On Sunday, September 20, 2009, the Committee of Human Rights Reporters posted the following news, which appears below in translation:
From September 6 through September 10, using large trucks and bulldozers, a number of unknown individuals destroyed and excavated the Baha’i Cemetery of Najafabad and Vilashahr [near Isfahan].
The cemetery, which belongs to the Baha’is of Najafabad and Vilashahr, and which is known as Gulestan Javid [“eternal garden”], is situated about 9 miles from Najafabad. This land was given to the Baha’is of Najafabad and Vilashahr in the winter of 1995; it has been attacked 18 times since them. It has been reported that 119 graves are located in this cemetery – 95 are in the first section and 24 more are in the second section.
According to reports by eyewitnesses, when Baha’is visited the cemetery on Thursday, September 10, 2009, they were confronted with a destroyed cemetery and excavated land. The entire first section and portions of section 2 of this cemetery had been excavated, and large craters and earth-mounds were created. In some segments, the earth had been removed to the depth of over a yard, and in other segments earth had been brought in from other areas and piled up in long rows as high as 10 yards.
Moreover, parking lots located on the northern and southern parts of cemetery were also excavated up to 35 yards from the graves, and large craters and mounds were created in them.
It should be noted that tracks from bulldozers and large trucks were clearly evident throughout the cemetery and surrounding land. In addition, the remains of previously destroyed facilities that had included water tanks were taken away from the property.
It should be noted that the previous Baha’i cemetery of this region was thoroughly destroyed and eradicated in 1984.
According to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
Despite the fact that Iran is a signatory of this Universal Declaration, for the past 30 years Baha’is have been deprived of the most basic rights, such as the right to individual dignity and personal security – and even their cemeteries in many different towns have been attacked and destroyed.
Below are a series of photographs showing before and after the latest destruction of the Baha’i cemetery of Najafabad and Vilashahr.
[Posted on Sunday, September 20, 2009, at: http://chrr.us/spip.php?article5776. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]
September 22, 2009 3:06 am
This is absolutely dispicable. Ho low can this regime get ? Those poor families who have been affected … I am praying for them.
September 22, 2009 7:07 am
These actions are unbecoming a human being.
September 22, 2009 3:38 pm
They are vandals:(((((
September 22, 2009 9:47 pm
These acts have hastened the day when this cemetery will be restored as one of the most beautiful in Iran, and the memorial to local martyrs may have a wall with one of these photographs carved in fine-grained stone, in honor of those families brought into closer association with the lives of the saints and prophets: may peace rest upon them.
September 23, 2009 2:59 am
What ever this regime in Iran does to Bahais in Iran will cause more people around the world to learn about Bahai Faith. I do not see what is the purpose behind disturbing graves of the dead people? Aren’t these Mullah’s afraid of God?
September 23, 2009 3:04 am
Hitler did the same thing to Jews during his horror regime. Now Hitler and his army are gone dead and the state of Israel is one of the most power ful nation on earth. Atleasr Hitler did the same atrocities to Jews at the begining.
September 23, 2009 6:39 am
this is sad and sad, how can some one with heart and family will do these unbelievable and cruel reality .
September 23, 2009 8:41 am
BARBARIC !
September 23, 2009 12:17 pm
Committing this kind of despicable destruction over and over demonstrates the extent to which the ignorant are unable to do something meaningful in service to God. Imagine the wasted energies exerted to destroy this cemetery!
How pitiful is the fruit of ignorance and hatred; how unreasonable and empty of anything beneficial. Why destroy a harmless cemetary when the same energy could be used to assist a community with road, schools, and clinics? This is an example of how God frustrates those who choose to work against Him; the enemies of faith humiliate themselves before the eyes of the world. Such a pity!
September 25, 2009 10:25 pm
I can only echo the comments of sb:
Committing this kind of despicable destruction over and over demonstrates the extent to which the ignorant are unable to do something meaningful in service to God. Imagine the wasted energies exerted to destroy this cemetery! How pitiful is the fruit of ignorance and hatred; how unreasonable and empty of anything beneficial.
September 26, 2009 3:17 am
Now are coming the the all Last Day’s of Mullas crime in Iran, ﺍﺮﺘﺶﺪﺍﻨﺠﺸﻮﯿﺎﻦ ﺪﺍﻨﺸﮕﺎﻫﺎﻯ ﺍﯿﺮﺍﻦ