Recent Stories
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Mrs. Ashraf Khanjani, pictured with her husband, Jamaloddin Khanjani. Mrs. Khanjani died on Thursday 10 March at the age of 81. The couple were married for more than 50 years. Subject: Persecution of the Baha'i Community
Geneva—11 March 2011—The Baha'i International Community has described as "desperately cruel" the fact that one of Iran's seven Baha'i leaders has been unable to attend the funeral of his own wife.
81 year old Mrs. Ashraf Khanjani – who was married to Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani for more than 50 years – died yesterday morning at the family home in Tehran. She had been unwell for many months.
Mr. Khanjani, 77, is serving a ten-year jail term at Iran's notorious Gohardasht prison, along with six other Baha'is who were all members of a national-level ad hoc group that attended to the needs of Iran's Baha'i community.
"This... Read more . . . |
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United Nations Subject: Equality of Women and Men
New York—7 March 2011—The theme of this year's Commission was "access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work."
The Baha'i International Community hosted a panel discussion, titled "Rethinking Education for Girls and Women: Beyond the Basic Curricula" with panelists Dr. Changu Mannathoko, Senior Policy Advisor at UNICEF, Dr. Wendi Momen (UK) and Zarin Hainsworth (UK). Participants from Belize, Canada, France, Germany, the UK, USA and Vietnam, made up the Baha'i delegation to the... Read more . . . |
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Human rights organizations from around the world have spoken out about the 10-year jail terms received by Iran's seven Baha'i leaders, as well as their recent transfer to harsher prison conditions. In a recent statement, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "We call on Iran to free all political prisoners and persecuted minorities..." Subject: Persecution of the Baha'i Community
New York—5 March 2011—The global support for Iran's seven jailed Baha'i leaders is continuing as one of the prisoners begins her fourth year in detention.
Mahvash Sabet – a schoolteacher and mother of two – has been incarcerated since 5 March 2008. For the first 175 days of her imprisonment, she was detained in solitary confinement.
On 14 May 2008, six other prominent Iranian Baha'is were also arrested. After 20 months held without charge in Tehran's Evin prison, all seven were accused in court of espionage and the establishment of an illegal administration, among other allegations. All the charges were denied. They... Read more . . . |
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Subject: Human Rights
Geneva—18 February 2011—Iran has made no progress on eight recommendations it accepted at least year’s Human Rights Council regarding its treatment of Iranian Baha'is, according to an analysis by the Baha'i International Community. During last year’s Universal Periodic Review, Iran accepted some 123 recommendations on ways it could improve its human rights record, and eight of those specifically concerned members of the Baha'i Faith in Iran, including measures to respect freedom of religion, ensure fair trials for Baha'is, and end discrimination against religious minorities. In fact, however, Iran has only continued... Read more . . . |
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The seven Baha'i prisoners, photographed several months before their arrest, are, in front, Behrouz Tavakkoli and Saeid Rezaie, and, standing, Fariba Kamalabadi, Vahid Tizfahm, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, and Mahvash Sabet. Subject: Persecution of the Baha'i Community
New York—14 February 2011—Iran's seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders have been transferred to more brutal sections of their prison complex.
In the case of the two Baha'i women, the circumstances of the move have raised concerns that it may have been orchestrated as a means of creating an insecure environment that threatens their lives.
The Baha'i International Community has learned that one of them – Fariba Kamalabadi – has already been physically threatened by inmates since being sent to the notorious Section 200 of Gohardasht Prison.
"Apparently, the atmosphere is highly charged in this section, and there is a great... Read more . . . |
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A Baha'i-owned shop in Rafsanjan, Iran, targeted by arsonists. Several businesses run by Baha'is have suffered serious damage in a wave of attacks in the city since 25 October 2010. Subject: Persecution of the Baha'i Community
Geneva—3 January 2011—A recent wave of arson attacks on Baha'i-owned businesses in Rafsanjan, Iran, appears to be part of a campaign to fracture relationships between Baha'is and Muslims in the city.
After around a dozen attacks on shops - carried out since 25 October 2010 - some 20 Baha'i homes and businesses have been sent a warning letter addressed to "members of the misguided Bahaist sect."
The anonymous document demands that Baha'is sign an undertaking to "refrain from forming contacts or friendships with Muslims" and from "using or hiring Muslim trainees." The Baha'is are also told not to teach their Faith,... Read more . . . |
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United Nations Subject: Persecution of the Baha'i Community
New York—21 December 2010—In a vote today, the United Nations once again strongly condemned Iran for failing to live up to international human rights standards. By a vote of 78 to 45, with 59 abstentions, the UN General Assembly confirmed a resolution that expressed “deep concern at serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations.” In more than two decades of such resolutions about Iran, the vote passed with one of the highest percentages ever. more... |
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Nawarat Wongsopa and Diane `Alá’í in Bangkok Subject: Human Rights
Bangkok—10 December 2010—The Baha'i International Community’s representative in Geneva, Diane `Alá’í, attended a gathering of UN ambassadors in Bangkok in December, accompanied by Mr. Nawarat Wongsopa, representative of the Baha'i community in Thailand. Delegates from major international NGOs were invited to provide input into the Human Rights Council review process, presently underway to evaluate the work and functioning of the Council, five years after its establishment. Organized as part of the review process, the retreat was the initiative of the current Council President, H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, who... Read more . . . |
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Iran's seven Baha'i leaders. Subject: Persecution of the Baha'i Community
New York—7 December 2010—The Baha'i International Community transmitted the following open letter to His Excellency Ayatollah Mohammad Sadeq Larijani, the Head of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran. [English text] [Persian text] more... |
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Haleh Rouhi, Sasan Taqva and Raha Sabet, taken into custody on 19 November 2007. They are beginning the final year of a four-year sentence, handed down for their participation in an education program for underprivileged children in and around the city of Shiraz. Subject: Persecution of the Baha'i Community
New York—20 November 2010—Despite compelling evidence that they never committed a crime, three Iranian Baha'is today begin their fourth year in captivity.
The two women, Haleh Rouhi and Raha Sabet – and Mr. Sasan Taqva – were arrested in May 2006, along with some 51 other Baha'is and a number of Muslim friends, for their participation in an education program for underprivileged children in and around the city of Shiraz.
While their 10 Muslim co-workers and one Baha'i with learning difficulties were released immediately, the remaining Baha'is were convicted of "indirect teaching of the Baha'i Faith." Ms. Rouhi, Ms.... Read more . . . |
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