Leadership Council for Human Rights Condemns Arrests of Bahá’í Leaders in Iran, Calls for Their Immediate Release
Washington, D.C. – The Leadership Council for Human Rights (LCHR) strongly condemns the sweep of arrests yesterday in Tehran targeting six Bahá’í leaders, who were all taken to Evin prison. These leaders make up the de facto national leadership of the Iranian Bahá’í community.
Those arrested include: Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm. According to Bahá’í World News Service, “Mrs. Kamalabadi, Mr. Khanjani, and Mr. Tavakkoli have been previously arrested and then released after periods ranging from five days to four months.”
A seventh leader, Mahvash Sabet, has been detained in Mashhad since March 5, 2008.
“This is the most direct action taken against Bahá’í leadership in Iran since the early 1980s,” Kit Bigelow, Director of External Affairs of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the U.S., told LCHR. Bigelow recounted the disappearance and execution of former Bahá’í leaders in Iran which led to the formation of a de facto group of leaders. On August 21, 1980, all nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran, the national governing body, were abducted and never heard from again. The National Spiritual Assembly subsequently was reelected, following which eight of its nine members were executed on December 27, 1981.
In 1983, all formal Bahá’í administrative institutions were outlawed. The Bahá’í community responded by disbanding its governing bodies, the National Spiritual Assembly and all of its Local Spiritual Assemblies, in addition to suspending almost all of its regular organized religious activities. Since that time, events and communications have been coordinated by small groups of de facto leaders at the local and national levels. The national level leaders were the ones imprisoned yesterday, Bigelow said.
“The world should note this tragic repetition of history and act to prevent the further taking of innocent life,” LCHR President Kathryn Cameron Porter said. “Iran must immediately and unconditionally release these men and women, ensure that all who are imprisoned are granted due process and a fair trial, and respect its commitments under the International Covenants on Human Rights.”
In light of the ongoing crackdown against religious and ethnic minorities inside Iran, especially the Bahá’í community, LCHR urges Members of Congress to support House Resolution 1008, condemning the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran.
LCHR is drafting a sign-on letter to the United Nations and to Iranian authorities calling for the release of these prisoners; we ask for your support and we will circulate this letter for signatures in the near future.
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