Jeune Street

Iran Press Watch and the Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights are teaming up to promote July 11th (today) as Baha’i Rights Day. The reason that today is so significant is that the 7 imprisoned Baha’i leaders in Iran may be facing a trial for charges that include “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic republic.” The charges are completely baseless, and the 7 leaders have been held in Evin prison for more than a year without any judicial proceedings.

Cherie Booth, the wife of of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, published an articulate editorial a couple days ago calling for the fair trial of the seven. Here’s what she wrote:

For more than 100 years, the followers of the Baha’i faith, a world religion that has its roots in Iran, have faced discrimination and persecution for having progressive ideals that place great emphasis on the unity of religion, the equality of the sexes and the right to education. Baha’is have been prevented from following their faith, on penalty of imprisonment and even execution…

The campaign against the Baha’i community reached a new intensity last spring when its seven-strong national leadership was arrested in dawn raids. More than a year after detention without charge or access to a lawyer, the prisoners’ families have finally been told a court date has been set for this Saturday…

What is also very worrying are reports that the case will be heard by the same Revolutionary Court that recently tried, in secret, the US journalist Roxana Saberi. After proceedings lasting only one day, she was sentenced to eight years in jail.

We need the same international pressure now, before the court case, to ensure the seven men and women receive a fair trial and a chance of justice. They must be given full access to their lawyers, who must have time to prepare their defence. The court proceedings must be open to independent observation…

We must make sure that our understandable focus on the pro-democracy protests and their bloody suppression does not cause us to overlook the threat to the country’s largest non-Muslim religious minority. It is at times such as these that the Iranian authorities historically have heaped blame on the Baha’i population…

We must urge the Iranian Government to give the leaders of the Baha’i community a fair trial and allow independent observers access to ensure this happens. We must also call on Iran to live up to its international obligations to protect all its citizens and allow them to hold and practise their religious beliefs without discrimination or fear.

If you are interested in following Baha’i Rights Day and learning more about the Baha’is in Iran, visit the following websites:

Baha’i Rights Day Website

Iran Press Watch

Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights

Baha’i World News Service Iran Update

And if you’re looking for a longer comparative look at human rights in Iran, there’s always this: