At midnight on Tuesday June 30th 2009, unidentified men broke the glass storefront of the Mr. Peyman Shadman’s automotive supply store in Semnan and set the place on fire by throwing explosives inside. Mr. Shadman…
Tagged By bahais
Fox 11 News: "Baha’i Leaders Await Trial in Iran"
Amidst the unrest over Iran’s presidential election, another life and death drama unfolded in Tehran. This involved a pending espionage trial for imprisoned leaders of Iran’s largest religious minority. (myFoxLA.com) Reporter Gigi Graciette interviews Iraj…
Azadi Monument: Architect's daughter shares her story
I am the daughter of Hossein Amanat, the architect of the Freedom Monument [Azadi Tower] in Tehran. I was born in London, England in 1979 right at the beginning of the Iranian Revolution. As such,…
Worrisome prison conditions for Yaran
Further to our earlier report, Kavian S. Milani on the Newnegah site offered the following on Tuesday, June 23, 2009, based on reports he has received from Iran and promised to offer further details in…
Update on the Situation of the Yaran
On Tuesday, June 23, 2009, Human Rights Activists in Iran provided an alarming update on the situation of the former Baha’i leaders, known as Yaran, which appears below in translation: After more than a year…
Allegations of Baha'i involvement in BBC
In an attempt to distract the public from Iran’s real issues, anti-Baha’i propaganda is once again flourishing. Baha’is have previously been scapegoated for political conflicts and are a recurring element in Iranian conspiracy theories about…
Baha'is Speak Out on Iran Elections on NPR
NPR recently interviewed Farhad Sabetan, spokesman of the Baha’i International Community, on the involvement of Iranian Baha’is in their country’s politics, specifically in relation to last week’s election. Members of the Baha’i faith, Iran’s largest…
Chants of "Baha'is, We will Support You" in Tehran's Streets
An election procession in support of several Iranian presidential candidates chanted in support of various religious minorities, including the Baha’is. At this time of intensifying persecution of the Baha’i community throughout Iran, such public expressions…
Semnan: A microcosm of Iran
Without mincing words, the story of Semnan is a chilling tale of organized, religiously motivated action against Baha’is. There is a subset of the population which is different only in belief; well-wishers of the nation,…
Report on Violations of the Human Rights of Baha’is – March 21 to May 21, 2009
Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone…
A Gift from Evin
Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, six other former Baha’i leaders known as the Yaran, and some other Baha’is continue to languish in the notorious Evin prison of Tehran. While their bodies suffer incarceration and psychological torture, yet…
Education Rights Committee attends election campaign in Sari
The Committee on the Right to Education of the Human Rights Activists in Iran Association attended Mr. Karoubi’s campaign stop in the city of Sari to make use of the election environment as a venue…
Persecution of Baha’is and the Iranian Presidential Elections
In the run-up to to the so-called presidential elections in Iran, the persecution of Baha’is has become a political issue. Jamila Kadivar speaks of the rights that members of the religious community of Baha’i have…
Iran’s Islamic Theocracy and the Problem of Khashiyat (Fear of God): A Baha'i Perspective
Editor’s Note: Aram Anahid is the penname of a learned Baha’i intellectual in Iran, who has previously contributed to Iran Press Watch and other sites (e.g. Iranian.com). Iran Press Watch is pleased to publish this…
Supporters of Ayatollah Boroujerdi demand investigation of Baha'i case
Editor’s Note: Ayatollah Siyyid Husayn Kazemeyni Boroujerdi is an Iranian cleric who advocates separation of religion and government. He first expressed his opposition to the Islamic government of Iran in 1994, and opposed the theocratic…
Colored Pencils
Editor’s Note: The following is a translation of a short essay that recently appeared in Persian on the occasion of the third anniversary of the arrest of 54 Baha’i youth in Shiraz. The original Persian…