Baha'is as a Middle East Controversy

"Corrupt the earth" charge added ...

http://www.iranpresswatch.org/2009/04/attorney-general/
Fourth Charge added against Imprisoned Baha’i Leaders


April 27, 2009

leaders-400x294.jpg



Iran Press Watch has learned through reliable sources close to the seven (7) imprisoned Baha’i leaders (formerly known as Yaran) that the families of the incarcerated Baha’is were allowed to meet with them today, Monday, April 27, 2009.

In this meeting, the imprisoned Baha’is reported that last week they were interrogated by the judiciary official in charge of the preparation of the case against them. A new charge has been added to the previous three (3) charges against them, namely: Aiding, teaching and propagating the Baha’i religion in Iran.

This charge is equivalent to “mufsed fel-arz” [corrupt on earth], which historically has carried harsh penalties, including the death penalty.
One of the Baha’i leaders, Mr. Khanjani, however expressed his joy over this new charge as it makes it clear that the Baha’is are imprisoned because of their religious belief.

The family members have reported to Iran Press Watch that all seven imprisoned Baha’is appeared in good health and spirit.

Source:

Fourth Charge added against Imprisoned Baha’i Leaders | Iran Press Watch: The Baha'is
 
Seven Baha'i leaders still incarcerated on trumped up charges..

Iranian Baha'i leaders may face new accusation on anniversary of imprisonment

NEW YORK, 12 May (BWNS) - The seven Baha'i leaders currently imprisoned in Iran are facing the anniversary of their arrest this Thursday, along with new and extremely grave accusations, after spending a year in jail without formal charges or access to their lawyer, Shirin Ebadi.

"Despite their obvious innocence and the call by many for their immediate release, these seven men and women have been in legal limbo for a year now, against all international human rights standards," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.

"Moreover, their families have recently been told of a possible new charge - 'the spreading of corruption on earth,' which goes by the term 'Mofsede fel-Arz' in Persian and carries the threat of death under the penal code of the Islamic Republic of Iran," said Ms. Dugal.

"The sequence of events surrounding their detention exposes a shameless travesty of justice. Notwithstanding their having been subjected to intensive interrogations, it took a full seven months before they were given even a single pretext for their detention. On February 10, 2009, the Iranian Student News Agency quoted Tehran deputy prosecutor Hassan Haddad as having said that the investigation of these individuals was complete and that 'the case will be sent to the revolutionary court next week' and that these Baha'is are accused of 'espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.' The international protest expressed by governments and civil society was immediate and widespread, causing the Iranian authorities to review their approach.

"Now a new wrongful accusation reportedly has been added some three months after the investigation was supposed to have concluded. The charge of being spreaders of corruption was used against the Baha'is who were executed in the years immediately following the Islamic revolution. That it may now be resorted to in this case is a further demonstration that the authorities have no basis for any allegation against these seven individuals, other than blatant religious persecution. This action against the Baha'i leadership reflects the government's sharply increased persecution of the entire Iranian Baha'i community of more than 300,000 members.

"The upcoming anniversary of their arrest offers an important milestone and we ask that the international community re-state once again in the strongest terms its demand for their immediate release, or, at least, for a fair and open trial that meets international standards of justice," said Ms. Dugal.

Ms. Dugal also noted that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has frequently emphasized the importance of "justice and human dignity" and "the establishment of a just world system," such as when he addressed the UN Durban Review Conference in Geneva last month.

"How can the calls of the Iranian leadership for justice in the international sphere be taken seriously if they do not grant justice to their own citizens? In Iran, by all accounts universally agreed upon human rights are routinely ignored, not only for Baha'is but also for women, journalists, and others who only seek dignity and justice," she said.

The seven are Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm. All but one of the group were arrested on 14 May 2008 at their homes in Tehran. Mrs. Sabet was arrested on 5 March 2008 while in Mashhad.

For more information, go to http://news.bahai.org.
 
Reports of a trial date for Baha'i leaders:

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."
 
Trial date set for Baha'i prisoners...

GENEVA, 12 August (BWNS) - In yet another example of the denial to Baha'is in Iran of their rights to justice, including due process, judicial officials have reportedly set next Tuesday as the trial date for seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders - despite the fact that the lead lawyers registered with the court to represent them are either in prison or outside the country.

Further, efforts to have the accused released on bail have not succeeded. The investigation against them was concluded months ago but they remain incarcerated, without access to their legal counsel and with only the barest minimum contact with their families - contact that did not begin until some five months' after their arrest, when they were finally taken out of solitary confinement.

