Systematic Oppression of the Baha'is of Iran (Episode-5)
This is a continuation of a series on the systematic oppression of the Baha'is of Iran. the four previous episodes can be seen here, here, here & here.
This post begins with a new section, named "Court Judgments Handed Down", that lists recent documented cases in a chronological order.
After the Islamic Revolution, the Iranian government sought to destroy the Bahá’í leadership. In August 1980, the entire membership of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iran, shown here, “disappeared.” All are presumed to have been killed.
Of note, there are some unconfirmed reports that some of the leaders of Iran's Baha'i community who are currently detained without formal charges since their arrest on 14 February 2008, have had recent limited contact with their families.
B) COURT JUDGMENTS HANDED DOWN
• Sometime in July 2007, the General Court of Law in Abadeh issued an undated court order denying Mrs. Táhirih Bahrámí’s [Tahereh Bahrami] inheritance from her father on the grounds that both she and her late father are Bahá’ís and that “issuance of a decree of heirship for individual Bahá’ís would be considered a form of recognizing Bahaism, which is against constitutional law, established laws, and the common order”.
• In Tehran, sometime during July or August 2007, Mr. Rúhu’lláh Tá’ifí [Rouhollah Taefi] contacted the court in connection with changing the property deed that had been used as collateral for bail for the release of his wife, Mrs. Fariba Kamálábádí Tá’ifí [Fariba Kamalabadi Taefi], who had been arrested in 2005. The judge concerned refused to converse with Mr. Tá’ifí and, in an abrupt and insulting manner, said, “Currently, I do not have the capability and the power to issue death sentences for these fifteen individuals [Mrs. Kamálábádí Tá’ifí and fourteen other Bahá’ís, who had been arrested in Mashhad in 2005], but I will do my best to harm them.”
• The family of Mr. Hamíd Ádharnúsh [Hamid Azarnoush], a Bahá’í from Hamadan whose wife is Muslim, has been placed under intense pressure by the authorities. In 2006, when his daughter intended to enroll in the Faith, the family’s home was searched on the grounds of their having a satellite dish. Items such as Bahá’í books, cassettes, and compact discs were confiscated. Following this incident, on numerous occasions the Intelligence Ministry summoned the family members for interrogation. On 11 July 2007, the Public Court of Hamadan ordered that Mr. Ádharnúsh’s Bahá’í books be destroyed “because the existence of such books is harmful to society”.
• Mr. Húshang Muhammad Ábádí [Houshang Mohammadabadi], Mr. Mihrabán Farmánbardár [Mehraban Farmanbardar], and Mr. Vahíd Zamání Anárí [Vaheed Zamani Anari]—all from Karaj—had been arrested on 8 November 2005, charged with spreading anti-regime propaganda, and released on bail a month later. On 23 July 2007 the court denied the appeal they had launched when they had originally been arrested. All three were sentenced to one year’s imprisonment, suspended for a period of four years.
• On 5 August 2007, the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Justice in Sari sentenced Mr. ‘Alí Ahmadí [Ali Ahmadi] to ten months in prison followed by one year in exile in the town of Khalkhal. Mr. Ahmadí, one member of the group that coordinates the activities of the Bahá’ís in Ghaemshahr on an ad hoc basis, was accused of involvement in propaganda against the regime. The judicial authorities refused to give him the original verdict, and he was only permitted to take down notes of some paragraphs for the purpose of making an appeal.
• On 6 August 2007, after five months of searches at his home and business premises in Shahinshahr, interrogations, and accusations of acting against national security, Mr. Nímá Imámvirdí [Nima Imamverdi] was acquitted of any wrongdoing.
• On 19 August 2007, the Court of Appeal of the Province of Mazandaran upheld the verdict against Mr. Fayḍu’lláh Rawshan [Feizollah Rowshan] of Sari. Mr. Rawshan was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment and four years’ exile to the city of Bijar. Mr. Rawshan began serving his one-year sentence on 20 November 2007.
TO BE CONTINUED....
This post begins with a new section, named "Court Judgments Handed Down", that lists recent documented cases in a chronological order.
