The deputy prosecutor-general of Tehran has said that the trial of seven individuals accused of participating in the outlawed activities of the Baha’i community would take place next week. He advised that the legal case would be forwarded to the Revolutionary Court for this purpose.
In an interview with the legal reporter of ISNA, Judge Haddad stated, “The charges against the seven accused of engaging in the activities of the outlawed Baha’i community were assessed by Branch One of the Judiciary branch of the [Ministry of Intelligence and] Security [known as VEVAK — the successor to SAVAK], and in view of the deliberation in support of these charges, their case with a request for prosecution will be sent to the Revolutionary Court next week for final adjudication.”
He stated that some of the charges against the accused include “espionage on behalf of Israel”, “insult to the sacredness [of Islam]”, and “propaganda against the regime”.
[Source: http://www.isna.ir/ISNA/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-1288527&Lang=P. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]
Statement from the Baha’i Community regarding these developments:
http://iran.bahai.us/2009/02/11/iran-announces-trial-of-baha%E2%80%99i-leadership/
February 12, 2009 12:57 am
I surely hope the government of Iran shows the entire court proceedings in full and on TV for all the world to see and not try to convict and hang the Bahais behind closed doors as they had done in the past when the regime was weak.
Surely Iran’s Supreme Leader, President and Parliament who pressed for Saddam Hussein’s court proceedings to be broadcast live on TV would apply the same principals to these Bahai leaders. After all, if the court proceedings are held in full accordance with international law for all the world to see and a just conviction is rendered, that would put an end to Bahaism not only in Iran but throughout the entire world. So Iran could be doing the entire world a great favor also.
As a Super Power, Iran’s Supreme Leader should demand that the proceedings be handled in full accordance with all international laws and broadcast live on TV. Otherwise the entire world would say that the entire Iranian regime in Iran was scared of a handful of Bahais and as such decided to again convict and kill them behind closed doors. This would surely diminish the entire Iranian regime’s Super Power status in the entire world.
My God guide Iran’s Supreme Leader and his government to do the right thing in accordance with all international laws and avoid these misconception of their regime being weak and about to fall apart.
February 12, 2009 1:33 am
Nasser, could you please justify your obvious antagonism towards the Baha’i community? It would be much appreciated; perhaps we can help patch up some misunderstandings.
February 12, 2009 4:35 am
Adib, Nasser is obviously being sarcastic. No one in their right mind would call a country which is being considered as one of the most backward countries in the world (in the arena of human rights), one whose citizens have to hold two or three jobs to maintain a decent living status, one which imprisons or kills whomever does not think the same way as its governing body, one which does not allow anyone other than moslems to enter places of higher education, one that discriminates against all religious minorities, Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, etc., one which now has no problem cooperating with its neighboring country to defeat U.S. despite the fact that more than a milion of its young were killed in the fight with that same neighboring country; a civilized country which is expected to act by the maxims of “international laws”. Iran is no “super power” despite the delusional thinking of its “supreme leader” and his puppet.
February 12, 2009 5:38 am
Nasser Khan,
Rest assured that the government of Iran, has no shred of evidence , against the Bahais and will continue to hide under the banner of ridiculous trumped up charges.
The IR is a corrupt government lacking in any credible, moral or spiritual authority. In trying to prolong its Godless authority, it desperately tries to destroy the defenseless Bahais whose only support has been the Divine Will.
Nasser Khan,
Your fears are well founded; The government of Iran will not show the entire court proceedings in full and on TV for all the world to see and will as before try to convict and hang the Bahais behind closed doors as they had done in the past .
It would be suicide for Iran’s Supreme Leader, President and Parliament to give the freedom to Bahais to speak in court proceedings or to be broadcast live on TV,
Any attempt to portray these mothers and farthers as “spies” would backfire, as have all their other attempts in trying to show Bahais in bad light.
Nasser Khan,
A deeper knowledge, familiarity and closer examination of Bahai history would prove to you the futility of these acts. It could perhaps open your eyes , as to the Divine Power and guidance that has given Bahais the resolve and steadfast devotion to faith and God.
What you are perhaps not aware of is that, far more powerful tyrants than the supreme leader in the last 160 years have tried to as you say “put an end to Bahaism”.
If the words of Baha’u’llah were the words of a fallible man, and not a new revelation and guidance from God for today; His exile and forty years of exile and captivity should have once and for all time “put an end to Bahaism”, a long time ago and there should today be not even a trace of the name Bahai, in Iran or the world.
But as they say Nasser Khan, “Kareh Khoda Ra bebin Toro Beh Khoda…!” (equiv : God acts in mysterious ways..)
Not only did the last 160 years of brutal and at times savage persecution and torture as you say NOT “put an end to Bahaism” but these as you again call “handful of Bahais” have managed to spread and multiply to the rest of the world and represent every race, class and religious background as the second most widely distributed religion around the Planet.
Nasser Khan,
May God guide Iran’s Supreme Leader and his government to do the right thing in accordance with the following admonition:
“O people of the Koran,” Bahá’u’lláh, addressing the combined forces of Sunni and Shi’ih Islám, significantly affirms, “Verily the Prophet Of God, Muhammad, sheddeth tears at the sight of your cruelty. Ye have assuredly followed your evil and corrupt desires, and turned away your face from the light of guidance. Erelong will ye witness the result of your deeds: for the Lord. My God, lieth in wait and is watchful of your behaviour … O concourse of Muslim divines! By your deeds the exalted station of the people hath been abased, the standard of Islam hath been reversed, and mighty throne hath fallen.”
Nasser Khan,
In all honesty,
How popular is the Islamic regime in Iran (with those not on the payroll) and around the world?
How loyal has the powerful supreme leader and the rest of the “spiritual leaders” been to the light of Holy Prophet Muhammad’s “light of guidance”?
Have the actions and deeds of the Shia elevated Islam or “exalted the station of Islam?
What has the supreme leader and his so called “Islamic” revolution done?
What do the youth of Iran as its future , those seventy percent under the age of thirty
think of what the Supreme religious leader and what they call “Islam”?
Has not their deeds and cruelty , “ abased, the standard of Islam” ?
Are they really “misconceptions”?
Nasser Khan, you wrote:
“My God guide Iran’s Supreme Leader and his government to do the right thing in accordance with all international laws and avoid these misconception of their regime being weak and about to fall apart”
Apparently your fears about the “fall” of the regime according to Baha’u’llah are not unfounded:
O concourse of Muslim divines!
By your deeds the exalted station of the people hath been abased, the standard of Islam hath been reversed, and mighty throne hath fallen.”
Nasser Khan,
I hope you can look within, search your heart and try to see the reality of how these
merciless people have fulfilled Baha’u’llah’s prophecy, by reversing the standard of Islam.
February 12, 2009 11:01 am
I too call for open court proceedings in accordance with all internal laws. Tens of thousands of Bahais in Iran have been killed by Mollahs without due process of law. Hundreds of thousands more have been deprived of all their rights and means of living in Iran. It is about time for Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayed Ali Kamanei to show his proofs to the world as to why.
From what I’ve read “Sayed” means “decendant of the Prophet” (may peace be upon him) and Ayatollah means he who speaks the Word as God would with Justice. Surely even Allah and the Prophet would have shown their proofs after such a blood bath.
May Lord guide all the Sayeds and Ayatollahs in Iran and hold them accountable for their deeds if they don’t hold free and fair court proceedings under international law.
February 12, 2009 11:18 am
. با کمال ثبوت و رسوخ و روح و ریحان در انجام وظایف روحانی خود کوشا باشید. در جمیع امور، حمایت و تشویق یکدیگر را پیشۀ خود قرار دهید و در استحکام پایههای اتّحاد از هیچ کوششی دریغ ننمایید. در احقاق حقوق حقّۀ خود از طرق قانونی با صداقت کامل بکوشید، دشنام را با تحیّت و سلام پاسخ گویید و حتّی با ظالمان به رأفت و مهربانی و صبر و شکیبایی مقابله نمایید
http://www.negah32.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=981&Itemid=24
February 12, 2009 12:03 pm
I think you all are wrong. Not holding public viewing of this case on TV in accordance with full international laws will damage Iran’s reputation and the personal reputation of our Suprem Leader as a Leader worthy of historical values for generations to come. These are no ordinary Bahais that have been arrested. These are Bahai leaders and as such the entire Iranian people must watch the entire
case in full on TV in accordance with international laws. I’m sure he will order this to be done so you can’t continue to say you are wrongly accused and with this action put the entire matter to rest. Iran is a Super Power. We sent a sattelite to space the other day. That’s why I don’t see our Supreme Leader would jeopardize his status in the eyes of the entire world as a leader worthy of great historical significance and in the eyes of the entire Iranian nation and security establishment by holding secret court proceedings for these seven behind our backs, as if he wants to hide something from us. As our President, said Iranian nation is not weak.