Authorities recently sent to Abdolfattah Soltani, a key member of the legal team representing the seven Baha'is who is himself currently imprisoned in Evin prison, a notice saying that 18 August has been set as the trial date for the seven Baha'is. Dated 15 July, the writ of notification for the seven gives 9 a.m., 18 August, as the date for the trial, in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. That is the same court that tried Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi.

The writ of notification giving 18 August as the trial date was specifically addressed to Mr. Soltani, a well-known human rights lawyer and a principal of the Tehran-based Defenders of Human Rights Center, which was founded by Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi and has since last year undertaken to defend the seven Baha'is.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Ebadi, the senior member of the legal team, remains outside the country.

"The judiciary's decision to schedule the trial under these circumstances is an effrontery and yet another tactic aimed at depriving the seven Baha'i leaders of competent legal counsel," said Diane Ala'i, the Baha'i International Community's representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

"The Iranian authorities know full well who is serving as legal counsel for the Baha'is. Indeed, authorities have several times tried to pressure the seven to change lawyers.

"It is the height of absurdity to issue a trial notice to a lawyer who has himself been unjustly imprisoned," she said.

"The willingness of Iran's judiciary to flout the most fundamental internationally accepted norms of jurisprudence were brought to light in the widespread publicity attending the trial of Roxana Saberi.

"More recently, the attention of the world has been focused on the show trial of scores of individuals arrested in post-election turmoil in Iran, also without due process and which has included 'confessions' that were clearly coerced through torture," said Ms. Ala'i.

The Baha'i International Community has called for the human rights of all the people of Iran to be respected and upheld. "Today, then, we raise the call on behalf of our innocent co-religionists, whose only 'crime' is their religious belief, and who face the most severe punishments if they are found guilty of the trumped-up charges against them.

"Instead of going on trial, they should be immediately released on bail, and, at the very least, be given adequate time for their attorneys to prepare a defense," said Ms. Ala'i.

Ms. Ala'i also said that the 18 August trial date could not be taken as firm, noting that the families of the seven had been told in June they were to be tried on 11 July, only to have that date come and go.

"Given the past history of this case, the utter lack of concern for procedure on the part of authorities, and the current situation in Iran, it is simply not possible to know when the proceedings will actually begin," she said.

The seven Baha'i prisoners are Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm. All but one of the group were arrested on 14 May 2008 at their homes in Tehran. Mrs. Sabet was arrested on 5 March 2008 while in Mashhad. They have since been held without formal charges or access to their lawyers at Evin prison in Tehran.

Official Iranian news accounts have said the seven are to be accused of "espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic republic," charges that are rejected completely and categorically.

The ongoing imprisonment of the seven and pending trial is particularly alarming because of their leadership position as the former members of a national-level coordinating group known as the "Friends in Iran." Some 25 years ago, other Baha'i leaders were executed after being rounded up in a manner similar to the way in which these seven were arrested last year.

To read the article online, with a photograph, go to:
Due process ignored as trial date is set for Iranian Baha'i prisoners

For the Baha'i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org
 
Trial of Baha'is postponed...

Trial of seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders postponed

GENEVA — The trial of seven Baha'i leaders imprisoned in Iran has been postponed until 18 October, the Baha'i International Community learned today.

According to Diane Ala'i, the Baha'i International Community representative to the United Nations in Geneva, following a request for postponement of the trial from Mr. Hadi Esmaielzadeh and Ms. Mahnaz Parakand – attorneys from the Defenders of Human Rights Center who are representing the seven Baha'is – the court has decided to delay the hearing for two months.

Two senior members of the legal team, Nobel laureate Mrs. Shirin Ebadi and Mr. Abdolfattah Soltani, were unable to attend the hearing as Mrs. Ebadi is out of the country and Mr. Soltani is in prison, having been detained on 16 June 2009 in the wake of the civil unrest following the presidential election in Iran.

"Our hope now is that our seven innocent co-religionists will be released on bail," said Ms. Ala'i.

The seven Baha'i prisoners are Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm. All but one of the group were arrested on 14 May 2008 at their homes in Tehran. Mrs. Sabet was arrested on 5 March 2008 while in Mashhad. They have since been held at Tehran’s Evin prison without formal charges or access to their lawyers.

Official Iranian news accounts have said the seven are to be accused of "espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic republic."

