Iran’s Baha’is suffer arson and other violence

Posted: 28 Jul 2008 12:42 PM CDT

The Mousavi family of Fars province narrowly escaped injury when an arsonist poured gasoline and caused an explosion and fire that destroyed a hut near where the family was sleeping outside their home.

The Bahá’í World News Service reports that Bahá’ís in Iran are being subjected to increased levels of violence. Homes and cars belonging to Bahá’ís have been torched in arson attacks.

The home of the family Mehran Shaaker of Kerman, Iran, was gutted by fire on 18 July. Family members had received theatening phone calls, and their car had been the target of a recent arson attempt.

The fire at the Shaaker home in Kerman was one of at least a dozen fires or arson attempts affecting the property of Iranian Baha’is in the past year or so.

The Bahá’í World News Service story quotes Bani Dugal, the Bahá’í International Community’s Principal Representative at the UN:

As Bahá’ís worldwide watch with alarm this escalation in violence, their fears that a sinister plan of persecution is unfolding become increasingly confirmed. Their only hope is that enough voices of protests are raised around the world to compel the government in Iran to put an end to this violence.

This is a deeply disturbing development in the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran and is reminiscent of all too many previous episodes which led to concerted pogroms against the Bahá’ís.

Do read the whole story here.

Pictures © 2008 Bahá’í International Community.

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