According to various sources, the trial of the seven imprisoned Baha’is who formerly supervised the Baha’i community of Iran has been postponed. The new trial date appears to be set for 26 Mehr 1388, corresponding to October 18, 2009.
The following is the text of this news from Reuters-India, published on Monday, August 17, 2009:
TEHRAN (Reuters) – An Iranian court has postponed the trial of seven detained Baha’i believers accused of spying for Israel and insulting sanctities, the ISNA news agency reported on Monday.
The trial, which had been due to start on Tuesday, was postponed at the request of defence lawyers, ISNA said, citing the public relations office of the Revolutionary Court, which handles security cases.
The news agency did not say whether a new date had been set.
One of the defence lawyers, Hadi Esmaielzadeh, told Reuters on Sunday that a trial on Tuesday would not have been legal. He said more time must pass between the announcement of the trial and its start.
Another defence lawyer, Mahnaz Parakand, said he and his colleagues needed more time to study the charges.
Six of the seven Baha’is were detained in May 2008 on security related charges, while another was arrested in March of last year. Iran had previously linked the group to Israel, saying they had received orders from the Jewish state to undertake measures against the Islamic system.
Iran does not recognize Israel.
Baha’is regard their faith’s 19th-century founder as the latest in a line of prophets including Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammad. Iran’s Shi’ite religious establishment considers the faith a heretical offshoot of Islam.
The Baha’i International Community has denied the charges against the group detained in Iran, saying they were members of a committee that tends to the needs of Baha’is in Iran.
Read the full article here: Reuters-India
Another report on this delay is published by iafrica.com
In Persian, read: RadioZamaneh
August 17, 2009 2:39 pm
The bahai community has to be more vigilant than ever and go on with its awareness raising work, since we all know that the unexpected might happen at any moment…
August 17, 2009 3:00 pm
I agree with Carmen, meanwhile let’s keep them in our prayers.
August 17, 2009 4:38 pm
http://news.bahai.org/story/727
August 17, 2009 8:38 pm
I see the hand of God in this: more people will made aware of the sacrifice these seven people have made and will earn about others imprisoned in Iran. The lack due process has been appalling! Thank you, Mr. Esmaielzadeh and Mr. Parakand for giving us this tiny breeze of hope by observing the legalities within the Iranian system. Isn’t it also illegal to hold people for their peaceful, nonpolitical beliefs? Could you please help your seven clients get hometo their families? Please? Millions are watching and waiting all over the the world to see what happens in October.