Full list of all stories posted to the Baha'i International Community's home page.
Inequality between rich and poor highlighted by UN panel
UNITED NATIONS — 6 February 2012 — While the economic crisis has led many to focus on inequalities at the national level, the extremes between rich and poor internationally have also grown to become a threat to global stability.
That was among the themes raised by a panel here, held as part of this year's session of the UN Commission for Social Development, which runs until Friday.
Focusing on the Commission's theme of poverty eradication, the discussion – organized by the Baha'i International Community and co-sponsored by ATD Fourth World – brought together top-level UN diplomats, officials from UN agencies, and representatives of non-governmental organizations.
In his remarks, Ambassador Jorge Valero – Permanent Representative for Venezuela to the UN and Chair of the Commission for Social Development – blamed growing inequality on the excesses of global capitalism.
UNITED NATIONS — 6 February 2012 — While the economic crisis has led many to focus on inequalities at the national level, the extremes between rich and poor internationally have also grown to become a threat to global stability.
That was among the themes raised by a panel here, held as part of this year's session of the UN Commission for Social Development, which runs until Friday.
Focusing on the Commission's theme of poverty eradication, the discussion – organized by the Baha'i International Community and co-sponsored by ATD Fourth World – brought together top-level UN diplomats, officials from UN agencies, and representatives of non-governmental organizations.
In his remarks, Ambassador Jorge Valero – Permanent Representative for Venezuela to the UN and Chair of the Commission for Social Development – blamed growing inequality on the excesses of global capitalism.
New crackdown highlights campaign to block progress of Iranian Baha'is
- Persecution of the Bahai Community
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| City of Kerman |
NEW YORK — 26 January 2012 — The Iranian government's systematic strategy to drive Baha'is to economic ruin shows no sign of abating.
According to reports received by the Baha'i International Community, a renewed campaign is under way in Kerman, the major city in south central Iran.
"We have learned that the Public Places Supervision Office is denying the renewal of licenses – and revoking some existing ones – for Baha'i-owned businesses in the city," said Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.
"A wide range of professions are being targeted – from computer sales and repair shops to real estate brokers. Baha'is involved in the sale of iron alloys, steel, or gold are losing their licenses, as are Baha'i-owned businesses relating to food products, and health and cosmetic services, such as opticians," she said.
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| City of Kerman |
NEW YORK — 26 January 2012 — The Iranian government's systematic strategy to drive Baha'is to economic ruin shows no sign of abating.
According to reports received by the Baha'i International Community, a renewed campaign is under way in Kerman, the major city in south central Iran.
"We have learned that the Public Places Supervision Office is denying the renewal of licenses – and revoking some existing ones – for Baha'i-owned businesses in the city," said Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.
"A wide range of professions are being targeted – from computer sales and repair shops to real estate brokers. Baha'is involved in the sale of iron alloys, steel, or gold are losing their licenses, as are Baha'i-owned businesses relating to food products, and health and cosmetic services, such as opticians," she said.
Even in death, Iran's Baha'is face persecution
- Persecution of the Bahai Community
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| Authorities are currently trying to confiscate and destroy the Baha'i cemetery in Sananda |
GENEVA — 19 January 2012 — Eighteen years ago, Baha'is in the Iranian city of Sanandaj were allocated a one-hectare parcel of barren land at the side of a road for use as a cemetery.
This rocky mountainside, devoid of vegetation, was hardly prime real estate but – after the first burial there in the autumn of 1993 – local Baha'is got together to landscape the site, dig out the rocks and replace the soil. They planted and watered by hand 250 cypress and fir saplings, contributed by the Office of Agriculture. They installed electricity and built a small room where bodies could be prepared for burial.
At every step of the way, proper permits were obtained. When the Baha'is wanted to dig a well, permission was sought and granted from the regional water board. At every expiry date, the permit was correctly renewed.
Impressed by the transformation of the site, the Office of Natural Resources suggested that the Baha'is consider planting trees on public land adjacent to the cemetery, thereby expanding the green zone. As a result, the largely Sunni Muslim residents of Sanandaj came to respect the place as a symbol of the Baha'i community's peaceful presence in their city.
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| Authorities are currently trying to confiscate and destroy the Baha'i cemetery in Sananda |
GENEVA — 19 January 2012 — Eighteen years ago, Baha'is in the Iranian city of Sanandaj were allocated a one-hectare parcel of barren land at the side of a road for use as a cemetery.
