Seven Baha'i leaders in Iran have each received 20-year prison sentences, according to reports received by the Baha'i International Community, the group said Sunday.
"If this news proves to be accurate, it represents a deeply shocking outcome to the case of these innocent and harmless people," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.
Word of the sentences came from an Iranian-based group called the Committee of Human Rights Defenders, according to Diane Ala'i, another Baha'i U.N representative. The Baha'i International Community is working to confirm the reports, she said.
The leaders were accused of espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, and the establishment of an illegal administration, among other allegations, according to the Baha'i International Community. The group denied all charges.
"We understand that (those sentenced) have been informed of this sentence and that their lawyers are in the process of launching an appeal," Dugal said in a statement Sunday.
The Baha'i leaders–two women and five men–have been held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison since they were arrested in 2008. They are considered the nation's top-ranking Baha'is
The leaders' trial comprised six brief court appearances beginning last January, after they had been held without charges for up to 20 months, the Baha'i International Community said.
The group said the trial, during which the accused had roughly one hour's access to legal counsel, ended June 14. The verdict is believed to have been handed down Sunday, Ala'i said, though she had no details on the nature of the convictions.
Iran's 300,000-strong Baha'i community constitutes the country's largest non-Muslim religious minority.
The Baha'i faith originated in 19th century Persia, but the constitution of today's Islamic republic does not recognize it as a religion and considers the followers as apostates.
A U.N. State Department report released earlier this year blasted the Iranian government for its treatment of those practicing the Baha'i faith.
The report said Iran's government prevents Baha'is from gathering in homes to worship and bans Baha'is from public schools, universities, the social pension system and government leadership posts unless they conceal their religion.
"The government repeatedly pressured Baha'is to recant their religious beliefs in exchange for relief from mistreatment," the report said.
Comments:-Amen brother! I can't tell much difference between the Religious Right and the Taliban. Both would rule with a bible in one hand and a gun in the other. We all must vote for the Dems in November. It is our very freedom that is at stake.
siegfried @david and jimmy there's two sides to the sword of intolerance...
siegfried and I'll give you a hint you both sit on the other
Larry Valecia, Calif.US Army Forever... Between the muslin and Hispanics were are losing Our Country completely!!!
Bobby Where's the UN condemnation of this persecution??
CTOldCorps Why? What would hollow words from the UN matter?
Jimmy Umm...it's up there in the article. At least twice. Reading comprehension for the win, please, Alex!
Larry Valecia, Calif.US Army Forever... Going after Israel instead!!!
pmo5010 anyone who does not adhere to the dominant religion are always going to be considered apostates, because they believe that it should be so easy to accept the "truth" and so therefore, they have already turned and betrayed the almighty of whatever dominant religion there is.but, needless to say, this is another testament to the "sharing" between cultures and religions that mr. ahmadinejad advocates.
Where is their voice.......? Silence is all I hear. Sharia Law abounds and it is against Democracy.
In silence they try to gain our trust in America. What will happen when they gain political power.
Who said it? We will be defeated from within. Democracy is in the balance.
and good thing Iran is your ONLY Problem.Larry Valecia, Calif.US Army Forever... If there is a end of the World as we know it... The One Country that will still be standing is Israel!!! The Jews all way stay while Their Enemies Die!!!
While Christians look for Jesus’ 2nd coming, the Jews await the Messiah and Muslims await the 12th Imam. However, of the three, Allah’s designated Mahdi is the only one who demands a violent path to conquer the world. Mr. Ahmadinejad, and his cabinet, say they have a ‘signed contract’ with al Mahdi in which they pledge themselves to his work. What does this work involve? In light of concerns over Iran’s nuclear capabilities, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reportedly stated Israel should be wiped off the map. He spoke to the United Nations in September ’05. During that speech he claims to have been in an aura of light and felt a change in the atmosphere during which time no one present could blink their eyes. Iran’s PM is also said to have spoken in apocalyptic terms and seems to relish conflict with the West whom he calls the Great Satan. This is while he proclaims he must prepare the world for the coming Mahdi by way of a world totally under Muslim control. He is working hard to bring about the world-wide horrors that must be in place for their al Mahdi to bring peace. This notion and goal, along with a violent hatred of infidels, America and Israel reminds us of Biblical prophecies of the coming anti-Christ and the pledges of millions to a deceiving False Messiah who will claim to bring peace. Could this 12th Imam Mahdi and his servant Ahmadinejad spark the last days of the coming true Savior?Larry Valecia, Calif.US Army Forever... The problem is the Biggest Religion wants to force others to believe in Their Faith!!! Instead of living with respect of each other...
OSLO — The lawyer for a woman sentenced to death by stoning in Iran for adultery has fled to Norway where he is considering seeking asylum, he said in Oslo Sunday.
"In a way you can say that I have asked for asylum," Mohammad Mostafaie told AFP on the sidelines of a press conference in Oslo shortly after arriving in Norway after fleeing his country by way of Turkey.
The human rights lawyer added that he had already obtained a visa allowing him to stay in the Scandinavian country for a year, but wanted to wait with the actual asylum application until he had had a chance to discuss the matter with his wife in Iran.
Mostafaie has been representing Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, a 43-year-old mother of two, who was sentenced to death by stoning after she was found guilty of adultery.
Her sentence, which has sparked an outcry in Western countries, has been temporarily halted by judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani.
Mostafaie, who says he has rescued 18 of his 40 clients facing death sentences in Iran in recent years, has himself faced increasing pressure from the authorities in Tehran and says he was finally forced to flee after a warrant was issued for his arrest at the end of July.
He told the press conference Sunday that he did not think his departure would have a negative impact on Mohammadi-Ashtiani's case, since other lawyers were prepared to pick up where he had left off.
And "this will highlight Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani case even more," he said, adding that he did not think Tehran would dare to allow her stoning sentence to be carried out or to harm her physically in other ways.
"I do not think she will be hurt ... The Iranian authorities have already paid a huge price for the case (and) the international reputation of Iran has already been negatively affected because of the way it has been handled," he said.
Mostafaie fled Iran on July 29, first by car, then on foot and finally riding over a mountain pass on horseback across the Iranian border to Turkey.
"The most difficult part was that I've never sat on a horse in my whole life," he confided.
"I had to do that for five hours across the mountains where it was cold and snowy ... At the border I had to run across, with police posts on both sides ... and ran the fastest I've ever done," he said.
Mostafaie said he had not been planning to travel on to Norway when he left Iran, and had simply been trying to get away from the authorities.
His wife Fereshteh Halimi had already been arrested and taken to the infamous Evin prison in Tehran, where she was held in isolation for 14 days, he said.
"The only reason she was arrested was that the authorities wanted me to turn myself in," he said, adding that he had been sick with worry, but had decided it was best to leave.
Mostafaie, who learned Saturday that his wife had been released, was arrested when he arrived in Turkey due to an alleged passport problem and held in custody for six days.
But a human rights group had put pressure on the Turkish government to release him and the Norwegian embassy in Ankara helped buy him a ticket to Oslo.
The lawyer said he was glad to be in the Norway and that he hoped his wife and seven-year-old daughter could soon join him.
Norway has long criticised Iranian death sentences and last month summoned the Iranian ambassador in Oslo to protest Mohammadi-Ashtiani's stoning sentence.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said Sunday in a statement he was "very pleased that human rights lawyer Mohammad Mostafaie is now safe in Norway."
The foreign minister lamented that "the pressure on courageous defence lawyers such as Mostafaei is so great that they are compelled to flee," calling on Iran to respect human rights and fulfill its international obligations.
Alex News
Aug 9, 2010
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