Charged with espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and spreading propaganda against the system. Rezaie is a member of the Yaran, a now-disbanded ad hoc leadership group for Iran’s Bahá’í community. An agricultural engineer, he is also the author of several books and is known for his extensive scholarship on Bahá’í topics. In 2010 he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Charged with espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and spreading propaganda against the system. Kamalabadi is a member of the Yaran, a now-disbanded ad hoc leadership group for Iran’s Bahá’í community. Previously she was a developmental psychologist. She was arrested twice before her most recent imprisonment. In 2010 she was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Charged with espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and spreading propaganda against the system. Khanjani is a member of the Yaran, a now-disbanded ad hoc leadership group for Iran’s Bahá’í community. He was arrested and imprisoned at least three times before 2008. In 2010 he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Charged with espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and spreading propaganda against the system. Naeimi is a member of the Yaran, a now-disbanded ad hoc leadership group for Iran’s Bahá’í community. Previously he was an industrialist who was unable to pursue becoming a doctor because as a Bahá’í, he was denied access to university. In 2010 he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Charged with espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and spreading propaganda against the system. Sabet is a member of the Yaran, a now-disbanded ad hoc leadership group for Iran’s Bahá’í community. Before her arrest, she served as director of an organization providing alternative higher education for Bahá’í youth. In 2010 she was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Charged with espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and spreading propaganda against the system. Tavakkoli is a member of the Yaran, a now-disbanded ad hoc leadership group for Iran’s Bahá’í community. He has previously experienced intermittent detainment and harassment and was jailed for four months without charge, spending most of that time in solitary confinement. In 2010 he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Charged with espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and spreading propaganda against the system. Tizfahm was a member of the Yaran, a now-disbanded ad hoc leadership group for Iran’s Bahá’í community. Previously he was an optometrist and owner of an optical shop. In 2010 he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Convicted on charges including founding the Bahá’í Education Rights Committee and membership in the Committee of Human Rights Reporters and Human Rights Activists, acting against national security, and propaganda against the regime. Khanjani is a human rights activist and a founder of the Society against Educational Discrimination. In January 2011 he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Using millions of Lego pieces, Ai Weiwei – the well-known Chinese artist – has created the images of more than 176 human right prisoners including Faran Hesami, Kamran Rahimian, Navid Khanjani and the Yaran (1). He has honored these prisoners by exhibiting the images at Alcatraz museum and named them “The heroes of our time”.
Faran Hesami is one of the professors of the Baha’i online university who was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment. Her husband, Kamran Rahimian was also sentenced to 4 years imprisonment by branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court headed by Judge Salavati, with similar charges.
God bless you, dear Professor Ai Weiwei. It is artists like you that this depressing time, when human rights are trampled under foot, is in dire need of.
Thank you Ai Weiwei! This is great news and what a great location for that particular installation. I started a series of paintings some 8 months ago dealing with the same subject. Check it out by visiting my website or click on my name.
As an advocate for human rights and a fourth generation American Baha’i, I am very honored to have had your heart and time devoted to this important issue. Thank you for your pure light in this sometimes dark world. We honor you.
I am hoping that one day, we do not differentiate one group from others. One planet, one people. Everybody in Iran (Jews, Muslims,…) is suffering, not just Baha’is!
I am hoping that one day, we do not differentiate one group from others. One planet, one people. Almost everybody in Iran (Jews, Muslims,….) are suffering.
April 14, 2015 12:22 pm
I am honored to hear about a Chinese artist to devote his talent to bring human rights front and center!
April 14, 2015 5:03 pm
God bless Ai Weiwei .We respect you.
April 17, 2015 10:38 am
As an artist I bow down to my colleague Ai Weiwei who, him self is a prisoner in his homeland for advocating freedom and justice for years!
April 17, 2015 1:17 pm
God bless you, dear Professor Ai Weiwei. It is artists like you that this depressing time, when human rights are trampled under foot, is in dire need of.
April 20, 2015 6:30 am
Thank you Ai Weiwei! This is great news and what a great location for that particular installation. I started a series of paintings some 8 months ago dealing with the same subject. Check it out by visiting my website or click on my name.
April 22, 2015 12:38 am
If you’d like to learn more about @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz, go here: http://www.for-site.org/project/ai-weiwei-alcatraz/
April 27, 2015 1:07 am
As an advocate for human rights and a fourth generation American Baha’i, I am very honored to have had your heart and time devoted to this important issue. Thank you for your pure light in this sometimes dark world. We honor you.
April 28, 2015 9:32 am
Thank you for honoring the imprisoned Baha’is through your work
August 6, 2015 7:35 am
I am hoping that one day, we do not differentiate one group from others. One planet, one people. Everybody in Iran (Jews, Muslims,…) is suffering, not just Baha’is!
August 6, 2015 7:37 am
I am hoping that one day, we do not differentiate one group from others. One planet, one people. Almost everybody in Iran (Jews, Muslims,….) are suffering.