Thursday, June 25, 2009

Mother of imprisoned youth: "I am grateful...for your expression of sympathy."

 
The following letter refers to the public letter denouncing the persecution of the Baha'is of Iran which was issued and signed by hundreds of prominent Iranians earlier this year. Read an previous collective response fromt the Baha'ís to that letter here. The letter itself is available here.
 

Posted: 21 May 2009

Haleh Rouhi, a Baha'i prisoner for the past 19 months -- jailed because of humanitarian contributions

Haleh Rouhi

By Malieh Ahmadi (mother of Haleh Rouhi - a Baha'i youth who has been imprisoned in Shiraz for the past 19 months for her humanitarian work).

I am grateful and thankful!

In the name of love and compassion, and in the name of the Creator who makes us friends — and we are His friends.  I speak as a mother who is far from her imprisoned child

I thank all those broadminded, virtuous and fair individuals who by signing this open letter have been a balm to my wounds.

Because of you, I have grown stronger in my belief that the Creator of the two worlds has spread the fragrance of His love throughout all lands, far and near; and I have accepted that no matter how feeble a light it may be, yet it is a light.  I have become convinced that the heart of some dear souls pulsates for the defense of those wronged by oppression.

May the fervent prayers of this mother who suffers at the hands of her countrymen and neighbors surround you under all conditions! I raise my earnest voice to the highest pinnacle of paradise, "O kind Lord!  Place love, equity, compassion and faith in the hearts of all those who dwell on earth!"

I am grateful, thankful and gratified by your expression of sympathy.

[Source: http://www.bab.blogfa.com/post-199.aspx.  Translation by Iran Press Watch.]

 

From Iran Press Watch: The Baha'is

 


Prayer for the oppressed: "O God, Thy sincere servants are afflicted... Do Thou deliver them!"

 

A Prayer for the Baha'is of Iran

Posted: 21 May 2009

shoghi-effendi_ung_small In March 1927, a devoted Baha'i known as the Aminu'l-'Ulama Ardabili was martyred in Iran. When this news reached Shoghi Effendi, he expressed his sorrow through the composition of the following prayer.  Recently, the Baha'is of Iran have circulated this prayer as a means of remembering the current community members who are imprisoned or otherwise suffer hardship in Iran.

Iran Press Watch is pleased to offer the following provisional translation of this moving supplication as means of remembering all those who suffer at the hand of injustice, cruelty and repression.  

He is God!

O God, Thy sincere servants are afflicted by the malice and cruelty of such as oppose Thee: do Thou deliver them!

The beloved of that Resplendent Beauty are as oppressed sheep in the claws of ignorant malicious wolves: do Thou release them!

The nightingales of Thy Garden of Sanctity are sobbing among the owls of deceit and treachery: be Thou their defender.

The fair-faced lovers of Thy Precious Cause are caught in the machinations of cruel and oppressive fiends: set them free!

Although calamity is the well-spring of bounty, yet the hearts of Thy kindred are more delicate than a breeze from the East. While the tyranny of enemies is the herald proclaiming this Most Great, this glorious Cause, yet the weakened and fainting Friends are being pierced by the ceaseless darts of a hostile people.

The servant of Thy threshold,

Shoghi.

[A biography of the Aminu'l-'Ulama is available in 'Azizu'llah Sulaymani, Masabih Hidayat, vol. 2, pp. 357-389, http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/areprint/authors/sulayman/masabih2/masabih2.htm.]

 
 

Daughter's tale of events surrounding imprisoned mother - one of the Yaran

Posted: 21 May 2009
Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi

Mrs. Kamalabadi has two daughters: Alhan, 22 years, and Taraneh, 14. The following letter was written on the one-year anniversary of her arrest and detention.


Editor's Note: Fariba Kamalabadi (married Taefi) is one of the seven former Baha'i leaders, previously known as the Yaran [literally "Friends"]. She has been imprisoned for over a year at the notorious Evin prison in Tehran. Her profile can be read here: http://news.bahai.org/human-rights/iran/yaran-special-report/profiles

By Alhan Taefi

Today marks one whole year that you have not been with me - now I want to express my feelings of pain and anguish during this year; a year of untold stories; a year of solitude; a year of being far from a mother!
It was this very same day last year, when I was woken up early in the morning by a phone call - a call which gave me the dreaded news that government intelligence agents had raided your home. Before I had a chance to collect myself and realize what had happened and what I must do, I received an S.M.S. from my little sister, Taraneh, saying: "they are taking away Mom; if you want to see her, come fast"! Oh my, what has befallen me?! Even after a whole year, still - remembering that moment brings pain and agony to my heart, and I can't help but shed uncontrollable tears.
In a state of shock and disbelief, I rushed to your house, worried about what if I got there late and they had taken you already… then, when would I ever see you again!?
Finally I got there, and frantically climbed the long flight of stairs, skipping every other step, and rushed into your home. Thank God! You were still there… I was with you for a short while, and then… you were leaving. I hugged you with all my might, squeezed you, kissed you, and told you how proud I was of you. And you left… for an unknown period of time! I knew that you would not return home anytime soon, but I never thought that a year would pass and you would still be there!
You left me and I was alone… with a mountain-load of pain and sorrow. I was so dependent on you… was so in need of your advice, even on very small matters! Who knows what has befallen me during this period!? Even now, remembering the extent of my sorrow and grief makes me tremble.
I was so used to speaking with you every single day, even if it was just for one minute. For a whole 80 days after your arrest, I did not have any communication with you… and when after 80 days you called me and I did not recognize your voice, how ashamed I was of myself! I remember your words very vividly - saying "my dear, didn't you recognize my voice?"… And I, full of happiness, melancholy, excitement, and tons of other opposing sentiments all at the same time, could not utter a word.
Oh my God, what has befallen me during this past year!? I remember in preparation for Mothers Day, when all my friends were talking about what presents they were going to buy for their moms, I forced myself not to burst into tears, in order to be strong… the same way you wanted me to be… the same way you are.
When on your birthday I could not give you a present; I kept myself happy only with memories of you…
When, in your absence, and because of your absence, I experienced the worst day of my life, the day I felt my heart was crumpled - I went out walking alone, burst into tears, and sent you this text message: "Oh Mom, I am so lonely and hapless without you!", knowing full well that this text message would never reach you.
Oh my, what has befallen me?! Whenever I encountered the worst of my difficulties during this past year, and you were not there to rush to my aid… when my eyes came across your things, knowing that at one time you had used these things; I would heave a sigh from the very depths of my being.
What befell me the day I saw that you had become so tiny, so slender and wiry, the time when I held your hand in my hands and saw that your hand was trembling out of sheer frailty?! How much I struggled to control myself not to burst into tears in your presence!
What befell me that day, at the end of my visit with you in your prison, behind the isolated visiting room, when they were lowering the curtain, you bent down to be able to see us until the very last moment of our visit, to wave at us and to smile at us…? Oh God, how much the thought that it might very well be the very last time I would be able to see you tortured me.
When, on my birthday, you gave me a pair of stockings which you had bought from the prison store, as a present - the best thing that one could buy from there - how delighted, yet how grieved I became! How hard I embraced it, kissed it, and decided never to wear it, so it wouldn't wear out! That day reminded me of my previous year's birthday, when you, in spite of a severe back ache, arranged for my birthday party… and the thought of this made my heart ache.
How delighted I was looking at the carrot plant - a plant you had grown in your prison-cell, which you gave as a present to my little sister, Taraneh, on her birthday!
Taraneh with her mother's birthday gift to her, a carrot plant  grown in  her  prison cell.
This plant stood for me as a symbol of you. When I was lonely, I would go and cuddle it, talk to it, caress it, and kiss it - I would feel it was you standing before me. How sorrowful and grief-stricken I became when it withered! I would rush to tie its tiny branches together with a green ribbon - perchance it would be revived again - as if I was taking care of you.
What a day it was for me on the festival of Ridvan [the Persian New Year], when you gave me a gift - I felt I had been given the whole world, and I showed off my gift to all my friends with utter pride.
What a night it was for me… the night I could not go to sleep - I started reading all the e-mails you had previously sent me, as tears poured down my cheeks, and how much I wished to receive just one more e-mail from you again.
All of these memories as well as hundreds of days have come to pass, each carrying myriads of large and small, good and bad recollections of my experience - yet God knows that during this whole year I never wished, if it was not His Will, for you to return home to us… I always whispered this poem to myself:

"I would not relinquish my pain for You in vain…
-will not give up my love for the Beloved 'till slain.

"My keepsake from my Beloved is my pain…
-would not trade for a myriad cures this pain." (Rumi)

This is what befell me over the past year; God only knows what befell you, dear Mom!!!

VIDEO: Remembering the 7 Martyrs of Hamadan, 14 June 1981


A moving video (8 min.) featuring letters written by these steadfast heroes of the Faith shortly before their execution after having undergone the cruellest abuse at the hands of their persecuters.



A tribute to the seven Baha'i martyrs of Hamadan Iran who suffered imprisonment and endured cruel torture before finally sacrificing their lives for their religious beliefs on June 14, 1981.

Excerpts from letters written in their final moments of life provide us with only a glimpse of the deep love for the families they left behind and the profound courage and nobility arising out of the depth of their love of God and their faith in His Messenger for this age Baha'u'llah.

The hauntingly beautiful music was composed in their honor by Farzad Khozein, a nephew of one of the martyrs. It brought tears to my eyes even before I read the moving words of his uncle Tarazullah and the other martyrs -- then the tears multiplied and became a river.

As I see history seemingly repeating itself with the current imprisonment and impending trials of seven more leaders of the Iranian Baha'i community, it sends chills down my spine and that all important question "WHY?" continues to echo in my mind.

To simply be a Baha'i in Iran is an act of courage in and of itself. We who are fortunate enough to live in relative freedom continue to send them our love and our prayers.

Here is a more graphic account of their martyrdoms:

On June 14, 1981, seven members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Hamadan were executed by a firing squad. Their bodies were released to the Bahá'í community for appropriate burial. Examination of the corpses while the bodies were being prepared for the funeral revealed that six of these men had been physically tortured before their deaths. The body of the seventh was "riddled with bullets."

Reuters published a detailed account of the men's injuries:


The body of Husayn Motlaq Aráni showed no signs of torture but he had been shot nine times. Muhammad Baqer Habibi had a broken shoulder; Dr. Násir Vafá'í had had his thighs cut open as far as the waist and had been shot seven times; Husayn Khándil had had the fingers of one hand pressed and his back had been burned; Sohráb Habíbí had had his back burned and had been shot five times and Tarázu'lláh Khuzayn suffered a smashed chest and left hand and had been shot seven times.


Similar reports reached the Bahá'í International Community:

The body of Husayn Motlaq Aráni showed no signs of torture but he had been shot nine times. Muhammad Baqer Habibi had a broken shoulder; Dr. Násir Vafá'í had had his thighs cut open as far as the waist and had been shot seven times; Husayn Khándil had had the fingers of one hand pressed and his back had been burned; Sohráb Habíbí had had his back burned and had been shot five times and Tarázu'lláh Khuzayn suffered a smashed chest and left hand and had been shot seven times.


Courtesy the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center www.iranhrdc.org


The Mystery of Martyrdom


The following enlightening article was shared on the website of the Baha'is of Tacoma, Washington, available here.

Bahá'ís do not disbelieve in accounts of miracles found in the holy texts of other religions or in the ability of a Manifestation of God to perform them, although some of these accounts are actually symbolic expressions or metaphors for important spiritual occurrences. After all, who can find them convincing or persuasive other than eye witnesses? And what do they have to do with a Manifestation's divine mission? Even Pharoah's priests were able to turn staffs into serpents in the presence of Moses, so apparently this power is not confined to God's Messengers. As a result, Bahá'ís pay little attention to the personal accounts of believers or others of miracles by the Báb or Bahá'u'lláh. They are given no special attention in our literature, but they are there.

The martyrs of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh are not alone at the time of their martyrdom. Here is a remarkable story of Bahá'u'lláh being physically present in two places at the same time - Akká and Yazd. Yazd has been the scene of much barbaric cruelty toward Bábís and Bahá'ís for over 160 years. The episode is the martyrdom of seven Bahá'ís in Yazd in 1891. It is told by Adib Taherzadeh in The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Vol III.

But thousands of men and women who went to the field of martyrdom and joyously laid down their lives in the path of God must have experienced the presence of Bahá'u'lláh so vividly and with such real feeling that the giving of life became a joy instead of torture. To cite an example, the following is a story which Haji Muhammad-Tahir-i-Malmiri has recounted about Mirza Aqay-i-Halabi Saz who was a devoted believer and had had the privilege of attaining the presence of Bahá'u'lláh. He was a tinsmith and had a shop in one of the bazaars of Yazd. In 1891, seven Bahá'ís were put to death by the order of Mahmud Mirza, the Jalalu'd-Dawlih, the Governor of Yazd. They are known as the first seven martyrs of Yazd, the story of whose martyrdom Bahá'u'lláh wrote to The Times of London. The seven were chained together and conducted towards the bazaar amid scenes of jubilation, and at each major crossroads one of them was executed in a most barbaric fashion. The other believers who were shopkeepers or merchants were ordered to stay at their premises and were forced to join others in decorating their shops to celebrate the event.

Haji Mirza was sitting in his shop, his heart filled with grief owing to the tragic turn of events. Then came the tense moment when the few remaining of the seven, chained together, passed in front of his shop. The next junction where one of them was to be beheaded was not far away and could be easily sighted. Haji Muhammad-Tahir-i-Malmiri has recounted that Haji Mirza used to tell the believers in Yazd of his unusual experience on that occasion. He saw to his great surprise that Bahá'u'lláh Himself passed in front of his shop only a few hundred paces behind the martyrs-to-be and was walking quickly in order to reach them. Haji Mirza immediately stepped out of his shop to follow Bahá'u'lláh, who signalled him with the movement of His hand that he should return to the shop. From there, Haji Mirza looked out and saw that Bahá'u'lláh reached the party at the junction and at that very moment the executioner removed the chain from one man and executed him.

Of course, Haji Mirza knew that Bahá'u'lláh was in 'Akká and not in Yazd, but he had no doubt that it was Bahá'u'lláh whom he saw in the bazaar. From this amazing vision he realized that the martyrs were not alone at the time of martyrdom, that their unparalleled courage and heroism was not entirely due to themselves, that Bahá'u'lláh strengthened them with His unfailing power and that those who had reached the pinnacle of faith and assurance were bound to feel the presence of Bahá'u'lláh at their side. It is interesting to note that some years later, Haji Mirza himself was martyred in Yazd.

