Iran Press Watch: The Baha'i Community

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Several Updates on the Baha’is of Iran Posted: 09 Jun 2009 04:20 PM PDT The following news items appeared on June 4, 2009, on the Persian site of the Baha’i International Community and are provided below in translation by Iran Press Watch. The source of each story is cited next to the name of the town. Isfahan (http://news.persian-bahai44.org/2009060403) More details have reached us regarding three Baha’is of Villashahr (near Isfahan) who were arrested because they participated in the burial of a deceased Baha’i, who were later released on bail pending their trial. Hushmand Talebi-Iskandari, Mehran Zayni-Najafabadi and Farhad Ferdousiyan were convicted on July 21, 2008, on the charge of “trespassing and illegal use of governmental property”. The court had set a fine and instructed that they “should cease their use of this property (the cemetery)” and “to return it to its original condition”, i.e., that they should remove the bodies buried there. Upon appeal, the appeals court ruled on February 14, 2009, clearing the three Baha’is of this charge and designating that parcel of land for burial of the dead as a cemetery. However, according to the latest news, on May 21 a large sign was posted on this land next to some graves, which read, “According to a letter dated January 21, 2009, this land has been bestowed by the Ministry of Minerals to the Municipality of Najafabad and now belongs to the Municipality. Therefore, any encroachment, trespassing or burial of the dead on this location is strictly forbidden; violators will be prosecuted in accordance with provisions of Section 635 of the Islamic penal code, which rules on punishments for unauthorized burials.” In addition, news has reached us that the Municipality has received instructions from the Ministry of Intelligence that they may no longer provide hearses to Baha’is to carry their dead. Karaj (http://news.persian-bahai44.org/2009060408) Shahram Safajoo (http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/2452) was released from prison on bail on May 18. On May 31, he was again summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence and was given two weeks to locate a lawyer for his trial. Semnan (http://news.persian-bahai44.org/2009060402) Mrs. Maryam Shiraliyan (Subhani), a Baha’i of Semnan, passed away on May 20, 2009. However, governmental authorities have refused to issue a burial certificate, and have informed her family that they would only do so if the family consents that the deceased by buried under an Islamic headstone in the Baha’i cemetery. The family of Mrs. Shiraliyan refused this demand. After several appeals to the office of the Governor of Semnan, two days later a burial certificate was issued on May 22. Shiraz (http://news.persian-bahai44.org/2009060407) Sasan Taqvi, one of the three Baha’i youth who in November 2007 were imprisoned on charges of being involved in a humanitarian project intended to indirectly promote the Baha’i Faith, commenced his temporary [medical] leave from prison on April 28, 2009, and has been authorized to extend it until May 26. No news has been received about his return to prison at this time. Shiraz (http://news.persian-bahai44.org/2009060401) Shahram Kamali was arrested on May 25, 2009. During the previous two months he had been summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence. Since the time of his arrest, he has only been able to contact his family once, and has expressed his expectation that the authorities intend to transfer him to Tehran for incarceration. Tehran (http://news.persian-bahai44.org/2009060404) Shahram Hasim, who on May 27 received instructions to present himself at the Ministry of Intelligence (see http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/2885), had disappeared since May 20. It has been learned that he was imprisoned as of that date , but was released on May 23. His place of incarceration has not been given. Tehran (http://news.persian-bahai44.org/2009060405) According to the latest information received [from Iran], Shahram Chiniyan-Miyanduab was a resident of the village of Hasan-Abad near Tehran, and not Miyanduab. From the time of his arrest in February-March, he has been incarcerated in Evin prison. The authorities have told one of the Baha’is who went to Evin to inquire of Mr. Chiniyan’s condition that he has been charged and imprisoned for “membership in the Baha’i sect”, “insulting Islamic religious sanctities” and “collaboration with anti-revolutionary groups”. Yasuj (http://news.persian-bahai44.org/2009060406) Ali-Askar Ravanbakhsh and his wife Zulaykha Musavi-Ravanbakhsh, who are from Mehraban, and another Baha’i from Yasuj, Ruhiyyih Yazdani, had been on temporary leave from prison since May 3, 2009 (http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/392). On May 22, they returned to the place of their incarceration.

