Translated by Ahang Rabbani On the morning of Saturday, 22 November 2008, agents of the Ministry of Intelligence arrived at the home of Mrs. Soheila Motallebi. After searching the house, confiscating all religious books and destroying…
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Baha’is Arrested in Qa’emshahr
Translated by Ahang Rabbani On Monday, 17 November, Masoud Ataian, a member of the Baha’i community, was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence in Qa’emshahr, in the province of Mazandaran. It is important…
Second Attack on Darzikola Cemetery
Translated by Ahang Rabbani During the early hours of Friday, November 21, once again the Baha’i cemetery at Darzikola came under vicious attack by hired hooligans. Only the vigilant attention of the people of Darzikola…
Latest Victim of Iran’s Abuse of Human Rights: Artistic Expression
Translated by Ahang Rabbani One of the Baha’i artists in Shiraz (identity undisclosed) built a model of the residence of the Bab – a site that remains one of the most sacred places for the…
Freedom of Belief and the Rights of Religious Minorities: A Talk by Professor Hashem Aghajari
Translated by Ahang Rabbani At the invitation of the Committee for Investigation of Willful Arrests, a group of human rights activists and families of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience gathered on Wednesday afternoon [1…
Human Rights for All Iranians of Whatever Religious Persuasion
Translated: Ahang Rabbani In a meeting with the members of a non-governmental organization, Tulu‘ Iranian Farda [tomorrow’s dawning of Iranians], a discussion about religion and superstition took place in which Hashem Aghajari stated that he…
There is no Provision for Apostasy in Law: Comments by Professor Hashem Aghajari
Translated by Ahang Rabbani In many Islamic countries last Tuesday, and in Iran on Wednesday, observances were held in celebration of the ‘Id-e Fitr, which marks the conclusion of the sacred fasting month of Ramadan.…
Welcome to the New Site
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Iran Press Watch at: http://www.iranpresswatch.org Iran Press Watch has been online for nearly two months and during this period, the site has received tens of thousands of visitors…
Two More Baha’is Arrested
[On Friday, 21 November 2008, Iranian Political Prisoners Association posted the following story: http://iranppa.blogspot.com/2008/11/two-related-to-bahai-faith-arrested.html.] According to Shole Allah Verdi Gorji, her parents, Sonya Tabibian and Tarazallah, both Baha’is, are being held in Sari’s Intelligence Ministry.…
Minorities in Iran
[The following essay by Jahanshah Rashidian appeared on Monday, 10 November 2008, at http://www.agoravox.com/article.php3?id_article=8872 and is shared below for your information. Ahang Rabbani.] The Islamic Republic of Iran places the Shiite sect of Islam at…
A Professor’s Account of the Expulsion of His Baha’i Students
[Professor Saeed Hanaee Kashani teaches English literature at Shaheed Beheshti University.] Last Monday, I was teaching a class at 8 o’clock in the morning. My students and I were reading aloud a text in English.…
Video of Darzikola’s Desecrated Baha’i Cemetery
[In the past two weeks, several times this site has reported on the destruction of the Baha’i Cemetery of Darzikola, a village near Qa’emshahr. On Monday, 3 November 2008, a video of the aftermath of…
IHRDC's First Newsletter
Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, a US-based organization that collects information and the status of human and civil rights in Iran, particularly religious minorities, has commenced publishing a newsletter, the first of which is found…
Establishment of "Minorities Committee" Aimed at Combating Other Religions
[A few days ago, Iran Press Watch published a translation of an article on this subject, which can be found here: http://iranpresswatch.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/qom%e2%80%99s-new-committee-on-religious-minorities/. On Friday, 31 October 2008, Rooz Online published the following follow up: http://www.roozonline.com/english/archives/2008/10/establishment_of_minorities_co.html.…
Arrest of Baha'is in Yasuj
Private sources in Iran report that on Sunday, October 26, three Baha’is were arrested in Yasuj, the capital of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province in central Iran. They were charged with forming classes for the education…
Expelled for Being a Baha'i – The Case of Mona Muhabbati
[In continuing the series of personal descriptions of Baha’i students who have been expelled from their institutions of higher education, the prestigious organization Human Rights Activists of Iran published the following account on Wednesday, 22…