the years, notwithstanding the efforts to repress them, the
Baha’is have actively contributed to the betterment of life in their
village. In addition to the role they played in the area’s agriculture, they
established a school at which local children, regardless of their religion,
were educated. By 1946, when the Iranian government had begun to organize
rural schools and assumed responsibility for the one in the village, Ivel’s
school extended to six elementary level classes in which some 120 pupils
from Ivel and seven other nearby villages were receiving general education.
In 1961, in another example of service to their community, the Baha’is
completed a bath house for use by the villagers, which included
modifications to the local reservoir and the introduction of modernizations
to improve the facility’s levels of hygiene and the general health of the
people.
Escalation of attacks
Following Iran’s Islamic revolution in 1979, the situation for Baha’is in
Ivel deteriorated. Land was confiscated and attempts to regain it proved
unsuccessful. Baha’is were denied access to health clinics and other
institutions that they themselves had helped establish. Muslim children were
encouraged by their teacher to harm their Baha’i classmates. When parents
protested, the teacher found other means to persecute his Baha’i pupils,
including failing them in their exams.
In June 1983, the Baha’is were forced out of their homes and transported by
bus to the nearest major city, Sari. When they arrived, the authorities made
them go back. Returning to Ivel, they were locked into a local mosque. More
than 130 of them - including children and the elderly - were held captive
for three days without food and water. When pressure to make them recant
their faith failed, they were allowed to return home. However, that same
night, they were attacked by villagers. A few were taken off by the mob,
others were injured, and more were forced to hide in a nearby forest.
Since that time, many of the Ivel Baha’is have resided nearby and return to
the village only in the summer to plant and harvest their crops and tend to
their properties. According to Natoli Derakhshan, a Baha’i from Ivel who was
interviewed recently by the Persian-language Radio Farda, “Each time or each
year when they wanted to go there they had to obtain permits from the
Justice Administration to be allowed to stay in their own homes for two or
three days.”
In the past three years, the Baha’i International Community has monitored an
increase in efforts to put pressure on the Baha’is of Ivel to leave the
region altogether. “Their empty homes have been burned, Baha’is have been
subjected to verbal and physical attacks, and the 100-year old Baha’i
cemetery was confiscated and sold for conversion into residential property,”
said Diane Ala’i, representative of the Baha’i International Community to
the United Nations in Geneva.
“Numerous complaints have been filed at all levels but, in general, the
Baha’is are only met with indifference. The authorities say that there’s
little they can do in the face of the opposition Baha’is face from the local
residents,” she said. “In every case, knowledge of the demolitions or the
motive behind them was denied by local government officials.”
“What we are witnessing in Ivel, and the surrounding region of Mazandaran,
is part of a wider campaign to humiliate and dishearten all the Baha’is and
prevent them from practicing their faith in any way whatsoever,” said Ms.
Ala’i. “The government has certainly demonstrated thus far that if it is not
behind it, it is either unwilling to stop it or incapable of doing so.”
In recent weeks when Mr. Derakhshan heard stories about the imminent
destruction of the Baha’i homes in the village, he went with other Baha’is
to various officials to find out if the rumors were true. “We were told not
to worry and that there was not such a possibility; we believed them,” he
told Radio Farda.
“We do not know and cannot say that it was ordered by someone,” he said.
“All we know is that unfortunately everything has been completely
destroyed.”
Local and international support
There are, however, many villagers in Ivel who are deeply troubled by these
developments. In an interview with the Rooz Online website, Mr. Derakhshan
paid tribute to those who have expressed dismay and concern at the
ill-treatment of their Baha’i neighbors: “These days many of our Muslim
folks sat together with us with tearful eyes, and apologized to us, and held
our hands! We are thankful to them all.”
The news from Ivel has also received widespread attention from further
afield - in the world’s news media and online news services, including a
host of Persian language outlets.
Among the English language reports, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty ran a
story on 29 June with the headline, “Baha’i Houses Demolished In Iran”. It
also carried video of the incident which had been obtained by Human Rights
Activists of Iran.
On 29 June, the National Review Online published an article under the
headline “Regime Razes Bahai Homes in Iran.”
A feature on the BBC website, titled “Iran’s Bahai community fear rise in
persecution”, began: “First there are the images of wooden beams on fire.
