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Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
EGYPT COURT TO RULE NEXT WEEK ON NEW RELIGIOUS FREEDOM CASES
CAIRO, 20 December 2007 (BWNS) -- A court is expected to rule early next
week on two cases related to the government's policy on religious
affiliation and national identity papers, an issue that has been hotly
debated here in recent months and a focus of international human rights
concerns.
The first case involves a lawsuit by the father of twin children, who is
seeking to obtain proper birth certificates for them. The second concerns a
college student, who needs a national identity card to re-enroll in
university.
Both are set for "final judgment" by the Court of Administrative Justice in
Cairo on 25 December 2007. In both cases, the individuals involved are
unable to obtain government identification papers because they are Baha'is.
"The world has increasingly come to understand the basic injustice imposed
by the Egyptian government's policies on religious affiliation and official
documents -- and the court has before it in these two cases the chance once
again to right that wrong," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of
the Baha'i International Community.
"Last year, under pressure from Muslim fundamentalists, the Supreme
Administrative Court rejected a lower court decision that had required the
government to include the word 'Baha'i' on official documents. These two new
cases offer a compromise solution, asking merely that the religious
affiliation field be left blank or filled in with the word 'other,'" added
Ms. Dugal.
The government requires all identification papers to list religious
affiliation but then restricts the choice to the three officially recognized
religions -- Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Baha'is are thus unable to
obtain identification papers because they refuse to lie about their
religious affiliation.
Without national identity cards -- or, as in the case of the twin children,
birth certificates -- Baha'is and others caught in the law's contradictory
requirements are deprived of a wide range of citizenship rights, such as
access to employment, education, and medical and financial services.
MORE
These problems were highlighted in a report issued in November by Human
Rights Watch and the Cairo-based Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
(EIPR).
"Employers, both public and private, by law cannot hire someone without an
ID, and academic institutions require IDs for admission," said the report.
"Obtaining a marriage license or a passport requires a birth certificate;
inheritance, pensions, and death benefits are contingent on death
certificates. The Ministry of Health has even refused to provide
immunizations to some Baha'i children because the Interior Ministry would
not issue them birth certificates accurately listing their Baha'i religion."
The issuance of birth certificates is at the heart of the first case, which
concerns 14-year-old twins Imad and Nancy Rauf Hindi. Their father, Rauf
Hindi, obtained birth certificates that recognized their Baha'i affiliation
when they were born.
But new policies require computer generated certificates, and the computer
system locks out any religious affiliation but the three officially
recognized religions. And without birth certificates, the children are
unable to enroll in school in Egypt.
The second lawsuit was filed by the EIPR last February on behalf of
18-year-old Hussein Hosni Bakhit Abdel-Massih, who was suspended from the
Suez Canal University's Higher Institute of Social Work in January 2006 due
to his inability to obtain an identity card because of his refusal to
falsely identify himself as either a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew.
In both cases, lawyers representing the Baha'is have made it clear that they
are willing to settle for cards or documents on which the religious
affiliation field is left blank or filled in, perhaps, as "other."
This solution is what makes these two cases different from the lawsuit that
was rejected by the Supreme Administrative Court last year, said Hossam
Baghat, director of the EIPR.
"The negative ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court has forced us to
file these new cases," said Mr. Baghat, whose organization has been at the
forefront of defending Egyptian Baha'is in this controversy. "The facts are
extremely similar to the case that we lost last year, but we are calling
this time for documents without any religious affiliation.
"For us, this is really the test for the government and the judiciary on
this issue. Because if the main problem is the fact that the Baha'i Faith is
not recognized in Egypt, then there should be no grounds for them to deny
these Egyptian citizens documents that are necessary for their daily life
without any reference to religion."
Mr. Baghat said the cases also have implications for religious freedom in
general in Egypt.
"So far, the problem only affects Egyptian Baha'is, but the same problem
could arise in theory with Egyptians who are adherents of Buddhism or
Hinduism," said Mr. Baghat. "But it is also important for people who do not
wish to be identified with any religion, which is a right guaranteed by both
Egyptian and international law."
For Egyptian Baha'is, the facts of life on the ground continue to
deteriorate in the absence of a solution, said Labib Hanna, a spokesperson
for the Egyptian Baha'i community.
"We are not able to do anything without valid identification papers," said
Dr. Hanna, who is a professor of mathematics at Cairo University. "We cannot
renew a driver's license, we cannot obtain permanent employment, and we
cannot send our children to school."
He said many Baha'is are able to meet the needs of daily life by taking
temporary positions, dealing with banks, schools, or other institutions
where they have an established relationship, or by continuing to use old,
paper-based identification cards that allowed for other options in the
religious affiliation field.
"We are trying to survive," said Dr. Hanna. "But it is difficult. We are
struggling."
To view the photos and additional features click here:
http://news.bahai.org
--
8-bp-071220-1-EGYPTADV-595-S
----------------------------------------------------------
--
Advance release: Please check our website for the final version of this
article.
----------------------------------------------------------
--
Copyright 2007 by the Baha'i World News Service. All stories and photographs
produced by the Baha'i World News Service may be freely reprinted,
re-emailed, re-posted to the World Wide Web and otherwise reproduced by any
individual or organization as long as they are attributed to the Baha'i
World News Service. For more information, visit http://news.bahai.org.
CAIRO, 20 December 2007 (BWNS) -- A court is expected to rule early next
week on two cases related to the government's policy on religious
affiliation and national identity papers, an issue that has been hotly
debated here in recent months and a focus of international human rights
concerns.
The first case involves a lawsuit by the father of twin children, who is
seeking to obtain proper birth certificates for them. The second concerns a
college student, who needs a national identity card to re-enroll in
university.
Both are set for "final judgment" by the Court of Administrative Justice in
Cairo on 25 December 2007. In both cases, the individuals involved are
unable to obtain government identification papers because they are Baha'is.
"The world has increasingly come to understand the basic injustice imposed
by the Egyptian government's policies on religious affiliation and official
documents -- and the court has before it in these two cases the chance once
again to right that wrong," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of
the Baha'i International Community.
"Last year, under pressure from Muslim fundamentalists, the Supreme
Administrative Court rejected a lower court decision that had required the
government to include the word 'Baha'i' on official documents. These two new
cases offer a compromise solution, asking merely that the religious
affiliation field be left blank or filled in with the word 'other,'" added
Ms. Dugal.
The government requires all identification papers to list religious
affiliation but then restricts the choice to the three officially recognized
religions -- Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Baha'is are thus unable to
obtain identification papers because they refuse to lie about their
religious affiliation.
Without national identity cards -- or, as in the case of the twin children,
birth certificates -- Baha'is and others caught in the law's contradictory
requirements are deprived of a wide range of citizenship rights, such as
access to employment, education, and medical and financial services.
MORE
These problems were highlighted in a report issued in November by Human
Rights Watch and the Cairo-based Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
(EIPR).
"Employers, both public and private, by law cannot hire someone without an
ID, and academic institutions require IDs for admission," said the report.
"Obtaining a marriage license or a passport requires a birth certificate;
inheritance, pensions, and death benefits are contingent on death
certificates. The Ministry of Health has even refused to provide
immunizations to some Baha'i children because the Interior Ministry would
not issue them birth certificates accurately listing their Baha'i religion."