The Baha'i International Community categorically rejects all charges against the seven, stating that they are held solely because of religious persecution.



For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org
 
This has been kept very quiet on the news front. George Orwell said "True freedom is being able to tell people what they don't want to hear". They are all in my prayers.
 
Thanks Jean for your post! and welcome to the Baha'i Forum.

One of the aspects of this case that is sometimes overlooked or forgotten is that in Iran the families of those who are incarcerated must bear the expenses of imprisonment.. even before a court has formally charged a person or meted out whatever it decides is "justice". Thus postponing a hearing is a continuing burden and the incarceration in Evin Prison itself continues.

- Art
 
That is awful, you would think Amesty International could do something.Im going to write to our Foreign Secretary protesting. I know only a small step, but at least ill be doing something.
 
Trial of Baha'i leaders looms...

Trial of seven Baha'i leaders in Iran looms

GENEVA, 5 January (BWNS) – Recent developments in Iran have raised grave concern about the ultimate fate of the seven Baha'i leaders who are scheduled to go on trial next Tuesday.

"The Baha'i community in Iran has all too often been subjected to campaigns of vilification and false charges devised to deflect the attention of a disquieted population onto the Baha'is and away from those in power," said Diane Ala'i, the Baha'i International Community representative to the United Nations in Geneva. "And now, in these days leading to the trial, there are signs that once again the Baha'is are being made scapegoats.

"Rather than accepting responsibility for the turmoil in the country, the Iranian government seeks to lay the blame on others, including foreign powers, international organizations and media outlets, students, women, and terrorists. Now the Baha'is have been added to this long list of alleged culprits," she said.

"Over the past several days, Iranian state-sponsored media have accused the Baha'is of being responsible for the unrest surrounding the holy day of Ashura," said Ms. Ala'i. "This is clearly aimed at rousing public sentiment against the seven Baha'is being held in Evin prison. We are particularly concerned that the government, or ultraconservative elements within it, may use the turmoil in Iran as cover for extreme measures against these wrongly imprisoned individuals.

This concern deepened on Sunday, she said, when authorities rounded up 13 Baha'is from their homes in Tehran, took them to a detention center, and tried to get them to sign a document saying that they would not engage in any future demonstrations.

"Putting two and two together, the situation facing these Baha'i leaders is extremely ominous. We are deeply concerned for their safety.

"We expect their trial to be nothing but a show trial, with a predetermined outcome," she said.

"Should anything happen to any of these seven Baha'is before or after the trial, the Iranian government must be held responsible," said Ms. Ala'i. "We ask that the international community indicate clearly to Iran that it will be watching and that it expects any trial to be public and held in accordance with internationally recognized principles of due process."

The seven are Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm. They were arrested in the spring of 2008 and have been held in Evin prison ever since.

Official Iranian news accounts have said the seven are to be accused of "espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic republic." All of the charges are utterly baseless, said Ms. Ala'i.

Trial dates were previously announced for July, August, and October but were postponed each time. In December, lawyers were notified that 12 January had been set as a new date.

Ms. Ala'i noted that persecution of Baha'is in Iran had intensified steadily throughout 2009. Currently, some 48 Baha'is are imprisoned, and many others across the country have been subjected to home searches, confiscation of personal property, and revolving-door arrests. Since last March, some 60 Baha'is have been arrested and imprisoned for periods ranging from overnight to several months.

An anti-Baha'i campaign in the news media campaign has also continued, she said, culminating in the absurd accusations last week that Baha'is were involved in provoking the recent civil unrest on the Ashura holy day on 27 December.

The semiofficial Fars News Agency, for example, reported the next day that Ne'mattollah Bavand, described as an "expert" in political affairs, said "Bahaism under the leadership of Zionism is behind the latest crisis and unrest."

Ms. Ala'i said these statements have raised concern among the Baha'is that there may be a coordinated effort to introduce these false accusations at the upcoming trial.

Among the 13 arrested on 3 January were relatives of two of the imprisoned leaders, including Negar Sabet, daughter of Mahvash Sabet; Leva Khanjani, granddaughter of Jamaloddin Khanjani; and her husband, Babak Mobasher. Others arrested were Jinous Sobhani, former secretary of Mrs. Shirin Ebadi, and her husband Artin Ghazanfari; Mehran Rowhani and Farid Rowhani, who are brothers; Nasim Beiglari; Payam Fanaian; Nikav Hoveydaie and his wife, Mona Misaghi; and Ebrahim Shadmehr and his son, Zavosh Shadmehr.