Then buildings come into view, some without windows and doors, others
reduced to rubble. The shaky mobile phone footage posted on YouTube by
Iranian human rights activists shows scenes of destruction filmed secretly
from inside a car…The reports from Ivel residents say that by June 22,
almost 50 houses belonging to Bahais had been flattened.”
“Several of these websites have offered places for comments by readers,”
said Ms. Alai. “After enduring so much persecution for so long, we are
certain that the Baha’is of Ivel appreciate the support of people from all
over the world - including many sympathetic Iranian citizens - who have
taken the time to express their outrage over this latest incident.”
To read the article online and view photographs, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/782
For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/
________________________________________________
Copyright 2010 by the Baha’i World News Service. Stories and photographs
produced by the Baha’i World News Service may be freely reprinted,
re-emailed, re-posted to the World Wide Web and otherwise reproduced by any
individual or organization as long as they are attributed to the Baha’i
World News Service. For more information, go to
http://news.bahai.org/terms-of-use/
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Una nueva musica abraza la diviersidad de culturas
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New music embraces diversity of cultures
OSLO, Norway, 7 July (BWNS) - Since his breakthrough as a composer more than
30 years ago, Lasse Thoresen has been searching for a musical language that
brings the world’s diverse cultures together.
Now, one of his innovative vocal works is being acclaimed for the
similarities it draws between ancient and modern, as well as Scandinavian
folk music and sounds more associated with the Middle East. The piece,
titled Opus 42, has won a prestigious music award.
The Nordic Council Music Prize was searching for a work “in which all
involved play their own part.” Facing competition from 12 other composers,
Professor Thoresen was delighted to win the 350,000 Denmark Kroner
(US$56,000) prize.
“This strikingly beautiful piece reveals the common denominators in ancient
and ultra-modern sounds, drawing our attention to the similarities between
Scandinavian folk traditions and the music we might find in, say, the Middle
East or India,” wrote the Adjudication Committee for the Prize, which
includes members from Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway,
and Sweden.
“It represents a renewal not just of Nordic vocal music, but of score-based
vocal music in general,” the Committee said.
“There are scales very similar in Scandinavian folk music to things you can
find in the East,” said Professor Thoresen. “Neither of them elaborate
harmony in a very developed way as was done in western classical music.”
Opus 42 also incorporates the traditional overtone singing of Mongolia, in
which the singer manipulates the resonances created as the air travels from
the lungs to the mouth and nose.
“That takes a few years to learn,” said the composer. “For singers to do
that, they must have quite a new oral training. So as a part of this
project, a system of training was developed to master these techniques.”
“I think it is important to regard cultural differences as a resource and
not as a threat,” he said. “Even if you cannot escape from your own cultural
conditioning, in some ways you can embrace other cultural sensibilities and
reflect them in your own cultural context and produce an example of fruitful
coexistences of cultural differences.”
Opus 42 is a collection of four vocal pieces, titled “Sun Prayer,” “Funeral
Psalm,” “Heavenly Father,” and “Dual Doodles.” The first was commissioned by
the Bergen International Festival, the other three by the Osa Festival,
which brings together Norwegian folk and classical musicians. The work has
been performed by a Norwegian vocal ensemble, Nordic Voices, which the
composer believes to be the only group in the world that can cope with the
demands he places on his performers.
Receiving the Nordic Prize is already opening doors for the composer. There
are new collaborations being planned with music festivals and some
television work.
“Concert organisations are always very prudent in actually performing
contemporary music. They think it is too narrow and the audience will flee
from the hall if they play it!” said Professor Thoresen. “So it helps if the
composer they are programming is recognized and has a name.”
To read the full article online and view photographs, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/781
For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/
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Parece Haber Concluido el Juicio contra Siete Lideres Baha’is Iranies
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Trial of seven Iranian Baha’i leaders appears to have ended
NEW YORK, 14 June (BWNS) – The trial of seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned for more than two years in Iran seems to have come to a conclusion after three days of successive court hearings.
The seven appeared in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran on the morning of Saturday, 12 June and returned to Evin Prison shortly after noon.
The Court was reconvened the next day, as well as this morning.
“We can confirm that a court session was held today in Tehran,” said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations, “and it seems from what we have heard that the trial itself has now concluded. But we have no further information at this time.”
