Thursday, December 10, 2009

Imprisoned Iran's Baha'i Leaders Listed on Time's Top Ten List

Time magazine has just published its lists of "The Top 10 Everything of 2009". Under the religion section, the plight of the imprisoned ad hoc group of leaders of the Baha'i Community of Iran made this list. Posted below is the story as published on Time website:

9. Banning the Baha'i
By AMY SULLIVAN Tuesday, Dec. 08, 2009

The government of Iran has held seven leaders of the Baha'i faith — a monotheistic religion founded in 19th century Persia — in prison for more than a year without formal charges, access to their attorneys or a trial. The Baha'i tradition is outlawed in Iran, and some government officials have claimed that the prisoners are guilty of spying for Israel or insulting Islam. Several times, the government has scheduled capital-punishment hearings for the seven, only to cancel at the last minute. "The charges against these imprisoned Baha'is are baseless and a pretext for the persecution and harassment of a disfavored religious minority," said Leonard Leo, chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which has demanded their release. As of early December, the Baha'i leaders remained in prison with no trial scheduled.

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