To read the article with the photograph, go to:
Trial of seven Baha'i leaders in Iran looms
 
Baha'is Arrested In Iran After Protests

Baha'i representatives say those arrested did not attend the Ashura Day protests in Iran in late December that left at least eight people dead.

January 06, 2010
Baha'i representatives say that Iranian police have arrested 13 members of the that religious community for alleged involvement in antigovernment protests, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports.

The Baha'i community representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Diane Ala'i, told RFE/RL that the government is trying to link Baha'is to the recent demonstrations.

Clashes during the December 27 protests on the Shi'ite Ashura holiday left at least eight demonstrators dead. Mass arrests are said to number well into the hundreds or higher.

Ala'i said the 13 Baha'is were arrested on January 3.

She said "they have been asked to sign a commitment letter promising not to attend protests in the future. However, they did not attend the [Ashura day] rally."

Ala'i said that although three of those arrested have been released, 10 remain incarcerated at Evin Prison in Tehran.

She said that there are a total of 48 Baha'is in Iranian jails.

The arrests come as seven Baha'i community leaders are set to stand trial on January 12. They face charges of espionage and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

The Baha'i faith began in 19th century Iran, and currently has an estimated 5 million followers worldwide. While Baha'is regard their faith to be within the tradition of Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad, Iran's Shi'ite government regards Baha'ism as Islamic heresy.

There are some 300,000 Baha'is in Iran, a community that human rights groups say has faced serious repression under the Islamic republic.

Baha'i community representative Ala'i believes the latest arrests of Baha'is are designed to tarnish the reputation of their community and hurt the prospects of the Baha'i leaders at their upcoming trial.

Baha'is Arrested In Iran After Protests - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty 2010
 
New arrests of Baha'is and more allegations...

Baha'i International Community rejects allegations that arrested Baha'is had weapons in homes

9 January 2010
GENEVA — </SPAN>The Baha'i International Community today categorically rejected new allegations by the Iranian government that arms and ammunition were found in the homes of Baha'is who were arrested in Tehran last Sunday.
"This is nothing less than a blatant lie," said Diane Ala'i, the Baha'i International Community's representative to the United Nations in Geneva. "Baha'is are by the most basic principles of their faith committed to absolute nonviolence, and any charge that there might have been weapons or 'live rounds' in their homes is simply and completely unbelievable.
"Without doubt, these are baseless fabrications devised by the government to further create an atmosphere of prejudice and hatred against the Iranian Baha'i community. For more than a century Baha'is have suffered all manner of persecution in Iran and have not resorted to armed violence, and everyone knows this. Unfortunately, the Iranian government is once again resorting to outright falsehoods to justify its nefarious intentions against the Baha'i community. It should know that these lies will have no credibility whatsoever.
"We are particularly concerned by the fact that these accusations come just days before the scheduled trial of seven Baha'i leaders, who have been locked up for nearly two years on equally unfounded charges," she said.
"All of these latest accusations are so far-fetched as to be ludicrous if they were not so obviously aimed at putting innocent lives at risk," she said. "As we have said before, rather than accepting responsibility for the turmoil in the country, the Iranian government seeks to lay the blame on others, including foreign powers, international organizations and media outlets, students, women, and terrorists."
On Friday, several news agencies reported that Tehran's general prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, said the Baha'is who were arrested on Sunday "were arrested because they played a role in organizing the Ashura protests and namely for having sent abroad pictures of the unrest."
"They were not arrested because they are Baha'is," said Mr. Dolatabadi, according to Agence France Presse. "Arms and ammunition were seized in the homes of some of them."
Ms. Ala'i also rejected Mr. Dolatabadi's assertions that Baha'is were involved in the planning of the Ashura demonstrations, or in any violent or subversive activity related to the recent turmoil in Iran.
"For the past 30 years, Iranian Baha'is have been subjected to the worst forms of persecution, ranging from arbitrary execution to the exclusion of their children from school," said Ms. Ala'i. "Yet they have responded only through means that are peaceful and legal."
Seven Baha'is leaders are scheduled to go on trial on Tuesday on trumped-up charges of espionage, "insulting religious sanctities," and "propaganda" against the government. They have been held in Evin prison since mid-2008. The seven are Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm.
On Sunday, 13 Baha'is were arrested in early morning raids on their homes in Tehran. Three have been released but 10 remain detained at Evin prison.
They are: Leva Khanjani, granddaughter of Jamaloddin Khanjani, and her husband, Babak Mobasher; Jinous Sobhani, former secretary of Mrs. Shirin Ebadi, and her husband Artin Ghazanfari; Mehran Rowhani and Farid Rowhani, who are brothers; Payam Fanaian; Nikav Hoveydaie; and Ebrahim Shadmehr and his son, Zavosh Shadmehr.
 