The defendants are Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm.
Before their imprisonment, they attended to the spiritual and social needs of Iran’s Baha’i community, which numbers more than 300,000. They have been held in Evin prison since they were arrested in 2008 – six of them on 14 May and one of them two months earlier.
Their trial began on 12 January this year after they had been incarcerated without charge in Evin prison for 20 months. At the first hearing, the seven categorically denied charges of espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, and “corruption on earth,” among other allegations.
A second appearance on 7 February was concerned mainly with procedural issues. The third session on 12 April, which was purportedly a closed hearing, was adjourned after the seven – with the agreement of their attorneys – refused to be party to the proceedings because of the presence of nonjudicial personnel.
To view this article and a photograph, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/778
For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/
________________________________________________
Copyright 2010 by the Baha’i World News Service. Stories and photographs produced by the Baha’i World News Service may be freely reprinted, re-emailed, re-posted to the World Wide Web and otherwise reproduced by any individual or organization as long as they are attributed to the Baha’i World News Service. For more information, go to http://news.bahai.org/terms-of-use/
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El continuo juicio de lideres baha’is, enfoque de dia mundial de accion
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Ongoing trial of Iran’s Baha’i leaders highlighted on global day of action
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 13 June (BWNS) - On a global day of action highlighting
human rights abuses in Iran, the European Union and the Prime Minister of
Canada issued strong statements calling for Iran to respect international
law.
In a declaration made on behalf of the European Union, its High
Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine
Ashton, said, “We call on Iran to respect fair trial rights as enshrined in
article 14 of the ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights). Discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities and women
are other areas of concern.”
“We are disturbed by serious reports of ill-treatment and torture of those
detained and imprisoned as well as allegations of forced confessions,” the
EU declaration said. “The EU will be closely monitoring the ongoing trial of
Baha’i leaders in this regard.”
“We take this opportunity to reassure the people of Iran that they have not
been forgotten: the EU will continue to speak out and to call on the Iranian
authorities to respect the rights of their citizens in accordance with the
international obligations to which they have committed under the
International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights and other human rights
treaties,” the statement concluded.
The EU declaration was issued on Saturday, 12 June - the same day that the
seven Baha’i leaders returned to court in Tehran for the start of the fourth
session of their trial, which continues today.
Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, also urged Iran to respect the
rights of its Baha’i community and “cease persecuting it, discriminating
against it and detaining its members.”
“We note the trial of the seven leaders of the Baha’i community was to take
place today,” said Mr. Harper in a statement marking the one year
anniversary of Iran’s 2009 presidential election, “and we call on the
Iranian regime to ensure that due process is respected.”
“Iran has made absolutely no progress in the last year toward addressing the
legitimate aspirations of its people. In fact, its regime has been even
more repressive. Iran’s continued, blatant disregard for the rights of its
citizens must end,” he said.
Calling upon Iran to uphold its human rights commitments, the Prime Minister
urged the Iranian government “to respect diverse social and political groups
and their freedom of expression, and to engage these groups in a
constructive dialogue that will serve to strengthen the rich fabric of the
Iranian nation.”
United Kingdom appeal
In London, the government of the United Kingdom also issued a statement
saying, “This trial comes at a time when we are remembering the human rights
abuses surrounding the elections in Iran a year ago.”
“I call on the Iranian Government to ensure, without delay, that the rights
of these individuals are fully protected,” said the Parliamentary Under
Secretary of State at the Foreign Office, Alistair Burt on Friday, 11 June,
“that they are given due legal process, including being released on bail and
given a fair and transparent trial, in accordance with international
standards.”
The minister also called on the Iranian government “to cease the harassment
of, and to also respect the rights, of many members of minority groups who
continue to face arrest and lengthy prison sentences, often on vaguely
worded charges of acting against national security.”
Worldwide day of action
In more than 80 cities around the world, people took to the streets
yesterday to call for an end to human rights abuses in Iran. In South
Africa, buses are carrying images of Iranian prisoners of conscience as part
of the campaign, organised by human rights group United4Iran.
“This is not about party-politics or calls for punitive action,” said one
campaigner in Johannesburg, “this is a principled call to respect the human
rights of every person.”