What Haji Mirza witnessed in the bazaar, although there is no way of proving it, was not mere imagination. The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh is not a man-made, man-inspired cult. Any cult which the minds of men have created can only be expressed within the bounds of man's experience by virtue of its limitations. On the contrary, the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh has originated from God, it has released unimaginable potentialities, both material and spiritual, within human society and like other religions it has brought forth mysteries which human beings can in no wise fathom. The history of the Faith shows episodes similar to that experienced by Haji Mirza.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Baha'is anxiously concerned with current events in Iran


Below find links to two poignant articles shared by the Baha'i International Community relating to the Iranian regime's oppressive measures in the wake of the recent elections, as well as a radio interview addressing issues related to politics in Iran.

With aching hearts, Baha'is of the world focus on the events unfolding in Iran, the birthplace of their religion

"We entreat God to deliver the light of equity and the sun of justice from the thick clouds of waywardness, and cause them to shine forth upon men. No light can compare with the light of justice. The establishment of order in the world and the tranquillity of the nations depend upon it." - Baha'u'llah

Useful Links


From http://news.bahai.org/


A Baha'i perspective on Iran elections - radio interview

An enlightening commentary detailing the Baha'i perspective on the ongoing elections in Iran.

Baha'is Speak Out on Iran Elections on NPR
Posted: 19 Jun 2009

NPR recently interviewed Farhad Sabetan, spokesman of the Baha'i International Community, on the involvement of Iranian Baha'is in their country's politics, specifically in relation to last week's election.
Members of the Baha'i faith, Iran's largest religious minority, have long been discriminated against and persecuted by the Islamic Republic of Iran government. Farhad Sabetan, an official within the Baha'i faith community, offers a reaction to the recent elections.
Listen to the Interview on NPR

From Iran Press Watch

Prison conditions sickening for 7 former Baha'i leaders, possible trial date set

Three articles giving updates on the situation of the imprisoned 'Yaran'.

Reports of a trial date for Baha'i leaders falsely accused of espionage

24 June 2009

According to information conveyed by the authorities in Evin prison to the family members of the seven Baha'is who have been imprisoned in Tehran, Iran, for over a year, their trial date has been set for 11 July 2009. This information has been provided to the family members only orally and, as information conveyed by officials concerning the judicial process has often proved unreliable, it is possible that the Iranian authorities may find some reason to change the trial date.
The seven were arrested in the spring of 2008 and have been held more than a year without formal charges or access to their attorneys. Official Iranian news reports have said the Baha'is will be accused of "espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic."


The trial is apparently scheduled to be held at Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court. This is where American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi was recently convicted of espionage and sentenced to 8 years imprisonment. She was eventually released, but only after an international outcry at the clear politicization of the case and manifestly unjust legal procedures.
"These seven individuals are facing completely false charges," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations. "They - along with the some 30 other Baha'is currently in prison in Iran - are innocent of any wrongdoing and are being held solely because of their religious beliefs."

From http://news.bahai.org/story/719


Update on the Situation of the Yaran
Posted: 23 Jun 2009

On Tuesday, June 23, 2009, Human Rights Activists in Iran provided an alarming update on the situation of the former Baha’i leaders, known as Yaran, which appears below in translation:
After more than a year of incarceration, the situation of the [former] leaders of the Baha’i community of Iran appears to be of profound concern.
According to reports received [by HRA], the seven leaders of the Baha’i community continue to languish in “temporary” incarceration in a high-security section of Evin prison, known as section 209. These seven are: Mahvash Sabet (since Mar. 2008), Jamaloddin Khanjani (May 2008), Saeid Rezaie (May 2008), Fariba Kamalabadi (May 2008), Vahid Tizfahm (May 2008), Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Afif Naeimi.
In addition to psychological pressures, such as, routinely renewing their “temporary” imprisonment, or keeping them in a high-security facility which naturally imposes considerable restrictions on the seven individuals, it is reported that their meal portions has now been reduced considerably to the point that their health is at serious risk. At the same time, prison authorities refuse to permit the families of prisoners to provide the much-needed provisions which would enable them to sustain the brutal conditions of their imprisonment.
Moreover, with the massive arrest of political and civil activists in recent days in Iran and curtailment of telephonic contact of prisoners in Evin with the outside world, the families of these prisoners of conscience have become deeply worried about the condition of their loved-ones.
[Source: http://www.hra-iran.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1312:546&catid=84:502&Itemid=219. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]

Worrisome prison conditions for Yaran


Posted: 23 Jun 2009

Further to our earlier report, Kavian S. Milani on the Newnegah site offered the following on Tuesday, June 23, 2009, based on reports he has received from Iran and promised to offer further details in a few days. Milani also asked that these details be shared with human rights activists, responsible agencies, those interested in improving the situation of civil and human rights in Iran and all other sites and blogs. The following report was shared with Milani:

In a meeting we had with the former Yaran in prison, we learned that their situation in prison is most worrisome to the point that during the entire last year, they have been deprived of such things as even a bed or chair. They have spread a thin blanket on the cement floor where they sit and sleep.

During this whole year, their food has been served in unwashed dishes. It is evident that such unhygienic conditions over a sustained period have had a deeply negative impact on their health. The bread given to them is rotten.

Despite these conditions, the authorities have not given permission for us to bring them food provisions, or for the guards to purchase things they need. The situation has reached the point that one of the former Yaran stated, "It appears that they are determined to kill us by slow death."

At the same time it appears that the legal case of the former Yaran has been transferred from the Ministry of Intelligence and is now in the hand of the Judiciary. Most likely, their trial will take place in about the end of Tir [circa July 21]. Therefore, their file has been given to the defense attorneys to study and prepare for the trial.

It should be noted that during their entire period of incarceration, these prisoner of conscience have not seen the evidence file against them, nor have they been given an opportunity to meet with their lawyers.

[Source: http://www.negah35.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1100&Itemid=24. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]

From Iran Press Watch

Monday, June 22, 2009

Iran's propaganda machine again uses Baha'is as scapegoats


Two articles in which Baha'is are implicated in the ongoing dispute over the election outcome.

Allegations of Baha'i involvement in BBC


Posted: 21 Jun 2009


bbc In an attempt to distract the public from Iran's real issues, anti-Baha'i propaganda is once again flourishing. Baha'is have previously been scapegoated for political conflicts and are a recurring element in Iranian conspiracy theories about the British, Americans, Russians, and Israelis.

Shortly after Iran's foreign minister Mottaki accused the British government of supporting the "wayward Baha'i sect", banners are now being carried through Tehran's streets displaying "BBC: Bahai Broadcasting Company" – an attempt to connect the Baha'is with the British news agency, an unfounded and blatantly false claim.

bbc

From Iran Press Watch


CNN: Iran-UK tensions mounting



Old tactics from Iran - trying to divert the world's attention -

British Foreign Secretary David. Milliband states: "[Iranian Foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki, is] trying to turn an internal dispute into a battle between Iran and other countries."

"[Iran's minister] also accused Britain of supporting followers of the Baha'i faith, a religion that originated in 19th-century Persia but which Iran does not recognize."

Read the whole report from CNN.com here.

