New trial date set for 7 former Bahá'í leaders in Iran

The Bahá'í World News service announced the following yesterday (16 December):

Trial set for 12 January in case of seven Baha'i "leaders": Attorneys have received formal notification of a trial date of 12 January in the case of the five men and two women who formerly comprised the small group called the Friends in Iran. They were arrested in the spring of 2008 and have been held in Tehran's Evin Prison for more than a year and a half.












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Photo copyright Bahá’í International Community.

Front-page photo of Bahá'í "Lotus" temple in Iran newspaper provokes ban

Ban on newspaper lifted

ILNA | AP | Nov. 23, 2009

Iranian authorities have banned the country's largest-circulation newspaper for publishing a photo of a Baha'i temple, state media reported Monday.

Iran's Shiite cleric-led regime views the Baha'i religion as heretical and has banned it since the 1979 revolution. The photo also gave Iran's leaders an opportunity to silence the Hamshahri daily, which mostly reports on social issues but which has been critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Hamshahri was ordered closed by the Press Supervisory Board, a government agency run by hard-liners, for printing an advertisement containing a photo of a Baha'i temple that encourages tourists to visit the shrine, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The newspaper's director, Ali Reza Mahak, said he has received no order to close and was preparing to publish Hamshahri's Tuesday edition. But Deputy Culture Minister Mohammad Ali Ramin later confirmed to Iran's state TV that Hamshahri has been ordered closed.
The IRNA report said legal authorities would investigate the newspaper, which is run by Tehran's municipality and supports the capital's mayor, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a moderate conservative who has long been a rival of Ahmadinejad.
Iran's hard-line judiciary has shut down more than 120 pro-reform newspapers and jailed dozens of editors and writers on vague charges of insulting authorities since 2000.
The closure order was also a message to Iran's estimated 300,000 Baha'is.
Seven Baha'i leaders have been in jail since May 2008 on charges of endangering national security for allegedly proselytizing. Leaders of the minority faith, however, say they are being persecuted by Iran's government for their religious beliefs.
Earlier, from ILNA...
A week-long ban on Hamshahri newspaper was lifted after a few hours. The daily, which is affiliated with the Tehran Municipality, was due to be suspended starting today.
The Press Supervisory Board announced the ban earlier this morning, according to the Iranian Labour News Agency. The suspension order was reportedly issued because the paper ran a tourist advertisement with a photo of a Bahai sect center.

Source found here.

In Brazil visit, open letter to Ahmadinejad from Baha'i National Assembly

An English translation of an open letter from Brazil's National Spiritual Assembly (the highest elected administrative body of the Baha'is of Brazil) during Mr. Ahmadinejad's recent visit to their country. From Iranpresswatch.org (translation slightly edited for clarity - Ed.).

Open Letter to Mr. Ahmadinejad
December 3rd, 2009

      Mr. President,

      Your visit to Brazil, invited by President Lula, provokes reflection on the relations between the two countries. Both Brazil and Iran have attracted increased attention in the world stage: they are rapidly advancing countries, with enormous geopolitical influence, and populations marked by great diversity. Nothing would be more natural, therefore, than to promote this relationship, by which one could share in best practices and establish ties of cooperation.

      In name of the above mentioned similarities, we call your attention to the following point: whereas Brazil has adopted a model of living together in diversity, with policies aimed at promoting participation and respect for human rights, in Iran one finds the arbitrary restriction of such rights in the persecution of minorities, in discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and religious identity.

      In Iran, the Bahá'ís (the largest religious minority in the country) face the severe consequences of religious discrimination, having their work licenses denied, as well as their access to education and justice. Their properties and sacred places have been confiscated and destroyed. In the last 30 years, more than 250 Bahá'ís have been executed for their beliefs; since 2005, more than 200 have been arbitrarily imprisoned, intimidated and harrassed – all because they would not deny their faith. Their seven national leaders have been arbitrarily imprisoned for more than 18 months, their defense being constantly impeded.

      The government-controlled media offends the Bahá'ís with hundreds of articles, radio and television programmes, web posts and leaflets with speeches of hatred, promoted by clergymen and government officials – whereas Bahá'ís are prohibited from exercising their right to respond to the accusations.

      Here in Brazil, the Bahá'ís take part in the construction of democracy and the development of their communities – activities recognized by the Brazilian Government and society. Here, they can practice their faith in freedom and safety, in consonance with the principles of the oneness of humankind, equality of race and gender, promotion of peace and service to humanity.

      How, then, can this difference in treatment be justified? Why is it that the Bahá'ís, in most parts of the world, are seen as persons of good will, committed to the advancement of society, without any involvement in partisan politics; while in Iran, where their Faith was born in the nineteenth century, they receive such a degrading treatment?

      It is the responsibility of governments to promote the common good, to defend the interests of their citizens and to stimulate human development with justice and dignity. We hope that the dialogue between both Presidents may stimulate reflection on the needs for new policies in Iran that would allow the followers of all religions, including the Bahá'ís, to contribute to the progress of their homeland.

Source: http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/5327
Photo source here.