In Berlin, Germany, a group erected a replica prison cell at the city’s
historic Brandenburg Gate. A display depicting the seven Baha’i leaders
read, “Ideals cannot be locked up. But people with ideals can be. In Iran,
these people need your help.”
“For more than two years the seven Baha’i leaders have been under arrest
without justification,” said a supporter. “They are imprisoned only because
they are Baha’is. Today it is the Baha’is. Tomorrow it could happen to the
Sunnis, Jews, Christians or other minorities.”
“I hope we are sending a powerful signal of solidarity to the people in
Iran,” said another. “The Iranian people should know that our thoughts are
with them.”
In Brazil, campaigners carrying masks depicting Iran’s seven Baha’i leaders
gathered in front of the Brazilian National Congress last Wednesday to call
for their release.
Congressman Mr. Luiz Couto - a former President of the Commission of Human
Rights and Minorities - told the gathering that a person’s faith is an
intrinsic human right, necessary for the development of an individual and
his contribution to society.
Referring to the situation of the Baha’is in Iran at a Plenary Session of
Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, another congressman, Deputy Paulo Delgado,
said that human rights policies in the democratic world are “inescapable and
do not admit exceptions.” Mr. Delgado expressed his hope that the
international community realizes that the “anguish and suffering of a
religious minority” is something that “can happen to any of us.”
To view this article and photographs, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/777
For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/
________________________________________________
Copyright 2010 by the Baha’i World News Service. Stories and photographs
produced by the Baha’i World News Service may be freely reprinted,
re-emailed, re-posted to the World Wide Web and otherwise reproduced by any
individual or organization as long as they are attributed to the Baha’i
World News Service. For more information, go to
http://news.bahai.org/terms-of-use/
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Llamamiento Global de Libertad para Los Lideres Baha’is Iranies ante la
inminente nueva sesion de juicio
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Global call for release of Iranian Baha’i leaders as trial session looms
NEW DELHI, India, 11 June (BWNS) - On the eve of the fourth court hearing
for Iran’s seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders, voices are being raised around
the world for them to be freed.
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Delhi has addressed Iran’s Supreme Leader
calling for the release of the seven, “or at the very least for them to be
released on bail and await a fair and open trial in accordance with the
international standards of jurisprudence.”
“In the court sessions held so far, no evidence of wrongdoing has been
presented, as their lawyers have confirmed,” Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao
wrote in a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dated 5 June 2010.
Yesterday, the social activist and spiritual leader, Swami Agnivesh, led a
peaceful procession through the streets of New Delhi to Hyderabad House, a
government-owned venue used for major events and press conferences.
Campaigners - many of them wearing masks - carried banners and placards
depicting the seven Baha’i leaders, as well as images of other prisoners
currently being held.
Swami Agnivesh told the gathering that humanity demands love and respect for
all and should allow people of different belief systems and ideologies to
co-exist in peace and solidarity, reported The Hindu newspaper.
Global initiative
The march in New Delhi was a prelude to tomorrow’s global day of action,
which demands an end to human rights abuses in Iran, and marks the one-year
anniversary of last year’s contested presidential election.
The initiative - coordinated by United4Iran - is being cosponsored by
numerous organizations including Amnesty International and the Baha’i
International Community.
Prominent nongovernmental organizations are joining with a wide range of
local, student and Internet-based groups to host simultaneous events in
cities and on campuses around the globe. The campaign website can be visited
here.
In the United Kingdom, a mobile billboard depicting the seven Baha’i leaders
has been launched in London in order to bring attention to their plight.
Meanwhile, in the United States, Representative Frank R. Wolf, yesterday
submitted a statement to the Congressional Record calling for renewed
support for the seven.
“The world cannot turn a blind eye to this regime’s brutal repression of its
own people,” said Mr Wolf.
“We must continue to advocate for due process and a fair trial for these
seven Baha’i leaders and for basic rights for the community as a whole which
according to the recently released report of the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom, “has long been subject to particularly
severe religious violations in Iran.”" he said.
UN Human Rights Council
Concerns have also been expressed this week in a debate at the 14th session
of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. The situation of
Iran’s persecuted Baha’i community was raised on Tuesday, 8 June, on behalf
of the European Union by Spain. It was also mentioned in contributions made
by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States of America.
“We fear that the already poor human rights situation in Iran will continue
to deteriorate if the international community does not continue to call the
Iranian government to account for its actions,” said the Canadian
representative.