Friday, June 19, 2009

26th anniversary of martyrdom of 10 Baha'is hanged for teaching children's classes


Three articles on the heroic martyrdom of 10 Baha'i women in Shiraz, 26 years ago this week. A fourth article is available here.

Remembering a day of tragedy, a day of courage

This week marks the 26th anniversary of the day 10 Bahá'í women were hanged in Shiraz, Iran, for teaching religious classes to Bahá'í youth -- the equivalent of being Sunday School teachers in the West.

One of the men attending the gallows on that day in 1983 confided to a Bahá'í: "We tried saving their lives up to the last moment, but one by one, first the older ladies, then the young girls, were hanged while the others were forced to watch, it being hoped that this might induce them to recant their belief. We even urged them to say they were not Bahá'ís, but not one of them agreed; they preferred the execution."

According to eyewitness reports, the women, ranging in age from 17 to 57, went to their fate singing and chanting, as though they were enjoying a pleasant outing.

Martyrs
The 10 women who were executed In Shiraz, Iran on June 18, 1983
for teaching Bahá'í children's classes in Iran

All of the women had been interrogated and tortured in the months leading up to their execution. Some still bore visible wounds.

The youngest of the martyrs was Muna Mahmudnizhad, known as Mona, a 17-year-old schoolgirl who, because of her youth and conspicuous innocence, became a symbol of the group. In prison, she was lashed on the soles of her feet with a cable and forced to walk on bleeding feet.

Yet she never wavered in her faith, even to the point of kissing the hands of her executioner, and then the rope, before putting it around her own throat.

Another young woman, Zarrin Muqimi-Abyanih, 28, told the interrogators, whose chief goal was to have her disavow her faith: "Whether you accept it or not, I am a Bahá'í. You cannot take it away from me. I am a Bahá'í with my whole being and my whole heart."

The judge said, during the trial of another of the women, Ruya Ishraqi, 23, a veterinary student: "You put yourselves through this agony only for one word: Just say you are not a Bahá'í and I'll see that...you are released..." Ms. Ishraqi responded, "I will not exchange my faith for the whole world."

The names of the other women hanged on June 18, 1983 were: Shahin Dalvand, 25, a sociologist; Izzat Janami Ishraqi, 57, a homemaker; Mahshid Nirumand, 28, who had qualified for a degree in physics but had it denied her because she was a Bahá'í; Simin Sabiri, 25; Tahirih Arjumandi Siyavushi, 30, a nurse; Akhtar Thabit, 25, also a nurse; and Nusrat Ghufrani Yalda'i, 47, a mother and member of the local Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly.

All had considered their duty to teach Bahá'í religious classes — especially after the government had barred Bahá'í children from attending even regular school.

From the US Baha'i website.


Shirin DalvandFew incidents in Iran of recent decades have been more shocking than the group execution of ten Bahá’í women in Shiraz on 18 June 1983. Their crime? Teaching children following the government’s ban on Bahá’í pupils from attending schools.

Among the hanged was 25-year old Shirin Dalvand, pictured right.

“Shirin had moved with our whole family to the United Kingdom but returned to Shiraz to finish her degree in sociology,” recalls Shirin’s sister Shahla Davarpanah, who now lives in Newcastle in the north-east of England, “When the Iran-Iraq war started, no one could come out. Shirin stayed with our grandparents.”

The cruel hangings of Shirin Dalvand and her nine co-religionists not only revealed the religious basis of Iran’s persecution against Bahá’ís. It also demonstrated the courage with which the group faced their executioner.

Ranging in age from 17 to 57, the ten were led to the gallows in succession. The authorities apparently hoped that as each saw the others die, they would renounce their own faith. But according to eyewitness reports, the women went to their fate singing and chanting.

Muna MahmudnizhadAll of the women had been interrogated and tortured in the months leading up to their execution. The youngest of those killed was Muna Mahmudnizhad, pictured left, a 17-year old schoolgirl who because of her youth and innocence became, in a sense, a symbol for the group. In prison, she was lashed on the soles of her feet with a cable and forced to walk. Yet she would not be swayed from her Faith, even to the point of kissing the hands of her executioner and then the rope before putting it around her own throat. Muna’s story inspired a best-selling song and music video in Canada, and is now being made into a major feature film. Oscar-nominated actress from House of Sand and Fog, Shirin Agdashloo, has committed to playing the role of Muna’s mother in the film.

25 years on from the Shiraz hangings, Shahla Davarpanah is anxiously concerned about the safety of the seven Bahá’í leaders in Iran, recently arrested in dawn raids ominously similar to the events of the early 1980s when some 200 Bahá’ís were killed for their faith. “These events bring back all the memories,” said Mrs Davarpanah. “It’s hard to believe it’s still happening.”

But she senses that the people of Iran have changed since the events of 1983. “They know more than before. They have been told lies for so long and now can see that the Bahá’ís are not what the authorities say they are.”

Along with the worldwide Bahá’í community and countless other friends and supporters, Mrs Davarpanah is praying that the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran will soon end. “I hope that the Bahá’ís in Iran will soon have the freedom to be able to live their lives in peace,” she said, “and that others will see the reality of what they truly stand for.”

From Bahá'í News UK


The Right to Believe!

Posted: 18 Jun 2009

mona-460 Editors' Note: Today, June 18, marks the anniversary of martyrdom of 10 brave and devoted Baha'i ladies in Shiraz. Iran Press Watch is pleased to mark their sacrifice of love with the following essay.

Dedicated to the loving memory of the 10 women who were put to death in Shiraz on 18 June 1983 because of their adherence to the Baha'i Faith!

Pondering upon the voyage that has led humankind to its present-day place and purpose, one cannot overlook the reality that advancement and innovation, nobility and fulfilment, comfort and gratification, have all come to us by means of supreme sacrifice.

Many have walked the face of the earth throughout the years and centuries, and — partaking of the provisions and treasures offered by creation — have passed into the vastness of forgetfulness; yet there are those who have covered – with mighty strides – the same distance in order to leave behind a mark of distinction, not only by the way they lived but also by the manner in which they died … Those who have not merely walked upon the earth, but rather irrigated it with the tide of love that has surged in their hearts for humanity.

The world today stands on a ground more solid than ever before for the realisation of the need for a brotherhood that is worthy of humankind; and speaks more proudly than ever for the liberty it now offers humanity in the recognition of the rights of every single human being! Many have indeed been the pure souls of every race, religion and creed who have impressed their prints on the book of creation with the suffering they have endured for freedom and liberty and with the sacrifices they have made in the path of justice and equity.

Amongst such noble souls who stood up for their right – and the right of others – to believe were 10 Iranian women who lived amongst us not so far back in history; and gave their lives in utter submission on 18 June 1983 in the nation's Southern city of Shiraz for refusing to deny the truth of a religion they had espoused. To these women, the Muslim clergy in Iran gave four chances to simply state in mere words their recantation of their faith; however, instead they decided to drink from the chalice of martyrdom and to adorn the pages of history with the crimson that was the beautiful colour of the blood streaming out from their loving hearts.

One of these 10 women, a mere child of 16, by the name of Mona Mahmudnizhad, spoke of liberty and the right to believe only months before her martyrdom in one of her school essays. In this essay entitled, liberty and upholding-liberty in Islam, she writes:

"The fruit of the religion of Islam is liberty and upholding liberty. Whoever tastes this fruit shall partake of its benefits. Liberty is a resplendent expression amongst all other glowing expressions in the world.