This rocky mountainside, devoid of vegetation, was hardly prime real estate but – after the first burial there in the autumn of 1993 – local Baha'is got together to landscape the site, dig out the rocks and replace the soil. They planted and watered by hand 250 cypress and fir saplings, contributed by the Office of Agriculture. They installed electricity and built a small room where bodies could be prepared for burial.
At every step of the way, proper permits were obtained. When the Baha'is wanted to dig a well, permission was sought and granted from the regional water board. At every expiry date, the permit was correctly renewed.
Impressed by the transformation of the site, the Office of Natural Resources suggested that the Baha'is consider planting trees on public land adjacent to the cemetery, thereby expanding the green zone. As a result, the largely Sunni Muslim residents of Sanandaj came to respect the place as a symbol of the Baha'i community's peaceful presence in their city.
UN investigator who revealed Iran's "Baha'i Question" memorandum dies aged 93
- Human Rights
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| Professor Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, 1918-2012. UN Photo by Yutaka Nagata. |
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — 10 January 2012 — Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, a noted legal scholar who uncovered significant evidence of human rights violations in Iran in the late 1980s and early 1990s, passed away here last Thursday.
A prominent diplomat and professor of law, Prof. Galindo Pohl was well known internationally even before his 1987 appointment as the United Nations Commission on Human Rights' Special Representative on Iran. He had served as El Salvador's UN ambassador and was also – among other posts – the director of legal affairs for the Organization of American States.
But in the field of human rights, his eight years as Special Representative were particularly significant, principally for a series of reports that authoritatively documented the intense, often brutal, violations committed by Iran against its own citizens.
In 1990, for example, Prof. Galindo Pohl cited numerous interviews and documents to expose the Iranian government's extensive use of execution and torture, and lack of judicial safeguards.
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| Professor Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, 1918-2012. UN Photo by Yutaka Nagata. |
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — 10 January 2012 — Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, a noted legal scholar who uncovered significant evidence of human rights violations in Iran in the late 1980s and early 1990s, passed away here last Thursday.
A prominent diplomat and professor of law, Prof. Galindo Pohl was well known internationally even before his 1987 appointment as the United Nations Commission on Human Rights' Special Representative on Iran. He had served as El Salvador's UN ambassador and was also – among other posts – the director of legal affairs for the Organization of American States.
But in the field of human rights, his eight years as Special Representative were particularly significant, principally for a series of reports that authoritatively documented the intense, often brutal, violations committed by Iran against its own citizens.
In 1990, for example, Prof. Galindo Pohl cited numerous interviews and documents to expose the Iranian government's extensive use of execution and torture, and lack of judicial safeguards.
Baha'i International Community mourns passing of human rights expert
- Human Rights
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| Dr. Abdelfattah Amor, 1943-2012. Photo: FIDH. |
GENEVA — 8 January 2012 — The Baha'i International Community has expressed its condolences over the passing of noted human rights lawyer and Tunisian jurist Abdelfattah Amor.
Professor Amor – who has died at the age of 68 after suffering a heart attack – was best known internationally for his 11 years of service as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, from 1993 to 2004.
"As the Special Rapporteur, Professor Amor was among the world's foremost defenders of the right to freedom of religion or belief," said Diane Ala'i, the representative of the Baha'i International Community to the UN in Geneva.
"He bravely spoke out on behalf of individuals and groups around the world who faced religious discrimination, regardless of the political consequences," she said.
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| Dr. Abdelfattah Amor, 1943-2012. Photo: FIDH. |
GENEVA — 8 January 2012 — The Baha'i International Community has expressed its condolences over the passing of noted human rights lawyer and Tunisian jurist Abdelfattah Amor.
Professor Amor – who has died at the age of 68 after suffering a heart attack – was best known internationally for his 11 years of service as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, from 1993 to 2004.
"As the Special Rapporteur, Professor Amor was among the world's foremost defenders of the right to freedom of religion or belief," said Diane Ala'i, the representative of the Baha'i International Community to the UN in Geneva.
"He bravely spoke out on behalf of individuals and groups around the world who faced religious discrimination, regardless of the political consequences," she said.
UN condemnation of Iran reflects growing intolerance for human rights violations
- Persecution of the Bahai Community
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| United Nations |
UNITED NATIONS — 19 December 2011 — Reflecting the international community's increasing intolerance for human rights violations, the UN General Assembly today condemned Iran for oppressing its citizens.
By a vote of 89 to 30 with 64 abstentions, the Assembly approved a resolution that expressed "deep concern at serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations" in the country.