Visit – Shiraz Plock 100 Posted: 09 Jun 2009 04:16 PM PDT Editor’s Note: Iran Press Watch was pleased to receive the following moving essay, which describes the feelings of many Iranian Baha’is. It is presented below in translation; the original in Persian is attached. By a passer by I miss them a lot. I am talking about the three Baha’i youth: Sasan Taqva, Raha Sabet and Haleh Ruhi. I like to visit them, and for this purpose, I travel to Shiraz. Come along if you like. It takes some concentration to summon the power from within. First we say prayers, meditate and then visualize Shiraz, a city whose foundation was laid upon a spiritual dream. I hope that someday the spiritual city of Shiraz will be worthy of a great hero to initiate a world-encompassing movement from within this spiritual place. Together, we pass through the streets of Shiraz to reach the prison facility of the Ministry of Intelligence, called Plock 100. This is the place where the three youth are incarcerated. We enter quietly. We walk through narrow concrete hallways with high ceilings. Everywhere is dead silent; we move forward quietly. After passing through a few covered areas, we arrive at a metal door. Slowly we open the door. We see a small L-shaped area; looking around, we don’t see any windows — do you see any? No light can penetrate the cement walls and into the cell. The air is heavy, there is not enough oxygen and it is hard to breath. What a jail! The florescent ceiling light is on at all times. The floor is bare concrete, without so much as an old carpet to cover it. There are only a few blankets to use as a mattress and cover. There is an old television set which appears to have been installed some time ago. There are a few books, magazines and personal items in the other corner of the cell. Haleh and Raha, two angel-like girls, under the pressure and hardships of the past 18 months in jail, look skinny, weak and pale. They are only allowed outside in the small yard 15 minutes each day to get a little fresh air. Everything, even down to the timing of these short breaks, is determined by the prison guards. Despite all these restrictions, they seem happy; it is as though they are living in a different world. They enjoy each other’s company. We hear footsteps, then the door opening. Look at the girls — they are silent. It seems that Raha has a piece of paper and a pen in her hands. We see a male guard at the door, he is waiting for something. The girls give him a list of the necessary items that they need — there are no stores in this prison. There is no conversation between the girls and the guard. Can you hear anything? If you ask the girls, they will tell you that they are forbidden to talk to the male guards, and that there are no female guards at this prison. I understand you have good reason to feel upset; those who set out to serve their forsaken, deprived countrymen with love and compassion are detained in an atrocious prison which can best be likened to jailhouses from the Middle Ages. Let us pray for their steadfastness and ask God to remove their difficulties. We can pray individually or in groups. Let us raise our hands to God and ask for His mercy to shower upon these two prisoners and all the other male and female inmates who are spending their days in the various prisons of Iran. Let us pray for the freedom of all the captives who are inflicted with a heavier load of tyranny and injustice than the rest of us, irrespective of their religion, belief system, ethnicity or language. Friends, it is time to go. Let us part with a message to the girls: “Haleh, Raha, we deeply love you! We are proud of you as our countrymen and as our fellow Baha’is. You are symbols of strength and steadfastness. You are worthy role models for Iranian youth”. Slowly, we head towards the door; we take another glance at the cell and its high walls. Certainly you agree that this horrifying prison with its solid concrete walls has not succeeded in creating a barrier between the girls and ourselves. We open the metal door quietly, enter the hallway and go towards the other side, where the obedient follower of his Lord, Sasan, is all alone in his cell. We open the door and see a cell similar to that of the girls. We see a young man, smiling and resigned to the will of God, is whispering prayers in the corner of his cell. Think for a little while! How has he tolerated 18 months of solitude? What has given him such power to be joyful and content? We wholeheartedly listen to his prayer which has filled the atmosphere of his cell: “Subhanika ya hu, ya man huwa hu. Ya man lisan ahadan illa hu.”[1] The thick, solid walls of his cell cannot prevent him from conversing with his Lord. We hear that many outside the jail are praying along with him. Apparently, he can hear their prayers; during deep meditation he can even see them (in the same way that my friends and I had seen you while we were in jail and had gained energy from you). Dear Sasan, my good friend, we have to go now. May we witness the freedom of all of the innocent prisoners of Iran! O entrapped bird! May you live to witness that blessed day when there are no more cages and confinements in the world! [1] This expression appears 19 times in Baha’u'llah’s Tablet of the Bell [Lawh-i Naqus] and means, “Sanctified art Thou, O He; O He Who is He; O He other than Whom there is none but He.” [Original attached. Translation by Iran Press Watch.] Download: Origianl Persian