Humankind has always strived for liberty and freedom; so why is it that this freedom is at times taken from us? Why has freedom not always existed from the start of humanity? Why has the world always seen tyrants who have imposed their will upon others? Why are there people who are willing to inflict any sort of injustice upon the others in order that they may safeguard their own interests? What really is true liberty? What is the true meaning of freedom? How does it even come into being?

Some claim that they work to establish equality, and therefore they need freedom! In response to them, I say that absolute equality will never be possible regardless of whether you live in utmost freedom or under utter suppression. Instead, one must strive for the equality of rights; and one can work towards attaining equality of rights even in the absence of freedom…

Why is it that you don't allow me the freedom in society to express my aspirations; so that I may say who I am and what I seek! So that I may be able to introduce my religious beliefs! Why is it that you don't grant me the freedom of speech and penmanship, so that I may print my thoughts in newspapers and speak out in radio and television?

Yes, freedom is a heavenly gift, and this gift must be bestowed upon all; yet, you do not allow me to speak out freely as a Baha'i!

Why is it that you do not wish to know that a new religion has appeared? Why is it that you do not remove from before your eyes those thick veils covering the brilliant new Revelation that has dawned?

Perhaps you feel in your subconscious mind that you are not free! That is certainly a reality; and you do indeed lack freedom! You are devoid of the freedom to think! You have put limitations on your thinking and frozen your thoughts…

Freedom is a heavenly gift; so do not deprive yourselves of such a gift! By God; it is a pitiful sin to do so! God has granted this freedom within the essence of every human; and therefore you as a creature of God cannot deprive me of it; and I, as a creature of God, shall not grant you permission to deprive me of it.

God gave me the freedom to think; and thus I thought and reflected and reached the certitude that Baha'u'llah is the Truth. God granted me the freedom to express; and thus I cry out and express that Baha'u'llah is the Truth. God granted me the freedom to write; and thus I write with eloquent penmanship that Baha'u'llah is "Him Whom God Shall make manifest". He is the Prophet-Founder of the Baha'i Faith, and His book is a Divine Book. God granted me the power to think, to write and to believe; and — in giving me such powers — God's will was not contingent upon a freedom that you would bestow upon me.

Therefore the outcome of your taking our freedom away lies only within the sins you have stored for yourselves. Do give us our freedom then, for we have the power to believe in God and Baha'u'llah; and this power no earthly weapon can destroy! Nay, your efforts will only strengthen our faith. One of the Teachings of Baha'u'llah is the unification of humankind; thus we have the freedom to strive to attain it. Another one of His Teachings is non-involvement in politics, thus we are free not to interfere in your politics…"

Such were some of the words of a teenager spoken in turbulent days, when men and women were taken to the gallows for no other sin but believing in what they felt in their hearts to be the truth!

Numerous indeed were homes that were set on fire…properties that were confiscated or looted…bodily injuries that were sustained…and emotional bruises that resulted.

Children watched in despair as their belongings were burnt to ashes…as their fathers and brothers were slapped and kicked around…as their mothers and sisters were pulled by the hair and shoved into cars and driven away….

And yet for all who gave their lives, martyrdom was the ultimate expression of liberty. They had the freedom to believe and nothing — not even giving up their lives — was to stand in the way of their right to believe!

And such have been the marvellous acts of heroism upon the stage of the recent drama in the land of Persia! The heroes and heroines of this theatre of love, those who set out dancing on their way to the habitation of their Lord, have indeed been overwhelmed by sorrow and pain, calamity and tribulation, sacrifice and martyrdom; but all of this they welcomed as proof of their love and vindication of their faith. All of this they bore willingly in the fervent hope that their sacrifice may further the cause of the oneness of humankind.

For each and every man, woman and child, who has ever championed the cause of equal rights for humanity and of the freedom to believe and to co-exist in peace, may the songbirds eternally sing salutations and praise; and may those dear souls forever be remembered with gratitude and reverence.

  • Mrs. Nusrat Yalda'i, 54 years old
  • Mrs. 'Izzat Janami Ishraqi, 50 years old
  • Miss Roya Ishraqi, 23 years old
  • Mrs. Tahirih Siyavushi, 32 years old
  • Miss Zarrin Muqimi, 28 years old
  • Miss Shirin Dalvand, 25 years old
  • Miss Akhtar Sabit, 20 years old
  • Miss Simin Sabiri, 23 years old
  • Miss Mahshid Nirumand, 28 years old

1980 letter from Iran's Baha'i National Spiritual Assembly anticipating persecutions


A moving letter that welcomes the persecutions the steadfast Baha'i community of Iran was destined to undergo in the wake of the Islamic revolution.
(Excerpts:)
No matter how severe the events which the future holds, nor how continuous the blows of calamities and the repulsion of difficulties which lay ahead, you must increase the degree of your perseverance and raise high with your loving arms the banners of victory above your faithful hearts. Do not look at your weakness or feebleness; rather fix your gaze upon the grandeur and sovereignty of your Almighty God, and rely on the divine confirmations of the Lord of all creation. Concentrate all your thoughts solely on your sacred spiritual responsibilities, but do not look to any individual or institution. In other words, every one of you devoted friends should consider himself the only person in the entire world who is wearing the luminous crown of divine teachings and the only one who holds in his hands the life-giving banner of the Cause of Baha'u'llah for the world of humanity; so that he may strive, with a firm resolution, unflinching determination, steadfast steps and hopeful heart, to tread his undeviating path in the chosen highway of God and, with a brilliant countenance and head held high, continue with an unwavering attitude to focus his radiant gaze on the golden horizon of the Cause of God. ...

...it is destined, at this point in the Formative Age of the Faith, that calamities and difficulties be inflicted upon the fellow countrymen of the Greatest Name [Baha'u'llah] in the Cradle of the Faith and that evident sacrifices and self-abnegation by each and every one of those dear ones should serve as the fountainhead of the new spiritual energies that will accelerate the movement of human society toward the exalted objectives of the Cause of God.

Beloved and adored friends, in an attempt to summarize the humble desires of our Assembly, we convey to you the following: No matter how dark the horizon may appear for the near future, you, as the soldiers of the army of life, must keep the candles of love and faith lit in the sanctuary of your hearts, lest they may be extinguished through the winds of oppression and injustice.May we be sacrifices for each and every one of those candles of love and fidelity.

Keep the Candles Burning!

Posted: 17 Jun 2009

NSAIran Editor's Note: At the height of the Islamic revolt some 30 years ago, when uncertainty had thoroughly enveloped the Baha'i community of that land, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Iran issued a letter which appears below in translation. This letter was inscribed on the heart of every Baha'i of Iran and remains to this day one of the most celebrated documents of the era. Iran Press Watch is pleased to offer this translation, and to note that the original text is posted on our Persian page, at: http://www.iranpresswatch.org/fa/

Keep the Candles Burning!

To the devotees of the Greatest Name in the Cradle of the Faith, upon them be the Glory of God!

In the midst of this agitated, worried and troubled world, in which the pillars of material civilization are trembling, the global order has been disturbed, and nations have become engulfed in a severe and varied storm of calamities and tribulations, the people of Baha – those chosen ones of the All-Glorious and the promulgators of divine civilization – a civilization that is neither of the East nor of the West – who behold the fulfillment of explicit divine apostrophes with their outward eyes – have, with the utmost gratitude, joy, resignation and detachment, placing their whole trust in God and remaining completely detached from all else besides Him, risen to carry out the mighty spiritual mission entrusted to them during the formative age of the Faith of God; and are engaged in discharging their sacred duty with respect to propagating the healing message of Baha'u'llah and inaugurating the foundations of the divine civilization foretold by the Heavenly Father.

In the cradle of the Faith, the fulfillment of divine prophesies, which are all instrumental in paving the way for the appearance and maturation of latent spiritual forces and achieving the most brilliant and noblest of ideals by the people of Baha, has created conditions which compel these frail, longing ones to address each and every one of you brave, true and sacrificing friends with our hearts filled with love, sincerity, servitude and humility; to beseech you to arise under these momentous and critical circumstances , and "laying hold on this Sure Handle"[1] of divine teachings and sacred verses, to arise and fulfill in these days that which is worthy of your station. We are firmly confident that your chosen representatives, the members of the Local Spiritual Assemblies, have, like unto immovable and mighty mountains, stood against the storm of difficulties and trials, are rendering their services with constancy and perseverance, and are grateful to their Lord for the Will of God. As the Supreme Pen has revealed, they "are not apprehensive of trials and adversities, nor do they flee away from that which is ordained by God."[2] They are at all times mindful of the luminous verses revealed from the sacred Pen, "Verily God hath made adversity as a morning dew upon His green pasture, and a wick for His lamp which lighteth earth and heaven."[3]

They act in accordance with the divine admonitions and pursue their devoted services to the last breath; to them, returning alive from the path which leads to their Beloved is not considered a sign of true love.

And you admirers of the Greatest Name, you candles of love and fidelity, this day is your day. Each and every one of the beloved friends who are scattered throughout this blessed land – a land where every mountain and meadow is reddened by the blood of the Heroic Age – must be cognizant of his present critical condition, and must arise to that which is worthy of service to the Threshold of the Almighty in these days.

No matter how severe the events which the future holds, nor how continuous the blows of calamities and the repulsion of difficulties which lay ahead, you must increase the degree of your perseverance and raise high with your loving arms the banners of victory above your faithful hearts. Do not look at your weakness or feebleness; rather fix your gaze upon the grandeur and sovereignty of your Almighty God, and rely on the divine confirmations of the Lord of all creation. Concentrate all your thoughts solely on your sacred spiritual responsibilities, but do not look to any individual or institution. In other words, every one of you devoted friends should consider himself the only person in the entire world who is wearing the luminous crown of divine teachings and the only one who holds in his hands the life-giving banner of the Cause of Baha'u'llah for the world of humanity; so that he may strive, with a firm resolution, unflinching determination, steadfast steps and hopeful heart, to tread his undeviating path in the chosen highway of God and, with a brilliant countenance and head held high, continue with an unwavering attitude to focus his radiant gaze on the golden horizon of the Cause of God.

Beloved and cherished friends, the Holy Writings and sacred passages on living a Baha'i life and on the life of a Baha'i family are so abundant and plentiful that each one of those dear souls have surely repeatedly come across them and have committed to memory the exhortations of the Sanctified Figures of the Faith and those of the beloved Guardian on this subject. That which we particularly wish to draw to your attention at this point is that today, more than ever before, Baha'i families must pay attention to the importance of living a Baha'i life and draw sufficient benefit from this stronghold. The more severe probable future difficulties become, the greater will the significance of this point become.

We must build a temple of love and devotion in every Baha'i household, and in it heal and comfort our hearts and souls from the ills of the world by reciting prayers and soul-stirring blessed verses. We must hold a spiritual feast every day and every night; rejoice with a heavenly spirit; sing songs of sacrifice and self-offering; and engage in praise, glorification and submissiveness to the Compassionate God. If we have lost our schools, we must turn our homes into divine centers of learning and endeavor to teach our youth and children. Give them lessons in morality, and prepare and train them for their spiritual services. If we have lost our printing house and publications, we must turn to the ocean of the treasury of the Holy Writings and satisfy our souls' thirst with the sweet-tasting waters of prayer and meditation. We must bear in mind that if the friends are barred and deprived of freedom in the birthplace of the Greatest Name [Baha'u'llah], the cry of Ya Baha'u'l-Abha is being raised in over one hundred thousand places throughout the world, and the teachings of Baha'u'llah are spreading to all corners of the earth both through the soldiers of the army of God and through private and public media. Thus, every day more and more of the inhabitants of this planet are raising the cry of "Here am I" [4] as they join the great band of the champion-builders of the world of tomorrow and attain a certitude of heart that to establish a civilization worthy of man will require the creation of a new breed of human beings with a new spirit and under a new and wondrous divine world order. This is that same mighty mission which the Faith of Baha'u'llah has entrusted to our age; attaining a golden future is the ultimate goal toward which humanity is moving under the effect of the unifying forces of the Cause of God.

Just as the life-giving blood of the martyrs of the Prophetic Age of the Faith resulted – as attested by the beloved Guardian – in diffusion of God's Cause throughout all regions of the world, it is destined, at this point in the Formative Age of the Faith, that calamities and difficulties be inflicted upon the fellow countrymen of the Greatest Name [Baha'u'llah] in the Cradle of the Faith and that evident sacrifices and self-abnegation by each and every one of those dear ones should serve as the fountainhead of the new spiritual energies that will accelerate the movement of human society toward the exalted objectives of the Cause of God.

The beloved and dear friends throughout the whole of the blessed country of Iran should therefore consider the mysteries enshrined in "My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy."[5] They must pray with utmost devotion and sincerity, and render thanks and gratitude to their Lord for granting this bounty – out of His infinite mercy and affection – to our generation; so that by enduring these calamities and by giving our possessions and lives in the path of God, we may bestow eternal glory upon our insignificant earthly lives. "Is there a greater bounty than this? Nay, by God!"

Beloved and adored friends, in an attempt to summarize the humble desires of our Assembly, we convey to you the following:

No matter how dark the horizon may appear for the near future, you, as the soldiers of the army of life, must keep the candles of love and faith lit in the sanctuary of your hearts, lest they may be extinguished through the winds of oppression and injustice.

May we be sacrifices for each and every one of those candles of love and fidelity.

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Iran

Dey 1358 [January 1980]

[1] Kitab Aqdas, K117. From the Qur'an, 2:256: "Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold [or handle - a title of the Prophet - al-'urwat al-wuthqa], that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things." [Yusuf 'Ali translation]

[2] Baha'u'llah, Lawh Shikar Shikan, Bahá'í World, Vol. 18 (1979-83), page 11

[3] Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 17. This passage was previously revealed in Baha'u'llah's Tablet to the Shah of Iran.

[4] cf Genesis 22:7, in which Isaac, at the point of being sacrificed by Abraham at God's command, says "Here am I". This is also part of the ceremony of the hajj – the Islamic Pilgrimage. See also the Baha'i Long Obligatory Prayer: "I entreat Thee by Thy footsteps in this wilderness, and by the words 'Here am I. Here am I' which Thy chosen Ones have uttered in this immensity, and by the breaths of Thy Revelation, and the gentle winds of the Dawn of Thy Manifestation, to ordain that I may gaze on Thy beauty and observe whatsoever is in Thy Book. "

[5] Baha'u'llah, Arabic Hidden Words, No. 51.