Human rights abuses in Iran...

NEW YORK, 31 January (BWNS) – The Baha'i International Community has issued a statement condemning the trial of 16 individuals in Iran yesterday as a "violation of all internationally accepted standards of legal due process."

The statement highlights the lack of proper legal representation for the defendants and the use of unreliable "confessions" in the trial. One of the 16 on trial is a Baha'i.

"The use of coerced 'confessions' and the denial of adequate legal representation reflect the Iranian authorities' growing assault on human rights," said Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.


The complete statement follows:

The trial yesterday of 16 individuals in Iran, apparently accused of participating in the Ashura demonstrations on 27 December, stands in violation of all internationally accepted standards of legal due process.

While facts are unavailable to the Baha'i International Community concerning 15 of the defendants in the court proceedings, it can confirm that one individual – identified only as "P.F." in government reports – is a Baha'i.

The show trials in the aftermath of the June 2009 presidential election, at which defendants have been forced to read statements incriminating themselves, have completely discredited "confessions," such as the one purportedly made by "P.F.," both inside and outside of Iran. It is well known that such confessions are obtained while prisoners are under extreme duress, often after being exposed to such appalling tactics as food and sleep deprivation, fake executions, threats against their families, and worse. Rather than accepting responsibility for the turmoil in the country, the Iranian government organizes such show trials in order to lay the blame on innocent citizens and others.

While it is claimed that the court proceedings are open, not even the families of the defendants are notified of the trial of their loved ones.

The person identified as P.F., along with nine other Baha'is who were arrested on 3 January in Tehran, has not been able to contact his family, has been denied access to a lawyer, and was not allowed to choose his own legal representation. The government-appointed lawyer who acted on behalf of P.F. did nothing more than to accept the "confession" of his client and make a pro forma request for leniency.

The Iranian government is well aware that it is a fundamental principle of the Baha'i Faith that its followers strictly refrain from involvement in any partisan political activity, whether local, national, or international. Consequently, the arrest of ten Baha'is on 3 January, a full week after the Ashura demonstrations, and the claims that Baha'is were behind the recent anti-government turmoil have come as a complete surprise to the Baha'i community. These fabricated accusations clearly appear to be not so much about some Baha'is participating in the Ashura demonstrations. They point instead to a scenario which has been concocted by the authorities to justify placing further restrictions on the activities of the Baha'i community. This is but the most recent tactic in the ongoing systematic campaign of persecution that seeks to eliminate the Baha'i community as a viable entity in that country.

We call on governments and fair-minded people throughout the world to join us and raise their voice to protest against the blatant violations of human rights in Iran, of which yesterday's trial is only the most recent example.



For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org
 
Trial inconclusive.. Baha'is still imprisoned.

The second "trial" of the seven Baha'is called the "Yaran" or friends occurred today and the results so far apppear ambiguous.. It was again a closed hearing.. No relatives were allowed to see their family members or admitted to the court room. The Baha'is are still imprisoned but for how long no body knows.. Also the charges are heavy ones in Iran which could carry execution.

The "Yaran" was an appointive body set up to deal with the affairs of the 300,000 Baha'i minority in Iran .. as the Baha'is are not allowed to have normal elective Baha'i Institutions..such as Local Spiirtual Assemblies or a National Spiritual Assembly. At first the government approved of the arrangement as a convenience to them but later they imprisoned the seven Baha'is without trial for the twenty months in the Evin Prison in Teheran..

http://blog.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/evin.jpg


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39852000/jpg/_39852007_evin_p...

Here is the story:


Baha'i leaders make second court appearance

GENEVA, 7 February (BWNS) – Seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders appeared in court today in Iran for a second session of their trial.

The session was once again closed, and family members were not permitted in the courtroom, the Baha'i International Community has learned.

The hearing, which lasted just over one hour, does not seem to have gone beyond procedural issues. No date was given for any future sessions.

The seven were arrested nearly two years ago and have been held in Tehran's Evin prison since that time, spending the first year there without formal charges or access to lawyers.