After the Islamic Revolution, the Iranian government sought to destroy the Bahá’í leadership. In August 1980, the entire membership of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iran, shown here, “disappeared.” All are presumed to have been killed.Of note, there are some unconfirmed reports that some of the leaders of Iran's Baha'i community who are currently detained without formal charges since their arrest on 14 February 2008, have had recent limited contact with their families.
B) COURT JUDGMENTS HANDED DOWN
• Sometime in July 2007, the General Court of Law in Abadeh issued an undated court order denying Mrs. Táhirih Bahrámí’s [Tahereh Bahrami] inheritance from her father on the grounds that both she and her late father are Bahá’ís and that “issuance of a decree of heirship for individual Bahá’ís would be considered a form of recognizing Bahaism, which is against constitutional law, established laws, and the common order”.
• In Tehran, sometime during July or August 2007, Mr. Rúhu’lláh Tá’ifí [Rouhollah Taefi] contacted the court in connection with changing the property deed that had been used as collateral for bail for the release of his wife, Mrs. Fariba Kamálábádí Tá’ifí [Fariba Kamalabadi Taefi], who had been arrested in 2005. The judge concerned refused to converse with Mr. Tá’ifí and, in an abrupt and insulting manner, said, “Currently, I do not have the capability and the power to issue death sentences for these fifteen individuals [Mrs. Kamálábádí Tá’ifí and fourteen other Bahá’ís, who had been arrested in Mashhad in 2005], but I will do my best to harm them.”
• The family of Mr. Hamíd Ádharnúsh [Hamid Azarnoush], a Bahá’í from Hamadan whose wife is Muslim, has been placed under intense pressure by the authorities. In 2006, when his daughter intended to enroll in the Faith, the family’s home was searched on the grounds of their having a satellite dish. Items such as Bahá’í books, cassettes, and compact discs were confiscated. Following this incident, on numerous occasions the Intelligence Ministry summoned the family members for interrogation. On 11 July 2007, the Public Court of Hamadan ordered that Mr. Ádharnúsh’s Bahá’í books be destroyed “because the existence of such books is harmful to society”.
• Mr. Húshang Muhammad Ábádí [Houshang Mohammadabadi], Mr. Mihrabán Farmánbardár [Mehraban Farmanbardar], and Mr. Vahíd Zamání Anárí [Vaheed Zamani Anari]—all from Karaj—had been arrested on 8 November 2005, charged with spreading anti-regime propaganda, and released on bail a month later. On 23 July 2007 the court denied the appeal they had launched when they had originally been arrested. All three were sentenced to one year’s imprisonment, suspended for a period of four years.
• On 5 August 2007, the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Justice in Sari sentenced Mr. ‘Alí Ahmadí [Ali Ahmadi] to ten months in prison followed by one year in exile in the town of Khalkhal. Mr. Ahmadí, one member of the group that coordinates the activities of the Bahá’ís in Ghaemshahr on an ad hoc basis, was accused of involvement in propaganda against the regime. The judicial authorities refused to give him the original verdict, and he was only permitted to take down notes of some paragraphs for the purpose of making an appeal.
• On 6 August 2007, after five months of searches at his home and business premises in Shahinshahr, interrogations, and accusations of acting against national security, Mr. Nímá Imámvirdí [Nima Imamverdi] was acquitted of any wrongdoing.
• On 19 August 2007, the Court of Appeal of the Province of Mazandaran upheld the verdict against Mr. Fayḍu’lláh Rawshan [Feizollah Rowshan] of Sari. Mr. Rawshan was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment and four years’ exile to the city of Bijar. Mr. Rawshan began serving his one-year sentence on 20 November 2007.
TO BE CONTINUED....
Bilo, you make strong quots here. Do you have the documents we might use to corroborate them, in case someone asks for?
ReplyDeleteThanx! Your assistance has been pretty much useful here ;)
Sam,
ReplyDeleteThis information has been already corroborated. If there are questions, please feel free to refer them to me directly. Thank you for your continued interest and support.