The issuance of birth certificates is at the heart of the first case, which
concerns 14-year-old twins Imad and Nancy Rauf Hindi. Their father, Rauf
Hindi, obtained birth certificates that recognized their Baha'i affiliation
when they were born.
But new policies require computer generated certificates, and the computer
system locks out any religious affiliation but the three officially
recognized religions. And without birth certificates, the children are
unable to enroll in school in Egypt.
The second lawsuit was filed by the EIPR last February on behalf of
18-year-old Hussein Hosni Bakhit Abdel-Massih, who was suspended from the
Suez Canal University's Higher Institute of Social Work in January 2006 due
to his inability to obtain an identity card because of his refusal to
falsely identify himself as either a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew.
In both cases, lawyers representing the Baha'is have made it clear that they
are willing to settle for cards or documents on which the religious
affiliation field is left blank or filled in, perhaps, as "other."
This solution is what makes these two cases different from the lawsuit that
was rejected by the Supreme Administrative Court last year, said Hossam
Baghat, director of the EIPR.
"The negative ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court has forced us to
file these new cases," said Mr. Baghat, whose organization has been at the
forefront of defending Egyptian Baha'is in this controversy. "The facts are
extremely similar to the case that we lost last year, but we are calling
this time for documents without any religious affiliation.
"For us, this is really the test for the government and the judiciary on
this issue. Because if the main problem is the fact that the Baha'i Faith is
not recognized in Egypt, then there should be no grounds for them to deny
these Egyptian citizens documents that are necessary for their daily life
without any reference to religion."
Mr. Baghat said the cases also have implications for religious freedom in
general in Egypt.
"So far, the problem only affects Egyptian Baha'is, but the same problem
could arise in theory with Egyptians who are adherents of Buddhism or
Hinduism," said Mr. Baghat. "But it is also important for people who do not
wish to be identified with any religion, which is a right guaranteed by both
Egyptian and international law."
For Egyptian Baha'is, the facts of life on the ground continue to
deteriorate in the absence of a solution, said Labib Hanna, a spokesperson
for the Egyptian Baha'i community.
"We are not able to do anything without valid identification papers," said
Dr. Hanna, who is a professor of mathematics at Cairo University. "We cannot
renew a driver's license, we cannot obtain permanent employment, and we
cannot send our children to school."
He said many Baha'is are able to meet the needs of daily life by taking
temporary positions, dealing with banks, schools, or other institutions
where they have an established relationship, or by continuing to use old,
paper-based identification cards that allowed for other options in the
religious affiliation field.
"We are trying to survive," said Dr. Hanna. "But it is difficult. We are
struggling."
To view the photos and additional features click here:
http://news.bahai.org
--
8-bp-071220-1-EGYPTADV-595-S
----------------------------------------------------------
--
Advance release: Please check our website for the final version of this
article.
----------------------------------------------------------
--
Copyright 2007 by the Baha'i World News Service. All stories and photographs
produced by the Baha'i World News Service may be freely reprinted,
re-emailed, re-posted to the World Wide Web and otherwise reproduced by any
individual or organization as long as they are attributed to the Baha'i
World News Service. For more information, visit http://news.bahai.org.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Baha'i Faith in Egypt
Egypt Moves Forward in the Path of Human Rights
Posted: 14 Dec 2007 05:27 PM CST
This week, in the English version of Egypt's semi-official newspaper Al-Ahram Weekly, Gamal Nkrumah wrote an article about Egypt's celebration of Human Rights Day. Al-Ahram newspaper is the voice of Egypt's government.
Below are a few selected paragraphs quoted here for their relevance. In order to read the entire article, please click here....
Egypt celebrated International Human Rights Day this week, drawing attention to the country's mixed record, writes Gamal Nkrumah.
On Monday, a ceremony took place at Al-Ahram organised by the Human Rights Capacity Building Project (BENAA, or "Building" in Arabic), during which prizes were distributed to journalists whose writings promote human rights.
Among the topics raised in the winning articles were the role of Internet blogs in enhancing public awareness of human rights, as well as violence against women, the issue of street children and the prickly subject of torture.
"We based the NCHR's third annual report, the Human Rights Situation in Egypt 2006/2007, on complaints received from citizens from all walks of life. We took into consideration infringements and violations of their rights as provided for in the Egyptian constitution, national laws and legislation, and in the international Charter on Human Rights," Boutros-Ghali explained.
He stressed that the focus of the NCHR was to "identify the most serious infringements of human rights."
Ghali also noted that particular problems faced by religious minorities, such as Coptic Christians and Bahaais, had been carefully examined. "However, many Muslims also complained about what they saw as infringements of their human and social rights," Boutros-Ghali added.
"The violation of the rights of one citizen is as important as the collective violation of the rights of many citizens," Boutros-Ghali said.
He said that in the case of the Bahaais, the NCHR had recommended that the religious identity of individuals should not be written on identity cards. This, he noted, was of particular importance to Bahaais and to people who had changed their religious affiliations.
"Religion should be a private matter," Boutros- Ghali insisted. "No citizen should be discriminated against because of his or her religion, gender, race or political affiliation."
From the beginning the followers of all religions
have believed in two seas, -- one salt and one
fresh; in two trees -- the tree of good and the tree
of evil. For this men have called one another
heretics. Misinterpreting the divine commands,
men have acquired prejudices and on these
prejudices they have waged religious wars and
caused bloodshed. Behold what is happening to-day!
Men are killing their brothers, believing this to be
the cause of salvation, believing that such work
is approved by God, believing that those whom
they kill will be sent to hell.
Baha'u'llah speaks to humanity in a different tone,
declaring humanity to be like the leaves of a single
branch, the branches of a single trunk.
~ Abdu'l-Baha
Divine Philosophy
p. 100
have believed in two seas, -- one salt and one
fresh; in two trees -- the tree of good and the tree
of evil. For this men have called one another
heretics. Misinterpreting the divine commands,
men have acquired prejudices and on these
prejudices they have waged religious wars and
caused bloodshed. Behold what is happening to-day!
Men are killing their brothers, believing this to be
the cause of salvation, believing that such work
is approved by God, believing that those whom
they kill will be sent to hell.
Baha'u'llah speaks to humanity in a different tone,
declaring humanity to be like the leaves of a single
branch, the branches of a single trunk.
~ Abdu'l-Baha
Divine Philosophy
p. 100
Friday, November 30, 2007
Egypt: A Newspaper Refutes Another in Defending the Baha'i Rights
Posted: 29 Nov 2007 08:02 PM CST
Yesterday, Cairo's weekly newspaper, Al-dostour [the constitution] published an article written by Sheema'a Abul-Kheir refuting Al-Ahram's article written by its writer Muhammad Dunya, referred to in this previous post.Al-Dostour's article is quite critical of the negative coverage provided in Al-Ahram regarding the recently released Human Rights Watch (HRW) report on the identity crisis in Egypt. The title states: "Al-Ahram criticized 'Human Rights Watch' report regarding religious freedom as if it [Al-Ahram] is inviting the citizens to commit forgery!"
In order to make a point, Abul-Kheir uses the Egyptian proverb "they did not find any fault in the roses." He stresses that Al-Ahram has a consistent history of being critical of international and national human rights reports accusing them of producing inaccurate information and data. This time, he adds, Al-Ahram was unable to refute any of the information and findings produced in the Human Rights Watch report, so instead it attacked the proposed solutions suggested by this well-respected human rights organization, "which, for the sake of accuracy, was produced in collaboration with the Egyptian Initiative for Human Rights, an Egyptian organization."