In addition to endorsing the statement of Spain, seven member states of the
European Union specifically mentioned their own concerns about the
persecution of Baha’is.
Austria reported how it “remains gravely concerned about the discrimination
and harassment of religious minorities, in particular members of the Baha’i
and the trial against seven of their leaders, which we follow very closely.”
The trial of the seven Baha’i leaders began on 12 January after they had
been incarcerated without charge in Tehran’s Evin prison for 20 months. At
the first hearing, held in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran,
the Baha’is categorically denied charges of espionage, propaganda activities
against the Islamic order, and “corruption on earth,” among other
allegations.
The seven defendants are Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif
Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm.
Before their imprisonment, they attended to the spiritual and social needs
of Iran’s Baha’i community, which numbers more than 300,000.
There are currently some 41 Baha’is in detention in various cities in Iran.
To read a longer version of the article and view the photographs, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/776
For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/
———
Se fija la cuarta fecha del juicio contra lideres baha’is de Iran - 12 de
junio
Lea una traduccion automatica al espanol de esta noticia pinchando en el
cuadro a la derecha –>
——–
Fourth court date for imprisoned Iranian Baha’i leaders set for 12 June
GENEVA, 1 June (BWNS) - The seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned for more than
two years in Iran are scheduled to make their fourth court appearance on
Saturday 12 June, the Baha’i International Community has learned.
The date coincides with the first anniversary of last year’s contested
presidential election in Iran, as well as a global day of action aimed at
calling attention to human rights abuses in the country.
The trial of the seven began on 12 January after they had been incarcerated
without charge in Tehran’s Evin prison for 20 months.
At the first hearing, held in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in
Tehran, the Baha’is categorically denied charges of espionage, propaganda
activities against the Islamic order, and “corruption on earth,” among other
allegations.
A second appearance on 7 February was concerned mainly with procedural
issues.
The third session on 12 April, which was purportedly a closed hearing, was
adjourned after the seven - with the agreement of their attorneys - refused
to be party to the proceedings because of the presence of non-judicial
personnel.
“To have spectators, including a film crew, in a supposedly closed hearing
while denying entry to the defendants’ families was unacceptable,” said
Diane Ala’i, Baha’i representative to the United Nations in Geneva. “There
would be no objection if the trial were to be open and conducted in
accordance with international standards.”
“In the court sessions held so far, no evidence of wrongdoing has been
presented. As their lawyers have confirmed, they are completely innocent and
are solely being persecuted for their religious belief,” said Ms. Ala’i.
“The Iranian government should know that its actions against these innocent
citizens are under scrutiny throughout the world,” she said.
“Once again we call for their immediate release. Failing that, the seven
should - at the very least - be released on bail pending a fair trial.”
The seven defendants are Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif
Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm.
Before their imprisonment, they attended to the spiritual and social needs
of Iran’s Baha’i community, which numbers more than 300,000. Mrs. Sabet was
arrested on 5 March 2008 and the others on 14 May 2008.
There are currently some 38 Baha’is in detention in various cities in Iran.
To read the article online, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/775
For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org
———
La Presidenta de Irlanda realiza una visita historica al Centro Baha’i
Lea una traduccion automatica al espanol de esta noticia pinchando en el
cuadro a la derecha –>
Pueden ver fotografas en la siguiente pgina web:
http://news.bahai.org/multimedia/slideshow.php?storyid=774
——–
Irish President makes historic visit to Baha’i Centre
DUBLIN, IRELAND, 28 May (BWNS) -The President of the Republic of Ireland,
Mary McAleese, has praised the universality of the Baha’i teachings and the
contribution its members make to the life of their nation.
“You are marked out as people with values that are worth observing, worth
learning from, worth looking at, worth imitating and so never be in any
doubt of the value you are every single day in this world,” President
McAleese told a gathering of some 60 Baha’is during her first ever visit to
the National Baha’i Centre in the Irish capital.
“Something you probably do not know, and I am sure it is true of many of
you, is that in and through your lives, you are extraordinary ambassadors
for your Faith,” she said in impromptu remarks.
President McAleese, first elected as Ireland’s President in 1997, made her
special visit to the Baha’i Centre on 30 April to mark the Festival of
Ridvan, the anniversary of Baha’u'llah’s declaration in 1863 that He is the
most recent in a line of divine Messengers that includes Buddha, Jesus,
Krishna, Mohammed, Moses, Zoroaster, and others.