The vote came after Iran attempted a "no-action motion," aimed at blocking the resolution by calling for adjournment of the debate. The motion failed by a vote of 100 against, 35 in favor, with 42 abstentions.
Such resolutions on human rights in Iran have come before the Assembly virtually every year since 1992, and this year's measure – already approved by the General Assembly's Third Committee last month – passed by the widest margin yet seen.
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| United Nations |
UNITED NATIONS — 19 December 2011 — Reflecting the international community's increasing intolerance for human rights violations, the UN General Assembly today condemned Iran for oppressing its citizens.
By a vote of 89 to 30 with 64 abstentions, the Assembly approved a resolution that expressed "deep concern at serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations" in the country.
The vote came after Iran attempted a "no-action motion," aimed at blocking the resolution by calling for adjournment of the debate. The motion failed by a vote of 100 against, 35 in favor, with 42 abstentions.
Such resolutions on human rights in Iran have come before the Assembly virtually every year since 1992, and this year's measure – already approved by the General Assembly's Third Committee last month – passed by the widest margin yet seen.
UN strongly condemns Iran's human rights violations; European Parliament joins global outcry
- Persecution of the Bahai Community
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| The United Nations Headquarters buildings in New York City. UN Photo/Mark Garten. |
UNITED NATIONS — 21 November 2011 — Using some of its strongest language to date, the United Nations General Assembly has roundly condemned Iran for its "serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations."
By a vote of 86 to 32, with 59 abstentions, the Assembly's Third Committee today approved a six-page resolution that catalogs a wide range of abuses in Iran, including "a dramatic increase" in executions, the use of torture, the systematic targeting of human rights defenders, pervasive violence against women, and continuing discrimination against minorities, including members of the Baha'i Faith.
"With its long and detailed list of crimes against ordinary citizens, this year's resolution has condemned the behavior of the Iranian authorities in the strongest language we have yet seen," said Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the UN.
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| The United Nations Headquarters buildings in New York City. UN Photo/Mark Garten. |
UNITED NATIONS — 21 November 2011 — Using some of its strongest language to date, the United Nations General Assembly has roundly condemned Iran for its "serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations."
By a vote of 86 to 32, with 59 abstentions, the Assembly's Third Committee today approved a six-page resolution that catalogs a wide range of abuses in Iran, including "a dramatic increase" in executions, the use of torture, the systematic targeting of human rights defenders, pervasive violence against women, and continuing discrimination against minorities, including members of the Baha'i Faith.
"With its long and detailed list of crimes against ordinary citizens, this year's resolution has condemned the behavior of the Iranian authorities in the strongest language we have yet seen," said Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the UN.
Importance of water links concepts of spirituality, justice and human rights
- Human Rights
- Social Development
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| Mr. Chong giving a talk about the importance of water as a symbol. |
NEW YORK—15 November—Bahá'í International Community’s Representative, Mr. Ming Hwee Chong, spoke (see video to right) about the role of water in human development and well-being on a panel exploring ‘Spirituality, Environmental Justice and Human Rights.’ The panel focused on the intersection of human and environmental rights, with particular attention to the issue of race. Speakers included Ms. Martha Gallahue from the National Ethical Service of the American Ethical Union, Mr. Bruce Knotts from the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, and Reverend Joseph Oniyam from the Baptist World Alliance. The event was sponsored by the Sub-committee on the Elimination of Racism (of the NGO Committee on Human Rights) and moderated by Ms. Doris Abdullah from the Church of the Brethren.
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| Mr. Chong giving a talk about the importance of water as a symbol. |
NEW YORK—15 November—Bahá'í International Community’s Representative, Mr. Ming Hwee Chong, spoke (see video to right) about the role of water in human development and well-being on a panel exploring ‘Spirituality, Environmental Justice and Human Rights.’ The panel focused on the intersection of human and environmental rights, with particular attention to the issue of race. Speakers included Ms. Martha Gallahue from the National Ethical Service of the American Ethical Union, Mr. Bruce Knotts from the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, and Reverend Joseph Oniyam from the Baptist World Alliance. The event was sponsored by the Sub-committee on the Elimination of Racism (of the NGO Committee on Human Rights) and moderated by Ms. Doris Abdullah from the Church of the Brethren.
“An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith” presented at UN DPI Briefing
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| Video of Focus on Faith |
NEW YORK—9 November—Representatives of the Bahá'í International Community’s UN Office were invited to present the principles and practices of the Bahá'í Faith, as part of the Faith Series Briefings, organized by the UN Department of Public Information. See video.
