News
Ramin Aidalkhani transferred to Meshginshahr prison (Sen’s Daily – June 25th)
Ramin Aidalkhani, a Baha’i who is serving a two-year sentence on charges of propaganda against the regime and insulting the “Beloved eager”, was unexpectedly transferred from Parsabad Prison to Meshginshahr Prison last month. After his two year sentence is complete, he will also serve 5 yearsin exile from the Ardabil Province, where he is from.
Hushang Fana’ayan freed (Sen’s Daily – June 27th)
Hushang Fana’ayan, a Baha’i who was serving three years in Babol Prison after participating in a Nineteen Day Feast, was released on parole last week. He reportedly suffered poor conditions while in prison and was denied furlough to be treated for his health problems.
Opinion
Dwight Bashir: Why a Lynching Is No Way to Celebrate Freedom (Foreign Policy)
“Egypt’s new constitution, approved by referendum in December, includes a number of problematic provisions that do not bode well for religious freedom, such as criminalizing blasphemy and limiting places of worship to Muslims, Christians, and Jews, thus leaving out small religious communities such as Baha’is. The Baha’i faith remains banned and Egyptian officials have said that the community would likely face the burden of suing in court for recognition to test the new constitution.”
Other
Special Report: Iran vs. Its People: Abuses Against Religious Minorities
“The Iranian government bars Baha’i youth from undergraduate or graduate studies since it does not formally recognize their religion. In addition to these formal restrictions, Iranian authorities have recently conducted raids in at least four different cities. They raided more than 30 homes of Baha’is involved with the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE), making arrests and confiscating books, documents, computers, and other materials. While several Baha’is were released shortly after being detained, seven were tried and found guilty of membership in a deviant sect conspiring against Iran’s national security; they were given prison sentences of either four- or five-year terms. Since 2008, seven additional Baha’i leaders—“the Baha’i Seven”—have been jailed by the government based on an assortment of dubious charges ranging from espionage to “corruption on the earth.” Their attorneys, including Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi, reiterate that the charges against them are baseless.”
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