[Translation and annotation by Iran Press Watch. This translation benefited from a previous rendering by Gloria Yazdani.]



From Iran Press Watch

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Systematic rebuttal of false charges by Iranian authorities against Baha'i Faith

 
To view a document addressing the Iranian government's propaganda against the Baha'is, written in 1982 but equally relevant today, click here.
 

After 27 Years, Still Very Relevant …

Posted: 13 Jun 2009

In Iran many things have changed over the last 30 years; however in Iran, many things have not changed over the last 30 years.  One of the things that has not changed has been the nature of the cynically fabricated and utterly false charges brought against the beleaguered Baha'is of that nation.

27 years ago, the Iranian representative to the United Nations tried to justify their heinous crimes against the Baha'is of Iran by circulating a document entitled, "Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran – a review of the facts."  These so-called facts were demonstrably false, and the accusations of the Islamic Republic were completely fabricated.  Nonetheless, the Baha'i International Community issued a well-reasoned document in which it refuted each and every one of these charges and demonstrated the ill-founded basis of attacks on the Baha'is.  This document remains as relevant today as it was 27 years ago.

The fact remains that the Baha'i Faith presents an existential challenge to many of the foundations of the Iranian regime.  First and foremost, the Baha'i Faith is founded upon a new revelation subsequent to Islam given to its Founders in the nineteenth century.  Secondly, the Baha'i Faith states that that it is no longer necessary to have a paid clerical class to intermediate between God and mankind – that people can interpret their own scriptures.  Third, and perhaps most alarmingly to the regime, the Baha'i community of Iran has been impervious to the intensive persecution which has been heaped upon it for the past 160 years by the clerical class – its members refuse to recant their faith unto death, and they fearlessly refuse to accept or repeat lies, a major challenge in any country built and maintained upon the fear, ignorance and gullibility of its population.

Finally, the refusal of the Baha'is to compromise their principles by opposing the government of Iran has paradoxically made it harder for the regime to eradicate this Faith, inasmuch as an article of faith for Baha'is is that they may not seek to overthrow or in any other way oppose the Islamic Republic (or any government), which could be used to justify the government in instituting a massive pogrom.  Despite continuous severe provocation, the Baha'is remain loyal and concerned Iranian citizens.  Hence ridiculous charges such as those detailed below have been fabricated.

Iran Press Watch urges its esteemed readers to a close study of this important document.

BIC Rebuttal 1982 (PDF)

 

From Iran Press Watch

 


Saturday, June 13, 2009

The face of the Iranian propaganda machine against Baha'is

 
The following is a telling indication of the degree of misinformation that government agencies are seeking to spread about the situation of the Baha'is in Iran!

Iran's Official Propaganda about the Baha'is

Posted: 02 Jun 2009

Like all other embassies, the Iranian embassy in Greece also publishes information for the benefit of those wishing to visit Iran or learn about Iran.  This document is available at:  http://www.iranembassy.gr/eng/files/HumanRightsinIran.pdf.  A copy of this pdf file is attached for ease of reference.

Interestingly enough, on pages 38 and 39 there is a section on the Baha'i community.  Judge for yourself if anything written in this official document of the Iranian government is true about the Baha'is of that country:

Bahá'ís in Iran

Just like other countries, only a limited number of religions have been announced as official Religions in Iran. Although Bahaism is not considered an official religion, its followers enjoy social, civic and citizenship rights. Bahaism has not been identified by any Islamic country and the Organization of Islamic Countries. Some aspects relating to the citizenship rights of Bahais are as follows:

  • The followers of this cult have their own cemeteries throughout the country and their dead are buries according to their customs and traditions.
  • They can enroll in schools just like others. They can travel inside and outside Iran just like other citizens and their visa are issued freely.
  • Bahais teachings start at the age of four. For this purpose, an institute has been formed teaching all Bahá'ís of all ages.
  • Geriatric hospitals have been created for elderly Bahá'ís.
  • Economically speaking, they can get work and profession permits and there are no poor Bahá'ís in Iran. They may travel abroad to do business and they are provided with equal banking and commerce facilities.
  • They may very well go to universities to continue their education. Contrary to what the fans of this cult claim overseas, every year tens of Bahá'ís graduate from universities.

Download: Official Document

 
 

Charge against 7 Baha'i leaders of "spreading corruption on earth"

On Mofsed fel-Arz - Spreading Corruption on Earth

Posted: 15 May 2009

by Geoffrey Cameron

A year after the seven Baha'i leaders [Yaran, or "Friends"] in Iran were arrested and imprisoned, the government has yet to make any formal charges against them. Their families report being told, however, that they may be charged with 'Mofsed fel-Arz', which means 'one who engages in spreading corruption on earth', and carries the death penalty. This new unofficial charge differs from those that were intimated by Tehran's Deputy Prosecutor on 10 February 2009: espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.1 The charge of 'spreading corruption on earth' has a chilling history, and it should alert us to the grave threat to the lives of the Baha'i leaders.

The meaning of 'Mofsed fel-Arz'

What does 'Mofsed fel-Arz' mean? In its Quranic usage, it means "corrupt conditions, caused by unbelievers and unjust people, that threaten social and political well-being."2 While the term previously referred to traditional Islamic ideas relating to sin, Ayatollah Khomeini transformed it into a tool to be wielded by the Islamic state against its perceived enemies.3

In his first book in Persian, Khomeini wrote (condemning the modernist clergy): "Muslim government [should] stop the spread of such illegal and heretical ideas, and execute in public and in the presence of all true believers all such provocateurs who spread corruption on earth."4 Elsewhere, he emphasized that the just ruler should "subordinate individuals to the collective interest of society" by rooting out "numerous groups that were a source of corruption and harm" - just as the Prophet Mohammad had "eliminated" the Jews of Medina.5

An anti-Revolutionary charge

What makes the charge of 'spreading corruption on earth' especially alarming is that it calls to mind the early days of the Revolution. It was primarily used as a reason to execute hundreds of former members of the Shah's regime - high officials and military chiefs. It was the charge made against former Prime Minister Amir-Abbas Hoveida in an infamous trial where he spent his last moments debating the legal meaning of 'Mofsed fel-Arz', before the judge pronounced him guilty and had him executed minutes later.

The Omid electronic database of human rights violations in Iran registers more than 300 people executed for 'Mofsed fel-Arz'.6 Most were affiliated with the Shah's regime, and there have been only a handful of executions under the charge in the past 20 years. The Baha'i International Community reports that it was also used against Baha'is who were executed in the early 1980s. The charges against Baha'is were not usually made public in those cases, so it is difficult to discover more details about the circumstances of the cases (although the arbitrary nature of revolutionary justice and the targeted campaign against Baha'i leaders often made context virtually irrelevant).

The cases of others executed under the charge tell us something about how it was used, however. Ayatollah Sadeq Khalkhali, who was one of the most active judges in applying the charge of 'spreading corruption on earth', defined it in his memoirs:

    A Corrupter on earth is a person who contributes to spreading and expanding corruption on earth. Corruption is what leads to the decline, destruction and deviation of society from its [true] nature. People who were executed had striven to spread corruption and prostitution, distributing heroin and opium and exhibiting licentious behavior, atheism, murder, betrayal, flattery: in sum, all these vile qualities. These people's problems were aggravated by the fact that they did not repent once they saw the people's revolution.7

Khalkhali referred to those he sentenced to death under the charge as "traitors" who "destroyed society".