The Faith Series briefings are a part of the weekly briefings organized by the Department of Public Information and co-sponsored by the UN Alliance of Civilizations. Bahá'í Representatives, Bani Dugal and Ming Chong, joined Kenneth Bowers, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, in presenting the principles and practices of the Bahá'í Faith, including the history of Bahá'í engagement with the UN and the emerging patterns of Bahá'í community life around the world. Dr. Thomas Uthup, Research Manager at the UN Alliance of Civilizations, introduced the work of the Alliance and Ms. Maria-Luisa Chavez, Chief of NGO Relations at the Department of Public Information, moderated the event. The presentation took place on October 20th, at the Salvation Army Auditorium. For more information about the Bahá'í Faith please visit:www.bahai.org.
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| Video of Focus on Faith |
NEW YORK—9 November—Representatives of the Bahá'í International Community’s UN Office were invited to present the principles and practices of the Bahá'í Faith, as part of the Faith Series Briefings, organized by the UN Department of Public Information. See video.
The Faith Series briefings are a part of the weekly briefings organized by the Department of Public Information and co-sponsored by the UN Alliance of Civilizations. Bahá'í Representatives, Bani Dugal and Ming Chong, joined Kenneth Bowers, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, in presenting the principles and practices of the Bahá'í Faith, including the history of Bahá'í engagement with the UN and the emerging patterns of Bahá'í community life around the world. Dr. Thomas Uthup, Research Manager at the UN Alliance of Civilizations, introduced the work of the Alliance and Ms. Maria-Luisa Chavez, Chief of NGO Relations at the Department of Public Information, moderated the event. The presentation took place on October 20th, at the Salvation Army Auditorium. For more information about the Bahá'í Faith please visit:www.bahai.org.
Trial of Baha'i educators: condemnation spreads
- Persecution of the Bahai Community
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| The seven imprisoned Baha'i educators are (top row, left to right): Mahmoud Badavam, Ramin Zibaie, Riaz Sobhani, Farhad Sedghi; (bottom row, left to right) Noushin Khadem, Kamran Mortezaie, and Vahid Mahmoudi. |
GENEVA — 7 November 2011 — As more information has emerged regarding the trial of seven Baha'i educators, the worldwide outcry at the persecution of Iranian Baha'i students and teachers continues to spread.
In recent days, politicians in Brazil, academics in Germany and Ireland, and an international group of distinguished filmmakers, have condemned the systematic barring of Baha'is from higher education in Iran, and the Iranian government's attack on the Baha'i community's informal efforts to educate its own young members.
The Baha'i International Community has recently learned that the seven jailed educators – all lecturers or helpers with a community initiative known as the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) – were taken to court on two separate days, handcuffed and chained at the ankles. There, in the presence of their attorneys, they were informed of the verdict and their sentences.
"Neither the defendants nor their lawyers has seen a written copy of the verdict," said Diane Ala'i, representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations in Geneva, "but we know from transcripts taken down by people present at the hearing that the seven were found guilty of 'membership in the deviant Bahaist sect, with the goal of taking action against the security of the country, in order to further the aims of the deviant sect and those of organizations outside the country.'"
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| The seven imprisoned Baha'i educators are (top row, left to right): Mahmoud Badavam, Ramin Zibaie, Riaz Sobhani, Farhad Sedghi; (bottom row, left to right) Noushin Khadem, Kamran Mortezaie, and Vahid Mahmoudi. |
GENEVA — 7 November 2011 — As more information has emerged regarding the trial of seven Baha'i educators, the worldwide outcry at the persecution of Iranian Baha'i students and teachers continues to spread.
In recent days, politicians in Brazil, academics in Germany and Ireland, and an international group of distinguished filmmakers, have condemned the systematic barring of Baha'is from higher education in Iran, and the Iranian government's attack on the Baha'i community's informal efforts to educate its own young members.
The Baha'i International Community has recently learned that the seven jailed educators – all lecturers or helpers with a community initiative known as the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) – were taken to court on two separate days, handcuffed and chained at the ankles. There, in the presence of their attorneys, they were informed of the verdict and their sentences.
"Neither the defendants nor their lawyers has seen a written copy of the verdict," said Diane Ala'i, representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations in Geneva, "but we know from transcripts taken down by people present at the hearing that the seven were found guilty of 'membership in the deviant Bahaist sect, with the goal of taking action against the security of the country, in order to further the aims of the deviant sect and those of organizations outside the country.'"