After several postponements, their trial officially began on 12 January, when the seven were arraigned in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.

That session was also closed to the public, but accounts in government-sponsored news media said the defendants were formally charged with espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, the establishment of an illegal administration, cooperation with Israel, sending secret documents outside the country, acting against the security of the country, and corruption on earth.

All the charges have been categorically denied. The defendants are Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm.



For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org
 
More Court Proceedings for imprisoned Baha'is...

Next trial session in Iran for seven Baha'is set for tomorrow

GENEVA, 9 April (BWNS) – A third session of the court proceedings against seven imprisoned Iranian Baha'i leaders is scheduled for tomorrow in Tehran.

It is unknown whether the hearing – scheduled in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court – will be open to families of the defendants and other observers. The first two sessions were closed.

The seven defendants, who have been imprisoned for two years, were responsible for tending to the spiritual and social needs of Iran's 300,000 Baha'is.

In January of this year they were finally presented with formal charges, which include espionage and "corruption on earth" – accusations that they categorically deny.

For more information, see recent news stories Court date for Baha'i leaders now announced as 10 April and Next court date for Baha'i leaders will be 11 April. For further background and photographs, see Iran Update - Bahá'í World News Service



For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org
 
Third Trial for imprisoned Baha'is..

Update on third trial session of Iranian Baha'i leaders

13 April 2010
GENEVA — </SPAN>Details are emerging from yesterday's court appearance in Tehran of seven imprisoned Iranian Baha'i leaders.
The Baha'i International Community has learned that when the prisoners arrived at the court, their families were not allowed to enter, signaling a closed hearing.
Inside the courtroom, however, the prisoners saw numerous officials and interrogators from the Ministry of Intelligence – along with a film crew which had already set up its cameras.
Concerned over the presence of non-judicial personnel in a supposedly closed hearing, the Baha'is – with the agreement of their attorneys – declined to be party to the proceedings.
The judge adjourned the session and did not announce a date for continuing the trial.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran should immediately set free these seven innocent prisoners," said Diane Ala'i, Baha'i representative to the United Nations in Geneva.
"The dictates of justice demand no less," she said. "They are now about to enter the third year of their incarceration on baseless charges which they have categorically denied and for which the government has no evidence whatsoever.
"At the very least, they should be released on bail and steps be taken to ensure that their trial is conducted fairly, in accordance with international standards of jurisprudence.
 
Third year of imprisonment for Baha'i Leaders in Iran

Calls for action as Iranian Baha'i leaders enter third year in prison

NEW YORK, 10 May (BWNS) – As seven Baha'i leaders in Iran enter their third year of imprisonment, new details about the harsh conditions of their incarceration have emerged, renewing calls for their immediate release.

The prisoners are Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm.

"These innocent Baha'is have now been locked up for two full years in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, under conditions which clearly violate international standards," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations. "We call on the Iranian authorities to release them now, and ask the international community to join us in this plea. The dictates of justice demand no less."

The prisoners, former members of an informal group known as the Yaran, or "Friends," used to attend to the spiritual and social needs of the several hundred thousand Baha'is of Iran. They have been held in Evin prison since they were arrested in 2008 – six of them on 14 May and one of them two months earlier.

No court hearing was held until 12 January this year when they appeared in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court. Charges including espionage, propaganda activities and "corruption on earth" were all denied. Further appearances took place on 7 February and 12 April.

"In the three trial sessions that have so far taken place, no evidence has been provided whatsoever of wrongdoing – making it all the more obvious that the prisoners are being held only because of their religious belief," said Ms. Dugal.

"If their freedom is not immediately granted, at the very least they should be released on bail. Steps should be taken to ensure that their trial is expedited and conducted fairly, in accordance with international standards," she said.


Severe prison conditions

Friday marks the second anniversary of the group's imprisonment, and details continue to emerge about the severe conditions under which they are being held. It is known, for example, that the two women and five men are confined to two cells which are so small that they restrict adequate movement or rest.

"They have neither beds nor bedding," said Ms. Dugal.

The place has a rancid smell, and they are permitted to have fresh air for only two hours each week. They have a light that if turned off during the day makes it impossible for them to see anything.

"Contact with their loved ones is restricted to one 10-minute telephone call a week, or visits which are mostly conducted through a glass barrier," Ms. Dugal said.

"Such inhumane conditions show no regard for the principles outlined in international agreements for the treatment of prisoners, which provide that no one may be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment," she said.