He also points out that Al-Ahram was unable to argue any of the statements made in the report regarding the constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom of belief and the right to choose one's religion--guarantees that were confirmed by various Egyptian courts including the constitutional court. Instead, Al-Ahram criticized the practical component of the report that addresses the applicability of the actual dictates of the law. Specifically, he points to the violation of citizenship rights of the Baha'is to be able to enter their religion correctly in official documents. He brings up that these citizen, as a result, are deprived of their rights to education, employment and health care. This violation extends further to their rights to marry and have families.
In response to Al-Ahram's statement about the Ministry of Interior's obstruction being based on the excuse that the second article of the constitution refers to "Islamic Shari'ah as a principal source of legislation" and that Islamic Shari'ah recognizes three religions only, he maintains that this excuse contradicts the findings of HRW report, which are based on multiple opinions of the highest Islamic authorities--including that of the honorable leader Gamal Qoutb--showing no evidence whatsoever to support the claim that Islamic Shari'ah recognizes only three religions.
He then puts forward the following questions to Al-Ahram: "what would these citizens do without official documents, of which they have been denied, and without which they are unable to manage their daily affairs? If the answer is that they would have to choose one of the three religions, what then if a Baha'i citizen is issued an ID card, with "Muslim" as his religion, marries a Muslim woman...would the all-capable Al-Ahram organization explain to us whether or not this marriage is to be considered legitimate?"
In the caricature accompanying the article, the newspaper chief editor seated at the desk asks his employee: "What do you mean the paper is not selling? What then would they cover people dying in the streets with?"
Friday, November 23, 2007
Iran Imprisons its Youth
for Initiating Socioeconomic Projects!
The following message was just received regarding the imprisonment of three Baha'i youths in Shiraz. They were sentenced to four years of imprisonment. Their only crime is: initiating and participating in socioeconomic projects that serve their co-citizens.
"Dear friends,
I have received this news through one of my friends. Unfortunately 3 Baha'i youths of Shiraz were imprisoned the day before yesterday after a verdict based on participating and initiating a social and economic project in Shiraz more than one year ago. These 3 Baha'i youths have to spend 4 years of the best years of their lives in prison. Yet, I am sure it is to their utmost desire to suffer a small portion of what Baha'u'llah suffered in this world. One of them, Miss Haleh Rouhi, is one of my close friends. Please send this news to any Human Rights association you know."
for Initiating Socioeconomic Projects!
The following message was just received regarding the imprisonment of three Baha'i youths in Shiraz. They were sentenced to four years of imprisonment. Their only crime is: initiating and participating in socioeconomic projects that serve their co-citizens.
"Dear friends,
I have received this news through one of my friends. Unfortunately 3 Baha'i youths of Shiraz were imprisoned the day before yesterday after a verdict based on participating and initiating a social and economic project in Shiraz more than one year ago. These 3 Baha'i youths have to spend 4 years of the best years of their lives in prison. Yet, I am sure it is to their utmost desire to suffer a small portion of what Baha'u'llah suffered in this world. One of them, Miss Haleh Rouhi, is one of my close friends. Please send this news to any Human Rights association you know."
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Egypt: "Identity Crisis" Entire Film Now Available!
The documentary film produced by the independent filmmaker, Mr. Ahmed Ezzat, has been just made public for free viewing in its entirety on an internet site. The 34-minutes film, "Identity Crisis: My Religion or My Country," documents in vivid details the struggle of the Egyptian Baha'is in search for their basic civil rights in their homeland. Mr. Ahmed Ezzat is not a Baha'i. He is an Egyptian human rights activist who has graciously provided this film for public viewing at his own expense and on his own precious time.
To view the entire film, please .... CLICK HERE.... http://shofoona.net/Identity.Crises
(This version does not include subtitles)
Previously published promotional segment on YouTube
P.S. When linking to the website, under the film's image--written in Arabic--are three choices for downloading: high speed (top one), medium speed (middle one) or low speed (bottom one) copies of the film.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Baha'i Faith in Egypt |
Egypt: the Judge Mocks the Baha’is then Delays his Verdict Posted: 14 Nov 2007 06:06 AM CST  Cairo's Court of Administrative Justice convened today to rule on a number of cases including the most recent two litigations brought by the Egyptian Baha'is in their desperate attempts to obtain their civil rights. These two cases were described in this earlier post which reported on the postponement of the verdicts until today's session of 13 November 2007. The first case involves the twin children Emad and Nancy Raouf Hindi; the second case involves university student Hussein Hosni Abdel-Massih.Yesterday and today, all major world media outlets have published extensive articles on this deplorable situation facing the Egyptian Baha'is. By clicking on the headline tags posted with this article, one can read the full coverage provided in these publications.  The following is a description of the scene in this Cairo court as reported by one of those attending today's session:"Today was the re-hearing of the two cases of Dr. Raouf Hindy and Hosni Hussein. They were both after each other--in order. Dr. Raouf was first; the judge asked him if he has something new to add. Dr. Raouf repeated the request for 'enabling us to say the truth and not deny our faith.' The judge's reply was a surprise to all who were present, he said 'it is well known that the Baha'is have Muslims and Christians among them, there are Muslim Baha'is and there are Christian Baha'is. Each should state his original religion.' Dr. Raouf stated that he is 'neither Muslim nor Christian,' and the lawyer for the Baha'is stated that 'this is a form of forcing Baha'is to convert,' the judge replied 'the Ministry of Interior is not forcing you to change your belief...forcing would mean to ask you to stop being a Baha'i and believe in something else in your heart. The Ministry only allows three religions to be stated in official documents, but you are free to believe in what you want.'  The judge then did not want to go on with the argument and asked if there are any new documents or memos that any of the parties would like to add but neither of the parties had anything to add. He said the decision will be announced at the end of the session. He then called for Mr. Hosni, the father of Hussein and jokingly mocked him 'of course you're enjoying what Dr. Raouf is saying' and followed this by saying 'your case is the same, together you will hear about it at the end of the session.'The attitude of the judge was very disappointing to everyone and it was clear what the verdict will be like. However, at the end of the session, with the Baha'is sitting--waiting--in court until 5 PM, the judge revealed his decision that a verdict will be announced on 25 December 2007."  There are several issues that must be addressed here:1) These cases concern real people whose rights are being violated and who continue to suffer on a daily basis. This is not a laughing matter that can be taken jokingly by a respected judge. It is not appropriate or ethical for a judge to mock these innocent and helpless victims.  2) Contrary to what the judge has said, Baha'is are neither Muslims nor Christians. They are Baha'is--many of whom have been so for several generations. If they falsely state another religion on government documents, then they would be in violation of the law, to which the judge is subservient and obligated to uphold and protect.The application form required for obtaining ID cards states that any false statements will be punishable by imprisonment and monitory fines. Since Egypt was invaded by Muslim conquerors from Arabia several generations ago, the judge's ancestors were possibly either Coptic Christians, Jews, or even followers of the Pharaoh, would this mean that he must state his religion as one of these three? How would the judge feel if someone forces him to do so?  3) If the Baha'is were forced to state their religion as Christian, Muslim or Jew, what would the judge do if one of these Baha'is, who would have been holding an ID card stating that he is a Muslim, marries the judge's daughter? Would that be acceptable to him then? 4) For a variety of reasons, it is becoming glaringly clear that the Egyptian courts are incapable of solving this identification crisis. The Egyptian government must now step in and produce a satisfactory resolution to the ID crisis facing the Baha'is and the other minorities in Egypt.Even the Pravda, the preeminent Russian newspaper in its first time covering this crisis, showed its strong interest in this matter by publishing: Human rights groups wish Egyptian authorities to change their policy of not allowing converts from Islam and members of the Bahai faith to register their religion in official documents.  In a report two years in the making, the New York-based Human Rights Watch and the local Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, or EIPR, described how Egyptians of religious persuasions authorities disapprove of are unable to get birth certificates and identification cards.Joe Stork, the HRW Middle East deputy chief, said it was a systematic policy to deny documents to members of faiths other than Islam, Christianity and Judaism - the only three religions officially recognized by Egyptian authorities. ID cards are mandatory here, but persons seeking to have "Bahai" listed as their faith on the card, for example, are denied the document, Stork told reporters in Cairo. Read more here.... |
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
 |  Baha'i Faith in Egypt | |||||
|
Monday, November 12, 2007
Egypt 'denies minority beliefs' | |||
Egyptians over 16 must carry ID cards showing religious affiliation. Muslim, Christian and Jew are the only choices. Human Rights Watch says the requirement particularly hits members of the small Bahai community, and Coptic Christians who became Muslims but want to go back. It says there are about 200 such people who converted for reasons like divorce. The BBC's Heba Saleh in Cairo says that without the all-important IDs, members of minorities face enormous problems in education and employment.
These are mostly members of Christian families whose fathers converted to Islam and left them. When the children get their ID cards they find they have been listed as Muslims whether they like it or not. 'Arbitrary refusal' The report is jointly issued by HRW and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. "Ministry of interior officials apparently believe that they have the right to choose someone's religion when they don't happen to like the religion that person, him or herself, has chosen," said Human Rights Watch's Joe Stork. "So we are asking the government today to end this arbitrary refusal to recognise someone's actual religious beliefs," he said. Egypt is a predominantly Sunni Muslim state. Conversions from Islam are viewed as apostasy, although Muslim scholars differ on the what action should be taken. Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court is shortly to rule on whether seven Christian-to-Muslim converts who converted back can be recognised as Christians. A ruling is also expected on whether the government must recognise minority Bahais. | |||
Ministry of interior officials apparently believe that they have the right to choose someone's religion 
Friday, November 02, 2007
BAHAI Faith in Egypt
Daily News Egypt: Thorough Coverage of Baha'i Case
Posted: 01 Nov 2007 09:37 PM CDT
A day after Cairo's Court of Administrative Justice postponed its ruling on the Egyptian Baha'i cases until its upcoming session of 13 November 2007, Daily News Egypt, distributed by the International Herald Tribune (IHT), published an article authored by Alexandra Sandels with the headline "Egyptian Baha'is: second class citizens in their own country."
The article is quite comprehensive and touches on all key issues involving the persecution of Baha'is in Egypt. It provides in-depth interviews and describes the current litigations.
"The International Herald Tribune (IHT) is the world's foremost global newspaper. The IHT is the only English-language international paper printed in Egypt and available the same day. Together with the IHT's first-class international news service, Daily News Egypt provides readers with a complete bouquet of all the news they will need."
P.S. If the links above do not work well with Internet Explorer (IE), try a different browser!
Because of problems linking to the Daily News site with Internet Explorer, the entire article is posted below:
"EGYPTIAN BAHAIIS: SECOND CLASS CITIZENS IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY"
By Alexandra Sandels
First Published: October 31, 2007
CAIRO: Shady Samir, a 33-year-old business owner, lost his father two years ago. Yet, he is still paying the yearly taxes on his father’s business as if he was alive. Why? Because his father is Bahai and official Egyptian documents such as the death certificate only recognize the Christian, Muslim, or Jewish faiths.
For Samir’s father to be “officially dead” to the national authorities, he would need to convert and become a Muslim, Christian, or a Jew upon his death.
(Shady Samir’s paper ID card features a dash in the religious faith entry)
Official documents such as identity cards and birth certificates are a survival necessity. Citizens cannot enroll in school, receive medical treatment, take bank loans, or buy a car without their national ID card. Young children cannot even receive vaccinations against diseases without a birth certificate.
Those Bahais who refuse to pose as Christians, Muslims, or Jews are left in limbo, living as stateless people in their own country.
“Egyptian Bahais exist in nature but in the eyes of the state they are non-existent,” said Hossam Baghat, director of the Egyptian Initiative for Human Rights (EIPR).
Dr Basma Moussa, an assistant professor in oral surgery at Cairo University and of Bahai faith, argues that Al-Azhar issued a certificate claiming that she is an apostate, which delayed her tenure for several years.
Ragi Labib, a 27-year-old Bahai student at Cairo University with an easy smile, also struggles in life for refusing to officially adhere to one of the three religions deemed suitable for official documents by the government.
Labib is eager to travel the world and dreams of someday acquiring a passport — the only official Egyptian document that does not require a statement of religious affiliation. That however, can prove a difficult task as well, since the passport application process requires other official documents that state the person’s religious faith.
“While most people dream of having a family, a car, and a big house, I dream of having a passport. It’s ridiculous,” Labib told Daily News Egypt.
The court battle for the rights of Bahais to obtain official documents has been going on for years. In 2004, EIPR reportedly started receiving complaints from Bahais who claimed they were forced to write that they were Muslims, Christians, or Jews in order to obtain official documents.
“I can’t even prove that I am married because the national authorities do not recognize Bahai marriage certificates,” Samir argued.
The Supreme Administrative Court reversed a ruling in favor of the Bahais in December 2006 on the appeal of Egyptian authorities. The new ruling granted the state the right to deny Bahais identity documents recognizing their religious affiliation.
Shortly thereafter, EIPR’s lawyers modified their requests arguing that Bahai Egyptians should at least have the right to obtain documents without having to state religious affiliation at all.
The issue at stake is particularly pressing as Sept. 30, 2007 marked the last day the old handwritten ID cards could be used. Several Bahais still possess the now useless handwritten document where a dash marks the field for religious affiliation — a common procedure practiced up until 2003.
According to Samir, a 2003 internal memo in the Ministry of Interior reversed that privilege, making it impermissible to leave the box for religious affiliation unmarked on the computerized ID card.
On Tuesday, a Cairo Administrative Court postponed its decision in two legal cases concerning the rights of Bahais to be exempted from putting religious affiliation in their official documents.
The lawsuits concern 14-year-old twins Imad and Nancy Raouf Hindi who are still unable to obtain computerized birth certificates unless they claim they are either Muslim, Christian or Jewish. It also concerns 18-year-old Hosni Hussein Abdel-Massih who has been suspended from his university studies as a result of his inability to obtain an identity card.
“We can’t work, we can’t do anything. I don’t know how to live in my own country,” Hussein Hosni, the father of Abdel-Massih told Daily News Egypt.
The father of the twins, Dr Raouf Hind, has been fighting his daughters’ case in court since 2002. He obtained birth certificates for the twins upon their birth in the Sultanate of Oman in 1993 that recognized their true religious affiliation. Problems arose, however, when Hindi sought to exchange the documents for Egyptian birth certificates.
“The clerk told me that I had to select Christianity, Islam, or Judaism as my daughters’ religious affiliations. I told him we are third generation Bahai,” Hindi said in an interview with Daily News Egypt.
When Hindi refused to fill in the field for religious affiliation in his daughters’ birth certificates, he was allegedly told to “go to court.”
“All I am asking from the authorities is to let us leave the field for religious affiliation blank in my daughters’ official documents and not force us to be something we’re not,” Hindi added.
Unable to send his children to school in Egypt, Hindi said his twin daughters attend a British school in Libya where their mother works as a physician.
On one of the court benches sat Medhat Nos, a young Christian blogger and moderator of the Internet blog “7rakat” (Movements). He traveled all the way from Assiut to show solidarity with his fellow citizens.
“We need to defend the human rights of our people regardless of their religious affiliation,” said Nos.
The obstacles facing Bahais also sparked the interest of Egyptian human rights activists who demonstrated in support of the Bahais several times in downtown Cairo last year.
Video clips and pictures from the rallies show large crowds of activists holding up enlarged versions of ID cards belonging to Bahais where the box for religious affiliation is marked by a dash or has simply been left blank.
The issue also caught the interest of freelance moviemaker Ahmed Ezzat. His documentary “Identity Crisis” came out February this year.
A portrayal of the lives of Egyptian Bahais, the film depicts their struggle to become recognized citizens in their own country. So far, Ezzat’s film has been reportedly banned from several Egyptian film festivals, including the Alexandria Film Festival.
“Religion is a controversial topic here. My film was most likely banned to its sensitive content,” Ezzat told Daily News Egypt.
Ezzat maintains, however, that he recently was able to screen it before a group of members of the government-affiliated National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), marking a step forward in the process.
The film begins by depicting the December 2006 court decision denying Bahais the right to state their true religious affiliation on identity documents.
As the verdict is read before the crowded court room, a group of Islamist activists raised their hands towards the ceiling victoriously shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) while waving the Quran before, stunned Bahais, human rights activists, and reporters.
One of the Muslim activists, Mohamed Salem goes on to say that Bahais are apostates and that “infidels should be killed.”
“How can I be an apostate when I was never a Muslim? I was born Bahai. I am fourth generation,” Samir countered.
While Bahais have lived in Egypt for more than a hundred years, there is no official record of them since President Nasser decided to shut down their national assembly in the 1960s.
“Some put the number of Egyptian Bahai at hundreds of thousands. My guess though is that there are a couple of thousands of us,” Samir said.
The next hearing in the two Bahai legal cases is scheduled for Nov. 13.
Egypt is a signatory of both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, making “protection of citizens from religious discrimination” and “education without distinction on any basis, including religion or belief” legally binding.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Egyptian Baha'is Need to Wait Again for Court Ruling
Posted: 30 Oct 2007 09:23 PM CDT
Cairo's Court of Administrative Justice had a full docket today...all its twenty four cases got postponed!
Looking at the attached docket, it seems that almost every ministry and governmental agency is being sued by someone. Those attending in the court chamber appear to be a mix of individuals who are awaiting to receive some sort of closure on whatever cases they are litigating.
Of course, the Egyptian Baha'is, accompanied by a number of human rights activists and bloggers, are among those attending today's court session.
The following is a message received from one of those attending in court regarding the two cases litigated by the Egyptian Baha'is, described in this previous post. He explains what happened and why it did happen:
"Today was another disappointment...even though it was technically expected by the lawyers. The court postponed the cases to 13 November 2007 in light of the change of three of the judges of the court. October 1st is the date on which judges get shuffled around and promoted. When this happens while they are handling a case, it is technically expected that the case is presented again to the new panel of judges in the form of its final arguments and legal memoranda from both parties. If neither of the parties present any new arguments or documents there will be no retrial and the case remains in its pre-verdict state until 13 November."
What is not clearly understood is: since this change in judges is always expected to happen on the first of October, therefore it is a known fact that the court cannot rule on any cases during this period of time. Why then were these cases placed on the docket for final decisions when it was impossible to produce any such decisions? It appears to be a waste of time and expense for all those involved. It degrades people's emotions, sense of self-worth and dignity.
on the 25 October the European Parliament approved a resolution
on Iran.This resolution expresses concern about the overall situation of Human
Rights in Iran, referring the status of several religious and ethnic
minorities. The specific situation of the Baha'is is mentioned twice.
The European Parliament remember us that "members of the religious community
of the Baha'is cannot exercise their faith, are exposed to severe
persecution and deprived of virtually all civil rights (e.g. property
rights, access to higher education), and whereas their religious sites are
being vandalised"
And also "Calls on the authorities to respect internationally recognised
legal safeguards with regard to persons belonging to religious minorities,
officially recognised or otherwise; condemns the current disrespect of
minority rights and calls for minorities to be able to exercise all rights
granted by the Iranian Constitution and international law; further calls on
the authorities to eliminate all forms of discrimination on religious or
ethnic grounds or against persons belonging to minorities, such as Kurds,
Azeris, Arabs, Baluchis and Baha'is; calls in particular for the de facto
ban on practising the Baha'i faith to be lifted;"
on Iran.This resolution expresses concern about the overall situation of Human
Rights in Iran, referring the status of several religious and ethnic
minorities. The specific situation of the Baha'is is mentioned twice.
The European Parliament remember us that "members of the religious community
of the Baha'is cannot exercise their faith, are exposed to severe
persecution and deprived of virtually all civil rights (e.g. property
rights, access to higher education), and whereas their religious sites are
being vandalised"
And also "Calls on the authorities to respect internationally recognised
legal safeguards with regard to persons belonging to religious minorities,
officially recognised or otherwise; condemns the current disrespect of
minority rights and calls for minorities to be able to exercise all rights
granted by the Iranian Constitution and international law; further calls on
the authorities to eliminate all forms of discrimination on religious or
ethnic grounds or against persons belonging to minorities, such as Kurds,
Azeris, Arabs, Baluchis and Baha'is; calls in particular for the de facto
ban on practising the Baha'i faith to be lifted;"
Friday, October 26, 2007
Violation of the dead
The government officials in the city of Najafabad , in Isfahan have allocated a certain area on the mountains for Bahais to bury their dead, in the middle of no where, of which Bahais are still thankful. Very recently, as you know, this site allocated to the Bahai people had been desecrated or violated by the fanatic clergy.
I have attached a few photos to see the level of destruction to this area. This cemetery is in the middle of the desert and mountains and the land is very hard and rocky, its access very difficult to get to.
The government officials in the city of Najafabad , in Isfahan have allocated a certain area on the mountains for Bahais to bury their dead, in the middle of no where, of which Bahais are still thankful. Very recently, as you know, this site allocated to the Bahai people had been desecrated or violated by the fanatic clergy.
I have attached a few photos to see the level of destruction to this area. This cemetery is in the middle of the desert and mountains and the land is very hard and rocky, its access very difficult to get to.
I remember when the Bahai's wanted to dig and bury their dead, they had to do so by digging with their hands, spades, picks and shovels after which their hands were covered with blisters for the hard work.
It is very sad that some people in the close vicinity have machines like bulldozers and/or bobcats but refuse to help or assist Bahai s
The Bahais have had ready made coffins on site to bury loved ones if/when they pass away and very recently these clergy Muslims have gone around and filled these coffins with heavy rocks and dirt which the Bahai friends have to empty out again by hand. They have also blocked entry to the cemetery with large rocks and dirt so as to prevent Bahai entry. Now all the Bahai's have to clear this area again by hand.
It is only through the love of Baha'u'llah that help these people sustain all these hardships with sacrifice and devotion.....
It is very sad that some people in the close vicinity have machines like bulldozers and/or bobcats but refuse to help or assist Bahai s
The Bahais have had ready made coffins on site to bury loved ones if/when they pass away and very recently these clergy Muslims have gone around and filled these coffins with heavy rocks and dirt which the Bahai friends have to empty out again by hand. They have also blocked entry to the cemetery with large rocks and dirt so as to prevent Bahai entry. Now all the Bahai's have to clear this area again by hand.
It is only through the love of Baha'u'llah that help these people sustain all these hardships with sacrifice and devotion.....
..........in return for their suffering they give in return honey to the souls of their persecutors in silence they indure ...
what a lesson of love sacrifice
my heart and prayers surround you my dearest sisters and brothers of Iran
papijoon
Monday, October 08, 2007
Human Rights for Baha'is of Iran
A blog posting in Persian was brought to our attention and we decided to share a summary translation for the benefit of our readers. The original is found here:
Summary translation:The recent reception given to the President of Iran, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, during his visit to Columbia University was rather unfortunate. The University President and others spoke disparagingly when introducing Mr. Ahmadinejad and during the follow-up Q&A session. This was neither worthy of the University, nor an appropriate conduct to receive a guest – whoever he may be.The former President of Iran, Rafsanjani, later reportedly remarked, "Insulting Ahmadinejad is a sign of America's moral bankruptcy." The Speaker of Iran's Parliament noted, "We take heart in Ahmadinejad's brave stance that despite all insults, he courageously stood his ground and spoke his views." Members of the Parliament considered the abusive remarks by Americans towards Ahmadinejad as evidence of Iran's greatness and distinction, and they commented that this episode clearly demonstrated America's defeat. They added, "This confrontation between America and Ahmadinejad is a mark of Iran's victory and superiority."It is also sad to note that Iranian newspapers, encouraged by authorities, are always filled with most offensive slanders and lies against the Bab, Baha'u'llah, Abdu'l-Baha and Baha'i community in general.Given these facts, then let us consider the following:If America insulting Ahmadinejad is a sign of America's moral bankruptcy, then Iran insulting Baha'is is a sign of Iran's moral bankruptcy.If Mr. Ahmadinejad had the right to stand his ground and speak his views, then Baha'is also have the right to stand their ground and speak their views. If Ahmadinejad is applauded for being brave to speak in the face of hostilities, then Baha'is must also be applauded for bravely speaking out in the face of much greater hostilities – hostilities that are delivered by bullets and tortures.If Ahmadinejad's reaction to his reception at the University was evidence of Iran's greatness and distinction, then fortitude of Baha'is of Iran to withstand the onslaught of relentless abuse and persecution is a brilliant evidence of their greatness and distinction.If Ahmadinejad enjoyed careful protection of bodyguards and security personnel during his visit to America, let us remember the helpless Baha'is of Iran who have no protection either from bodyguards or from the law of the land – save God Himself.Mr. Ahmadinejad was not harmed in the least during his visit to America, but Iranian Baha'is have been the target of every form of persecution, repression and mass-killing in the past 160 years. We hope that these comments will find a hearing ear in Iran and for authorities in that country to recognize that the world is watching their maltreatment of Baha'is and that history will remember.Source: The Muslim Network for Baha'i Rightshttp://www.bahairights.org/2007/10/02/human-rights-for-bahais-of-iran/
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Emerging Egypt’s Official Stand: Grant Baha’is Their Rights
Baha'i Faith in Egypt
Emerging Egypt’s Official Stand: Grant Baha’is Their Rights
Posted: 22 Sep 2007 10:11 PM GMT-06:00
Based on recent information in the official Egyptian media outlets, the Baha'is appear to be on their way of being allowed to freely document their religion in official government documents, including ID cards.
The most recent of these indicators is an article published on 22 September 2007, in the government's official newspaper Akhbar el-Youm. It reports on the recent debate under the auspices of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR).
As previously indicated, there were those who are in favor of eliminating religious classification from ID cards altogether, while others affirm the need for its preservation.
Of particular importance are the words of one influential and important person, supported by others who are similarly positioned. Dr. Zainab Radwan, University Professor of Islamic philosophy, First Deputy of Maghlis el-Shaab [Egyptian Parliament] and member of the NCHR, declared her point of view on this crisis, stating "it is the right of every human being to document his religion, even if he believes in a religion that has not been specified [by authorities]." She justifies her opinion by using two principles: "the first is the freedom of belief as declared in the constitution. The second is the equal opportunity in societal transactions...that we all know the identity of each other in our dealings, particularly the Baha'is because their names are similar to Muslim names, serving our daughters not to marry Baha'is or the opposite."
Regarding the 16 December 2006 ruling of Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court preventing the Baha'is from obtaining ID cards, she proposed a solution that "the Parliament and the judiciary must be requested to allow anyone who desires to document his religion the right to do so," stressing the importance of accurate representation on ID cards since they are an essential component to many interactions in society, such as marriage, inheritance, and parenthood of children. She pointed to the need for "clarity and honesty" as facilitators to these important society matters.
Dr. Ahmed Kamal Abul-Magd, former Minister of Information, Professor of Constitutional Law and Vice-President of the NCHR, agreed with Zainab Radwan, stressing the importance of adhering to the constitutional guarantees which provide all Egyptian citizens with equal rights and that "there must be no discrimination based on ancestry, gender and religion, and that all must adhere to this." He insisted on allowing the Baha'is to document their religion truthfully as Baha'is, and that "we cannot force him to change his religion on ID documents, or register himself as Muslim, particularly when the law had established for us the absolute freedom of belief, and subsequently we cannot exempt anyone from this fact."
Another indicator of the government's official position is dually represented by the opinion of Egypt's Al-Azhar Institution as well as the inclusion of that position in the official publication of the ruling party Al-Hezb Al-Watany [The National Democratic Party].
Approximately a year ago, Al-Watany Al-Youm newspaper (the government's mouthpiece) published an interview with Sheikh Al-Azhar, Dr. Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, in which he clearly stated the position of the prominent leading Islamic establishment, Al-Azhar. This particular episode was published last year in this post.
Interestingly, the same interview continues to appear on the newspaper's website with current dates, the last of which is 18 September 2007.
The following is an excerpt of the interview, with questions and answers from 4 to 8, referring to the Baha’is, fully translated:
[Q:] There is a recommendation from human rights organisations to eliminate the religious affiliation field from official documents as it discriminates among citizens, what is your opinion? What do they mean by eliminating the religious space and why do they demand this; by what right [authority] do they recommend its elimination?
[A:] They have no right in this matter; we consider the presence of the religious affiliation field to be correct, and this does not cause any kind of discrimination. We have [It has] nothing to do with human rights or anything else; the presence of the religion in its specified space is a must…a must…a must!
[Q:] What is its benefit that you insist on its being obligatory?
[A:] The benefit comes from the purpose of its presence, which is to describe the person in his official documents; no harm can befall anyone from documenting his religion, no matter what that religion is, so why eliminate it? The religious field should not be changed, no matter who demands it, because a person is entitled to write his religion in the space [field] specified for it.
[Q:] Even if he was a Baha’i?
[A:] Yes, he writes “Baha’i” in it; what is wrong with that so long as it is his belief and what he chooses for himself as a religion? Writing Baha’i in the religious space clears other religions of any relation with him and prevents some people from affiliating themselves with other heavenly religions when these are likewise innocent of them.
[Q:] Therefore, this means an admission [recognition] that it is a religion?
[A:] Baha’ism is not a religion; however, writing it down as a belief in the religious affiliation space is possible and can do no harm – rather, it is a compulsory distinction for those who are apostates of the heavenly religions.
[Q:] Your Excellency considers that Baha’ism is a dissident [apostate] group which has departed from Islam and yet you spoke of freedom of belief – do you not find a contradiction in this?
[A:] Freedom of belief is guaranteed to all and not just to a particular person; what is meant by freedom of belief is that every human being has his belief and the one who judges people is God.
Clearly, one can draw one conclusion: the government is strongly leaning towards allowing the Baha'is to enter their religion truthfully in all official documents. Additionally, Egypt is serious about solving the current crisis of identification documents and citizenship rights. All indicators confirm the willingness and positive steps being taken by the government in its efforts to grant all Egyptian citizens their full civil rights, based on the constitutional guarantees. This is not surprising if we pause to consider Egypt's heritage and great civilization. Surely, mistakes do happen, at times because of uncontrollable circumstances, but the sign of greatness is when a government is willing to overcome pride in its efforts to justly serve its citizenry.
Baha'i Faith in Egypt
Emerging Egypt’s Official Stand: Grant Baha’is Their Rights
Posted: 22 Sep 2007 10:11 PM GMT-06:00
Based on recent information in the official Egyptian media outlets, the Baha'is appear to be on their way of being allowed to freely document their religion in official government documents, including ID cards.
The most recent of these indicators is an article published on 22 September 2007, in the government's official newspaper Akhbar el-Youm. It reports on the recent debate under the auspices of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR).
As previously indicated, there were those who are in favor of eliminating religious classification from ID cards altogether, while others affirm the need for its preservation.
Of particular importance are the words of one influential and important person, supported by others who are similarly positioned. Dr. Zainab Radwan, University Professor of Islamic philosophy, First Deputy of Maghlis el-Shaab [Egyptian Parliament] and member of the NCHR, declared her point of view on this crisis, stating "it is the right of every human being to document his religion, even if he believes in a religion that has not been specified [by authorities]." She justifies her opinion by using two principles: "the first is the freedom of belief as declared in the constitution. The second is the equal opportunity in societal transactions...that we all know the identity of each other in our dealings, particularly the Baha'is because their names are similar to Muslim names, serving our daughters not to marry Baha'is or the opposite."
Regarding the 16 December 2006 ruling of Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court preventing the Baha'is from obtaining ID cards, she proposed a solution that "the Parliament and the judiciary must be requested to allow anyone who desires to document his religion the right to do so," stressing the importance of accurate representation on ID cards since they are an essential component to many interactions in society, such as marriage, inheritance, and parenthood of children. She pointed to the need for "clarity and honesty" as facilitators to these important society matters.
Dr. Ahmed Kamal Abul-Magd, former Minister of Information, Professor of Constitutional Law and Vice-President of the NCHR, agreed with Zainab Radwan, stressing the importance of adhering to the constitutional guarantees which provide all Egyptian citizens with equal rights and that "there must be no discrimination based on ancestry, gender and religion, and that all must adhere to this." He insisted on allowing the Baha'is to document their religion truthfully as Baha'is, and that "we cannot force him to change his religion on ID documents, or register himself as Muslim, particularly when the law had established for us the absolute freedom of belief, and subsequently we cannot exempt anyone from this fact."
Another indicator of the government's official position is dually represented by the opinion of Egypt's Al-Azhar Institution as well as the inclusion of that position in the official publication of the ruling party Al-Hezb Al-Watany [The National Democratic Party].
Approximately a year ago, Al-Watany Al-Youm newspaper (the government's mouthpiece) published an interview with Sheikh Al-Azhar, Dr. Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, in which he clearly stated the position of the prominent leading Islamic establishment, Al-Azhar. This particular episode was published last year in this post.
Interestingly, the same interview continues to appear on the newspaper's website with current dates, the last of which is 18 September 2007.
The following is an excerpt of the interview, with questions and answers from 4 to 8, referring to the Baha’is, fully translated:
[Q:] There is a recommendation from human rights organisations to eliminate the religious affiliation field from official documents as it discriminates among citizens, what is your opinion? What do they mean by eliminating the religious space and why do they demand this; by what right [authority] do they recommend its elimination?
[A:] They have no right in this matter; we consider the presence of the religious affiliation field to be correct, and this does not cause any kind of discrimination. We have [It has] nothing to do with human rights or anything else; the presence of the religion in its specified space is a must…a must…a must!
[Q:] What is its benefit that you insist on its being obligatory?
[A:] The benefit comes from the purpose of its presence, which is to describe the person in his official documents; no harm can befall anyone from documenting his religion, no matter what that religion is, so why eliminate it? The religious field should not be changed, no matter who demands it, because a person is entitled to write his religion in the space [field] specified for it.
[Q:] Even if he was a Baha’i?
[A:] Yes, he writes “Baha’i” in it; what is wrong with that so long as it is his belief and what he chooses for himself as a religion? Writing Baha’i in the religious space clears other religions of any relation with him and prevents some people from affiliating themselves with other heavenly religions when these are likewise innocent of them.
[Q:] Therefore, this means an admission [recognition] that it is a religion?
[A:] Baha’ism is not a religion; however, writing it down as a belief in the religious affiliation space is possible and can do no harm – rather, it is a compulsory distinction for those who are apostates of the heavenly religions.
[Q:] Your Excellency considers that Baha’ism is a dissident [apostate] group which has departed from Islam and yet you spoke of freedom of belief – do you not find a contradiction in this?
[A:] Freedom of belief is guaranteed to all and not just to a particular person; what is meant by freedom of belief is that every human being has his belief and the one who judges people is God.
Clearly, one can draw one conclusion: the government is strongly leaning towards allowing the Baha'is to enter their religion truthfully in all official documents. Additionally, Egypt is serious about solving the current crisis of identification documents and citizenship rights. All indicators confirm the willingness and positive steps being taken by the government in its efforts to grant all Egyptian citizens their full civil rights, based on the constitutional guarantees. This is not surprising if we pause to consider Egypt's heritage and great civilization. Surely, mistakes do happen, at times because of uncontrollable circumstances, but the sign of greatness is when a government is willing to overcome pride in its efforts to justly serve its citizenry.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Iranian government campaign against Baha'is shows new facets
Go to story »
Gravestones in the Baha'i cemetery near Najafabad, Iran, were left in a heap by a bulldozer that destroyed the burial ground some time between 9 September and 10 September 2007
Gravestones in the Baha'i cemetery near Najafabad, Iran,
were left in a heap by a bulldozer that destroyed the burial ground some time between 9 September and 10 September 2007. Iranian government campaign against Baha'is shows new facets
NEW YORK
21 September 2007 (BWNS)
The bulldozing of a Baha'i cemetery in Iran last week is the latest in a series of incidents in a government-led campaign of hatred against Baha'is.