February 12, 2009 12:18 pm
Nasser is right as Weired as his logic sounds/is. Enough has been done behind our backs on the baha’is in Iran. All Iranians from all walks of life, religions and political views and all governments and NGOs and people around the world should demand FREE and FAIR court televised proceedings in full accord with all international laws for these seven accused. Nothing short of that would satisfy.
February 12, 2009 12:55 pm
I second that. No Guantanemo court proceedings in Iran please. I ran across this article today searching google news and am very saddened by it. I have visited Iran many times and know that Iranians don’t want their reputation to be lowered to that of Guantanemo and Iran’s Khamanei and Rafsanjani should not want to become known as Iran’s GW and Dick Chaney. Hold Free and Fair court proceedings in accordance with all international laws or set them and all their followers FREE. There is no other way for Iran to proceed. Through your own doing you have brought this on yourselves. Save your reputation in the eyes of the world and do the right thing. God is judging you! Fear His judgement more than that of a few ignorant fanatics who have bankrupted your beautiful country.
February 12, 2009 1:26 pm
“Armed with the power of Thy name nothing can ever hurt me, and with Thy Love in my heart all the world’s afflictions can in no wise alarm me.”
– Bahá’u’lláh
February 12, 2009 1:34 pm
We’ll find out soon enough whether or not the proceedings are televised.
February 12, 2009 1:47 pm
The imprisoned Baha’i leaders have been incarcerated without charges for all these months, have had very little contact with their families, almost no medical attention, and have had no access to their lawyer, Mrs. Shirin Ebadi. In fact, next week when their trial takes place, Mrs. Ebadi will be in Europe and America. Further, the preposterous “charges” against them was only made known yesterday – a week before the so-called trial.
This is not a trial; it is a travesty of justice.
February 12, 2009 1:57 pm
I did not know that Mrs. Ebadi would be absent during the trial.
But this must be the will of God. Perhaps she will be able to make a lot of noise internationally during the trial and before it, so as to create widespread international awareness and thereby omit any possibility of the jurists condemning any of the Yaran to death.
February 12, 2009 2:17 pm
Dear Adib,
I found comments by Michael Rubin posted at The Corner insightful. He wrote:
President Obama has made Iran engagement a foreign policy priority. While, until now, he has managed to be all things to all people, he will soon face two tests which will force him to make significant choices. 1) The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) has asked to interview Obama as a way to reach out to the Iranian people. Should Obama choose to address the Iranian people, he must decide: Will he address the Iranian people through state media and thereby signal that the path to Iranian hearts and minds goes through the regime, or will he reach out directly using Radio Farda or Voice of America-Persian service? If the former, he will, in effect, throw the media services so important during the Cold War under the bus. 2) Iran has announced that it will place seven arrested Bahais on trial next week for alleged espionage, a capital offense. The charges are a sham. Will Obama engage Ahmadinejad under such circumstances and signal to the regime that their is no consequence for throwing religious minorities under the bus? Obama’s supporters in Washington may not pay attention, but I can guarantee that the circles around Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Khamenei will be watching closely.
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=M2UwZTk5ZDJiMzU0MTRlNzRmOTdjMTM0NWViMDU1NWM =
February 12, 2009 5:57 pm
check out this clip which is about the Baha’i in Iran: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEI8RxFL7Zs&eurl
February 12, 2009 10:45 pm
I saw my employees at work talking about this today. One of them who is a Moslim from Iran said that in Iran they have been arresting Bahai’ followers for well over a century and when they don’t convert to Islam, the government or molas charge them with all sorts of crimes to force them to convert to Islam. I have to tell you that when a government dictates what religion people should have, people should run away from that religion and never convert to it. So I’m proud that the government of Iran has charged these six or seven Bahai’ followers with these crimes. It means the government in Iran is so desparate for its survival that they have to use Bahai people
as scape goat. I don’t tell my employees what religion to have or don’t have and run a successful company and believe what Mr Ahkmadinijad is doing to Bahai is horrible and this will bankrupt his country just as it would mine if I were to do that to my employees.
Religion is a private matter and not a tool for a state to legislate, dictate or use to enslave people. I wish Bahai’ people the best and hope they gain their freedom as Moslim Iranians have in my company and my country. God Bless.
February 13, 2009 3:55 pm
ALL the accusations are false, and the government and the mollahs knows this. They should ALL be released with a FULL apology from the government of Iran for 160 years of government and clergy instigated massacres and genocides against the Baha’is.