"The prisoners' own requests for modest improvements to their conditions remain unaddressed, and as a consequence their health is suffering.

"These people are innocent, and there is no reason they should be made to suffer like this," she said.

According to the journalist Roxana Saberi – who shared a cell for three weeks with two of the Baha'i prisoners – the women are confined in a small space. "They roll up a blanket to use as a pillow," she said. "The floor is cement and covered with only a thin, brown carpet, and prisoners often get backaches and bruises from sleeping on it. ... When I was with them, we were allowed into a walled-in cement yard four days a week for 20 to 30 minutes."


International action

The Universal House of Justice – the head of the Baha'i Faith – has called for the worldwide Baha'i community to host special prayer meetings across the globe this Friday, to remember the Baha'is of Iran and all their compatriots who are similarly subject to oppression.

"It grieves our hearts to contemplate the passing of yet another year in which the seven former members of the Yaran remain imprisoned on baseless charges for which the authorities have no evidence whatsoever," the House of Justice has written.

The second anniversary, they say, calls to mind the "multifarious forms of oppression" being faced by Iran's Baha'i community, including "interrogations, summary arrests and imprisonment, deprivation of the means to a livelihood, wanton destruction of property, and the denial of education to Baha'i students."

A collective gesture of solidarity with the imprisoned Baha'i leaders has also been called for by the human rights network United4Iran. They are asking sympathizers worldwide to replicate the dimensions of the cells in Evin prison, and document themselves confined to the space. Photographs and video clips will be then shared on the Internet to bring the international community's attention to the ongoing arbitrary imprisonment being endured by the seven.

Details about the United4Iran campaign can be found here:
http://united4iran.com/2010/05/may-14th-2010-2-years-since-the-arbitrary-arrests-of-the-7-baha’i/


For a longer version of the story that includes more details about Evin prison, go to:
Calls for action as Iranian Baha'i leaders enter third year in prison

For the Baha'i World News Service home page, go to:
Bahá'í World News Service - Bahá'í International Community
 
Sever prison conditions...

Just in case anyone overlooked the above article allow me to place some emphasis on the above and remember these Baha'is have endured these conditions for over two years now and have yet to be convicted as yet by any Court.. So far this amounts to a governemnt sponsored abduction and imprisonment in the most severe conditions of innocent people:



Severe prison conditions

Friday marks the second anniversary of the group's imprisonment, and details continue to emerge about the severe conditions under which they are being held.

It is known, for example, that the two women and five men are confined to two cells which are so small that they restrict adequate movement or rest.

"They have neither beds nor bedding," said Ms. Dugal.

The place has a rancid smell, and they are permitted to have fresh air for only two hours each week. They have a light that if turned off during the day makes it impossible for them to see anything.

"Contact with their loved ones is restricted to one 10-minute telephone call a week, or visits which are mostly conducted through a glass barrier," Ms. Dugal said.

"Such inhumane conditions show no regard for the principles outlined in international agreements for the treatment of prisoners, which provide that no one may be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment," she said.

"The prisoners' own requests for modest improvements to their conditions remain unaddressed, and as a consequence their health is suffering.

"These people are innocent, and there is no reason they should be made to suffer like this," she said.

According to the journalist Roxana Saberi – who shared a cell for three weeks with two of the Baha'i prisoners – the women are confined in a small space. "They roll up a blanket to use as a pillow," she said.

"The floor is cement and covered with only a thin, brown carpet, and prisoners often get backaches and bruises from sleeping on it. ...

When I was with them, we were allowed into a walled-in cement yard four days a week for 20 to 30 minutes."
 
Fourth court date set for imprisoned Baha'is..

Fourth court date for imprisoned Iranian Baha'i leaders set for 12 June


GENEVA, 1 June (BWNS) – The seven Baha'i leaders imprisoned for more than two years in Iran are scheduled to make their fourth court appearance on Saturday 12 June, the Baha'i International Community has learned.

The date coincides with the first anniversary of last year's contested presidential election in Iran, as well as a global day of action aimed at calling attention to human rights abuses in the country.

The trial of the seven began on 12 January after they had been incarcerated without charge in Tehran's Evin prison for 20 months.

At the first hearing, held in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, the Baha'is categorically denied charges of espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, and "corruption on earth," among other allegations.

A second appearance on 7 February was concerned mainly with procedural issues.

