This photo was taken on Naw Ruz of this year at Rajai Shahr Prison in Iran, where many Iranian Baha'i prisoners live. Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani is in this photo, as is another of the Yaran. A friend and fellow community member has a brother in this prison (he worked at BIHE). She flies to Iran to visit him. She told us at Feast about the daily life of the prisoners in this photo. What was remarkable to me regarding her comments was how she explained the prisoners activities. Both Baha'is and Muslims have worked together consistently to improve prison conditions, have taken over cooking for the entire ward (because the food was so bad), have initiated lending libraries and not surprisingly, are giving instructional courses to other inmates. They have earned real respect from their wardens. Another friend who is an activist for Iranian minority rights made the comment that some of most progressive minds in presnet day Iran are looking out at us from this photo. Not everyone in the photo is Baha'i, but all shown are being held as prisoners of conscience.

— with Saeid Rezaie and Jamaloddin Khanjani.