The new year in the Baha’i calendar is named Naw-Ruz, meaning “New Day” – the first day of Spring in the Northern hemisphere. Baha’is in more than 200 countries and territories around the world celebrate…
Monthly Archives For March 2011
Prominent individuals and organizations renew support for Iran's seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders
New Delhi, 14 March, 2011 — The global support for Iran’s seven jailed Baha’i leaders is continuing as one of the prisoners begins her fourth year in detention. Mahvash Sabet – a schoolteacher and mother…
European Parliament reiterates call for the release of the seven Baha’i leaders
10 March 2011. The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the European Union’s approach to Iran, deploring “the fact that, contrary to the Constitution, members of religious minorities endure discrimination in housing, education and official jobs,…
Netherlands: Dutch foreign affairs committee addresses Iranian parliament on human rights
International reactions to the situation of the Baba’is in Iran has been heartwarming for the Bahais all around the world. (see BWNS for more details). One recent reaction is a letter sent by the Dutch…
President Obama mentions the Baha'is in his Naw-Ruz message to Iran
(www.whitehouse.gov 21 March 2011) In his Naw-Ruz message to Iran, President Obama urged the Islamic Republic Government of Iran to stop the open persecution of the Baha’is in Iran for the sole practice of their…
Letter from Members of a council for the Parliament of Religions to Mr. Khanjani
Saturday 12th March Dear Mr. Khanjani, I was deeply saddened to hear of Mrs Ashraf Khanjani’s passing. Please accept my deepest condolences and prayers for you, for your family and for your friends at this…
Dismissal of all Baha'i Employees of Achilandoor Company
HRANA News Agency – While more than two months have passed since the CEO and five employees of Achilandoor Company were detained by IRGC [Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps] intelligence officers, in the last few days, all Baha’i employees and workers of this company in the cities of Tehran and Mashhad have been fired following an order issued by the Intelligence Office of IRGC.
Baha'is who offered education to earthquake-hit Iranian region arrested
(BWNS 15 March 2011) GENEVA — Iranian authorities have arrested a number of Baha’is who provided education to children in a region devastated by an earthquake seven years ago. The Baha’i International Community has so far been…
Iran arrests 'a number' of Bahais
TEHRAN (AFP) – A number of Bahais who were “promoting their faith in kindergartens” have been arrested, a prosecutor in the southern city of Bam was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying on Saturday.
“A number of Bahais who were promoting their programmes under the guise of kindergartens in Bam, Kerman and Tehran were arrested by intelligence agents after nine months of intelligence work,” prosecutor Mohammad Reza Sanjari said.
Roxana Saberi: Free Iran's Seven Baha'i Leaders
March 15, 2011 issue of the Wall Street Journal, By ROXANA SABERI (also see BBC Profile here) March 5 marked the third anniversary of the arrest of Mahvash Sabet, one of my former cellmates in Iran’s…
Tehran Bureau: 'Terrible Conditions' for women at Rajaei Shahr Jail
Tehran Bureau of PBS reports on the terrible conditions for women at Rajael Shahr Prison where four Baha’i women are also in prison.
Iran arrests Bahai followers for proselytising faith
[This report uses the word “proselytising”, and therefore a clarifying note: the Baha’is, as a matter of course, share the teachings of the Baha’i Faith with everyone without prejudice. Nevertheless, proselytising is strictly prohibited. Bahai’s…
Burial Ceremony of Mrs. Ashraf Khanjani – Wife of Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, a Baha’i prisoner, along with pictures from the cemetery
March 12, 2011 Funeral of Mrs. Ashraf Khanjani Dear friends, many thanks to the Blessed Beauty, who in the middle of our current difficulties makes use of events taking place in this blessed country as…
Sorrow as jailed Baha'i leader is unable to attend wife's funeral
(BWNS 11 March 2011) GENEVA — The Baha’i International Community has described as “desperately cruel” the fact that one of Iran’s seven Baha’i leaders has been unable to attend the funeral of his own wife. 81 year…
Human rights groups renew support for Iran's seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders
(BWNS 9 March 2011) NEW YORK — The global support for Iran’s seven jailed Baha’i leaders is continuing as one of the prisoners begins her fourth year in detention. Mahvash Sabet – a schoolteacher and mother…
Amnesty International's "Nowruz Action"
The Persian holiday Nowruz (“new day”) is an ancient holiday celebrated on the first day of spring to welcome in the new year. On this Nowruz we want to remember several courageous prisoners of conscience…