The third session on 12 April, which was purportedly a closed hearing, was adjourned after the seven – with the agreement of their attorneys – refused to be party to the proceedings because of the presence of non-judicial personnel.

"To have spectators, including a film crew, in a supposedly closed hearing while denying entry to the defendants' families was unacceptable," said Diane Ala'i, Baha'i representative to the United Nations in Geneva. "There would be no objection if the trial were to be open and conducted in accordance with international standards."

"In the court sessions held so far, no evidence of wrongdoing has been presented. As their lawyers have confirmed, they are completely innocent and are solely being persecuted for their religious belief," said Ms. Ala'i.

"The Iranian government should know that its actions against these innocent citizens are under scrutiny throughout the world," she said.

"Once again we call for their immediate release. Failing that, the seven should – at the very least – be released on bail pending a fair trial."

The seven defendants are Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm. Before their imprisonment, they attended to the spiritual and social needs of Iran's Baha'i community, which numbers more than 300,000. Mrs. Sabet was arrested on 5 March 2008 and the others on 14 May 2008.

There are currently some 38 Baha'is in detention in various cities in Iran.


To read the article online, go to:
Fourth court date for imprisoned Baha?i leaders set for 12 June

For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to:
http://news.bahai.org
 
Global Call for release of the prisoners..

Global call for release of Iranian Baha'i leaders as trial session looms


NEW DELHI, India, 11 June (BWNS) - On the eve of the fourth court hearing for Iran's seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders, voices are being raised around the world for them to be freed.

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Delhi has addressed Iran's Supreme Leader calling for the release of the seven, "or at the very least for them to be released on bail and await a fair and open trial in accordance with the international standards of jurisprudence."

"In the court sessions held so far, no evidence of wrongdoing has been presented, as their lawyers have confirmed," Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao wrote in a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dated 5 June 2010.

Yesterday, the social activist and spiritual leader, Swami Agnivesh, led a peaceful procession through the streets of New Delhi to Hyderabad House, a government-owned venue used for major events and press conferences.

Campaigners - many of them wearing masks - carried banners and placards depicting the seven Baha'i leaders, as well as images of other prisoners currently being held.

Swami Agnivesh told the gathering that humanity demands love and respect for all and should allow people of different belief systems and ideologies to co-exist in peace and solidarity, reported The Hindu newspaper.


Global initiative

The march in New Delhi was a prelude to tomorrow's global day of action, which demands an end to human rights abuses in Iran, and marks the one-year anniversary of last year's contested presidential election.

The initiative - coordinated by United4Iran - is being cosponsored by numerous organizations including Amnesty International and the Baha'i International Community.

Prominent nongovernmental organizations are joining with a wide range of local, student and Internet-based groups to host simultaneous events in cities and on campuses around the globe. The campaign website can be visited here.

In the United Kingdom, a mobile billboard depicting the seven Baha'i leaders has been launched in London in order to bring attention to their plight.

Meanwhile, in the United States, Representative Frank R. Wolf, yesterday submitted a statement to the Congressional Record calling for renewed support for the seven.

"The world cannot turn a blind eye to this regime's brutal repression of its own people," said Mr Wolf.

"We must continue to advocate for due process and a fair trial for these seven Baha'i leaders and for basic rights for the community as a whole which according to the recently released report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, "has long been subject to particularly severe religious violations in Iran."" he said.


UN Human Rights Council

Concerns have also been expressed this week in a debate at the 14th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. The situation of Iran's persecuted Baha'i community was raised on Tuesday, 8 June, on behalf of the European Union by Spain. It was also mentioned in contributions made by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States of America.

"We fear that the already poor human rights situation in Iran will continue to deteriorate if the international community does not continue to call the Iranian government to account for its actions," said the Canadian representative.

In addition to endorsing the statement of Spain, seven member states of the European Union specifically mentioned their own concerns about the persecution of Baha'is.

Austria reported how it "remains gravely concerned about the discrimination and harassment of religious minorities, in particular members of the Baha'i and the trial against seven of their leaders, which we follow very closely."

The trial of the seven Baha'i leaders began on 12 January after they had been incarcerated without charge in Tehran's Evin prison for 20 months. At the first hearing, held in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, the Baha'is categorically denied charges of espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, and "corruption on earth," among other allegations.

The seven defendants are Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm. Before their imprisonment, they attended to the spiritual and social needs of Iran's Baha'i community, which numbers more than 300,000.

There are currently some 41 Baha'is in detention in various cities in Iran.
 
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