The President also expressed concern about the persecution of Baha’is in
other countries. She said it was both sad and remarkable that a Faith with
such principles would attract, in any shape or form, violence from others.
“And on this evening I think we just keep in our hearts those who are paying
such a dear price for their fidelity to that simple human and divine charism
that reaches right into the heart of humanity,” said President McAleese.
“How fortunate all Irish people are to live in a State where followers of
all religions or none are free to practice,” she added, according to the
Irish Times, which covered her visit.
During the reception, President McAleese was presented with a specially
bound edition of the Baha’i book, The Hidden Words of Baha’u'llah, in both
English and the Irish language.
Brendan McNamara, the Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Baha’is of the Republic of Ireland, described the President’s visit as “a
milestone - a very joyous occasion.”
“She was very generous and spoke with everybody present,” said Mr. McNamara,
“particularly taking time to encourage the youth - in whatever they were
doing - to make a contribution to the future of Ireland.”
To read the full article and see the photographs, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/774
For the Bahai World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org
———
Acciones mundiales se centran en los abusos de los Derechos Humanos en Iran
Lea una traduccion automatica al espanol de esta noticia pinchando en el
cuadro a la derecha –>
——–
Human rights abuses in Iran focus of global campaigns
GENEVA, 24 May (BWNS) - A global day of action demanding an end to human
rights abuses in Iran has been called for Saturday, 12 June.
The initiative - coordinated by human rights group United4Iran - is being
co-sponsored by numerous organizations including Amnesty International,
Human Rights Watch, the Nobel Women’s Initiative, the Baha’i International
Community, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, FIDH (Federation
Internationale des ligues des Droits de l’Homme), and Pen International.
“In our support for this nonpartisan initiative, we are standing together
with ordinary citizens throughout the world to draw attention to the
continuing and widespread abuse of human rights in Iran,” said Diane Ala’i,
representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations
in Geneva.
The prominent nongovernmental organizations are joining with a wide range of
local, student and Internet-based groups to host simultaneous events in
cities and on campuses across the globe. Online initiatives include sending
messages to specific recipients in support of individual prisoners of
conscience.
Earlier this month, United4Iran marked the second anniversary - on 14 May -
of the jailing of seven Baha’i leaders in Tehran’s Evin prison, calling for
individuals to show support by replicating the size of the small jail cells
and taking a photograph.
“The response was overwhelming,” reported the United4Iran website. “Notes,
emails, video, old photographs of the leaders, former students, (and)
community representatives from all the world participated.”
As a gesture of solidarity, supporters were asked to mark off the size of
the cells shared by the Baha’i prisoners then occupy the space, so as to
better appreciate their suffering.
The cells of the Baha’is in Evin prison do not have beds, forcing the
prisoners to sleep on the concrete floor.
A video was posted online to show some of the photos the organization
received.
United4Iran also published an old photograph of one of the jailed Baha’is,
Fariba Kamalabadi, with one of her former students. The student sent the
picture to United4Iran along with words from a letter she wrote to her
teacher : “Now that you are in prison … for making the world a better
place, … it brings tears to my eyes. And all I can do is pray. The things
you taught me I will always know.”
“We are grateful for this outpouring of sympathy being offered to the people
of Iran who are subject to oppression,” said Ms. Ala’i.
Several other organizations have recently launched campaigns in support of
Iran’s oppressed Baha’i community.
The latest newsletter of the French branch of the organization Christians
for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT-France) includes a call for action in
support of the seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders, as well as 12 other Baha’is
who have been recently detained.
On 14 March, Amnesty International requested messages of goodwill be sent to
prisoners of conscience in Iran in order to mark the traditional Persian new
year holiday.
The detained leaders of Iran’s Baha’i community were included among seven
cases selected by Amnesty International.
To date, almost 600 messages have been received for the Baha’i prisoners -
both individually and collectively - from as far afield as Japan, New
Zealand, the Netherlands, and the United States.
The seven Baha’i leaders jailed in Tehran for the past two years are among
about 36 Baha’i currently imprisoned in Iran because of their religion.
To read the full article and see the photographs, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/773
For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org