The destruction of the cemetery by individuals using heavy equipment occurred between 9 September and 10 September near Najafabad, on the outskirts of Isfahan. What happened there is nearly identical to what happened in July in Yazd, where another Baha'i cemetery was extensively damaged by earth-moving equipment.
The list of anti-Baha'i incidents is growing, as are human rights violations against other groups in Iran.
The Baha'i cemetery in Yazd, Iran, was destroyed in July. The tracks left behind and the severity of the damage show that heavy equipment was used.
In Najafabad, a few days before the destruction of more than 100 Baha'i graves, threatening letters were delivered to some 30 Baha'i families. In May, in Mazandaran province, the unoccupied homes of six Iranian Baha'is were set on fire. In June, in Abadeh, vandals wrote hateful graffiti on Baha'i houses and shops.
Since May, Baha'is in at least 17 towns have been detained for interrogation. Six new arrests have been reported. In Kermanshah, a 70-year-old man was sentenced to 70 lashes and a year in prison for "propagating and spreading Bahaism and the defamation of the pure Imams." In Mazandaran, a court has once again ruled against three women and a man who are charged with "propagation on behalf of an organization which is anti-Islamic."
The Baha'i cemetery in Yazd, Iran, was destroyed in July. The tracks left behind and the severity of the damage show that heavy equipment was used.
All these events are results of the Iranian government's long campaign to incite hatred against Baha'is, a spokeswoman for the Baha'i International Community said today.
"This should be a cause for concern among human rights activists everywhere," said Diane Ala'i, the representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations in Geneva.
She appealed to the world to hold the Iranian government accountable for its actions and to help prevent the situation from deteriorating into further violence. Baha'is in Iran number about 300,000 and represent the largest religious minority in the country.
"Put in a historical context, these kinds of attacks too often have been a prelude to campaigns of oppression and violence that are far worse.
"Hezbollah is awake and despises the Baha'is" reads this piece of graffiti on a building in the city of Abadeh. Dozens of hateful anti-Baha'i slogans have been painted on homes, offices and cemetery buildings in various locations in Iran.
"While some of these incidents may seem to be minor, the fact that such events are increasingly commonplace and reported as occurring in virtually every region of Iran shows that the persecution of Baha'is remains official government policy, and therefore is something for which Iran must be held accountable," she said.
"The graffiti in Abadeh included slogans such as 'Death to Baha'is, the mercenaries of America and England,' 'Hezbollah despises the Baha'is,' 'Baha'is - mercenaries of Israel' and 'Baha'is are unclean' - phrases that relate directly to government propaganda that has been disseminated in Iranian news media in recent years," Ms. Ala'i said.
She noted that other groups in Iran are also suffering human-rights violations.
"In recent months, the Iranian authorities have been carrying out a widespread crackdown on civil society, targeting academics, women's rights activists, students, and journalists," said Ms. Ala'i.
Details of anti-Baha'i incidents
Among the anti-Baha'i incidents reported since late May are the following:
-- On 19 June 2007, a report was received that a 70-year-old man of limited means had been arrested in April 2007 in Kermanshah. Authorities charged him with the possession of three Baha'i CDs. He was tried on 23 April 2007 and charged with "propagating and spreading Bahaism and the defamation of the pure Imams." His lawyer was given only 10 minutes to prepare a defense. Although the verdict has not been published, the judge orally sentenced him to one year in prison, which he is currently serving, and 70 lashes. The latter part of the sentence has not yet been carried out.
Desecration of graves is part of a government-led hate campaign against Baha'is in Iran. This grave is in a cemetery in Yazd that was bulldozed in July 2007.
-- On 18 June 2007, a 34-year-old man was arrested at a hardware store in Tabriz where he worked and taken to an unknown location. Two days later, he succeeded in phoning his family to let them know he was alive. A police security agent contacted Baha'is in Tabriz and said some of the man's neighbors who are members of the Basiji morality squads had alleged that he had insulted Islam. His family managed to visit him and reported that he had been subjected to a two-day interrogation. He remains in custody.
-- On 28 May 2007, a husband and wife in Abadeh, near Shiraz, were arrested in their home by agents of the Information Ministry. The agents seized books, family videos, photographs, CDs, telephone directories, documents, a cellular phone, a computer, and minutes of the meetings of the small group of Baha'is that coordinates the affairs of the local community on an ad hoc basis. The couple were interrogated about the activities of the Baha'is. The wife was released after eight hours; the husband was transferred to Shiraz, where he was held in prison until 29 June 2007 and released on bail. He is charged with teaching the Baha'i Faith.
-- On 8 May 2007, the provincial court of appeal of Mazandaran denied the appeal of three women and one man who were arrested in 2005 in Ghaem Shahr and charged with "propagation on behalf of an organization which is anti-Islamic." The case has been referred to the Supreme Court. All are out on bail. (Original court document in Persian; English translation.)
-- On 25 April 2007, the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Sari sentenced a Baha'i to a year in prison and four years of exile to the town of Bijar. The individual was charged with "teaching activities against the system of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the benefit of groups and various organizations opposing the system."
-- During April and May 2007, a number of Baha'is were summoned for interrogation or were questioned by telephone by officials of the Ministry of Information or the police in various localities, including in Babolsar, Bandar Abbas, Bandar Torkman, Bojourd, Gilavand, Damavand, Hamedan, Karaj, Lahijan, Shahinshar, Tehran, and Yaftabad. The questioning focused on seeking information about Baha'i activities and about the Baha'is themselves. A report has been received that a bank in central Jiruft in the province of Fars had been ordered to produce a printout of all accounts held by Baha'is. 
"Hezbollah is awake and despises the Baha'is" reads this piece of graffiti on a building in the city of Abadeh. Dozens of hateful anti-Baha'i slogans have been painted on homes, offices and cemetery buildings in various locations in Iran.
-- The Baha'i International Community received a copy of a letter from the government agency responsible for providing veteran's benefits stating that an individual Baha'i, who suffered extensive disability following his incarceration as a prisoner of war in the Iran-Iraq conflict, was not eligible to pension benefits because he belongs "to the Bahaist sect." (Original government letter in Persian; English translation.)
-- Attacks on the Baha'i Faith continue in the mass media, including on the Internet. Newspapers in Khorasan and Mazandaran have recently published items maligning Baha'is, while anti-Baha'i pamphlets and tracts have been distributed in Shiraz and in the schools in Shahinshar, Ahvazk, and Babol Sar.
-- Reports have been received of banks refusing to grant loans and officials refusing to issue or renew business licenses solely on the grounds that the applicants were Baha'is. In Sanandaj, a bank official stated that the bank had received 14 loan applications from Baha'is, all of which will be rejected. Bank staff in Sari informed Baha'is who had applied for a loan, "It has been asked of us not to provide loans and other services to Baha'is."
-- In Hamadan, the owner of a grocery store that had been operated by his family for 48 years tried to have the business license transferred to his name after the death of his father. He was told by a government official that business licenses for grocery stores would not be issued to Baha'is. He was told: "Wherever you go, even to the United Nations, you will end up here, where you will get the same clear answer."
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