Recent use of 'Mofsed fel-Arz'

Executions have followed in recent cases in which defendants have been convicted of 'spreading corruption on earth'. Last month, the official IRNA news agency reported that three men were hanged outside of Shiraz (two of them students) and their charges were upheld because of a 'conspiracy to overthrow the government'.8 They were convicted of carrying out the November 2008 bomb attack on amosque in Shiraz, and were accused of having ties to the United States.

An alarming development

The charge 'Mofsed fel-Arz' has chilling precedents and implications in Iran, and it should be a source of great concern that there may be official discussion about applying it to the imprisoned Baha'i leaders. It signifies collective conspiracy, moral corruption, and collusion with outsiders to undermine the Islamic Republic, and these are all among the baseless accusations that have been leveled against Baha'is in the past. Of greatest concern is that the charge carries the penalty of death.

Fair trials are uncommon in Iran, and judges are not known to be neutral third parties, especially when it comes to deciding cases where such opaque charges make the standards of evidence equally unclear. The fact that these Baha'is have still not been permitted to meet with their lawyer, [the Nobel Peace laureate] Shirin Ebadi, does not bode well for the judicial process.

This new charge against the Baha'is requires the closest attention from the governments and citizens who stand in solidarity with the imprisoned Baha'i leadership. It is an alarming development and a frightening reminder of the sinister intentions of the government.

Geoffrey Cameron is a research associate at the London-based Foreign Policy Centre,. Mr. Cameron is also co-author of the 2008 publication 'A Revolution without Rights? Women, Kurds and Baha'is Searching for Equality in Iran.'

1 See: http://news.bahai.org/story/713
2 John Esposito. The Oxford Dictionary of Islam: "Mufsid fil-Ard", p.83. See also Sura 5:33 of the Qur'an.
3 Reza Afshari. Human Rights in Iran: The Abuse of Cultural Relativism, p.33.
4 Abbas Milani. The Persian Sphinx, p.84.
5 Elton L. Daniel. The History of Iran, p.187.
6 See: http://www.iranrights.org
7 See: http://www.iranrights.org/english/document-233.php
8 See: http://www.javno.com/en-world/iran-sentences-three-men-to-death-over-bombing_209153
At one point, Baha'is were blamed for this crime, but it was later blamed on a Sunni Muslim group.

From Iran Press Watch: The Baha'is

Prayer in response to Baha'is' oppression


A Prayer for the Baha'is of Iran

Posted: 21 May 2009

shoghi-effendi_ung_small In March 1927, a devoted Baha'i known as the Aminu'l-'Ulama Ardabili was martyred in Iran. When this news reached Shoghi Effendi, he expressed his sorrow through the composition of the following prayer. Recently, the Baha'is of Iran have circulated this prayer as a means of remembering the current community members who are imprisoned or otherwise suffer hardship in Iran.

Iran Press Watch is pleased to offer the following provisional translation of this moving supplication as means of remembering all those who suffer at the hand of injustice, cruelty and repression.

He is God!

O God, Thy sincere servants are afflicted by the malice and cruelty of such as oppose Thee: do Thou deliver them!

The beloved of that Resplendent Beauty are as oppressed sheep in the claws of ignorant malicious wolves: do Thou release them!

The nightingales of Thy Garden of Sanctity are sobbing among the owls of deceit and treachery: be Thou their defender!

The fair-faced lovers of Thy Precious Cause are caught in the machinations of cruel and oppressive fiends: set them free!

Although calamity is the well-spring of bounty, yet the hearts of Thy kindred are more delicate than a breeze from the East. While the tyranny of enemies is the herald proclaiming this Most Great, this glorious Cause, yet the weakened and fainting Friends are being pierced by the ceaseless darts of a hostile people.

The servant of Thy threshold,

Shoghi.

[A biography of the Aminu'l-'Ulama is available in 'Azizu'llah Sulaymani, Masabih Hidayat, vol. 2, pp. 357-389, http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/areprint/authors/sulayman/masabih2/masabih2.htm.]


Muslim converts to different faiths face intimidation from families, Iranian authorities


The cost of religious conversion in Iran

Posted: 11 May 2009

Editor's Note: Last October, the Iranian parliament voted in favour of a draft bill which would make the death penalty compulsory for all male apostates, while female apostates must live out their years in prison. If this bill is passed it will jeopardise the future of all Baha'is and Christian in Iran. The bill was hardly mentioned in the international press.

Theresa Malinowska

Theresa Malinowska

by Theresa Malinowska (Guardian UK)

In Iran, Christians like Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirzadeh face detention without charge, just for practising their beliefs

There's no shortage of press coverage on Iran. Its ambitious nuclear programme combines with a steady flow of delusional commentary from President Ahmadinejad to ensure it a permanent presence on the international media stage.

What we rarely get to hear about in detail is the damage the Iranian ruling elite causes its own citizens on a daily basis.

Since the Islamic revolution, the 300,000-strong Baha'i community has faced consistent discrimination in Iran. They've been the victims of extrajudicial killings and unexplained disappearances. According to the community, 40 Baha'is are currently being detained in prison for no other "crime" than practicing their own beliefs. This number includes members of their national leadership. Baha'is are still banned from receiving higher education.

Although members of historical Christian minorities, such as Armenians, enjoy relative freedom in Iran, the story is different for those who have converted to Christianity from Islam.

Muslim converts to different faiths face intimidation, not only from their own families, but also from the Iranian authorities. They are regularly threatened, assaulted and detained without charges, or even executed. There are roughly 10,000 Christians from Muslim backgrounds in Iran and their experiences have not been very different to those of the Iranian Baha'i community.

Their stories and cries for help regularly get ignored by the international community, despite the fact that the freedom to change religion is clearly enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Maryam Rostampour, 27, and Marzieh Amirzadeh, 30, are currently being held in the notorious Evin prison. These women are both converts to Christianity from Islam, and have been imprisoned without charge since 5 March, when police officers searched their home.

Maryam and Marzieh suffered sleep deprivation as part of the police interrogation process and are now sharing a cell with 27 other women. The women are known to be practicing Christians.

CSW's research claims that there were more than 22 similar cases of apostates who were arrested and released during 2006. The story is usually the same. The victims are released following hefty bail payments, but are never given the opportunity to challenge their illegal detention. They are then left to patch up their lives and face the social stigma of being "apostates" in their communities.

Life in Iran may get even more challenging for "apostates" in the coming years.

Last October, the Iranian parliament voted in favour of a draft bill which would make the death penalty compulsory for all male apostates, while female apostates must live out their years in prison. If this bill is passed it will jeopardise the future of all Baha'is and Christian converts in Iran. The bill was hardly mentioned in the international press.

In light of that, there was something deeply ironic about President Ahmadinejad standing at the UN's recent conference on racism, unashamedly lecturing the world on human rights. It is tragic to see the language of human rights manipulated in this way. Whatever President Ahmadinejad may say, hundreds of thousands of Iranians are having their voices silenced and their dignity destroyed, even as I write.

[Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/may/09/iran-christianity-conversion]



From Iran Press Watch: The Baha'is