Amnesty International Launched post initiative for Bahai prisoners in Iran

Amnesty International has launched an action for Naw Ruz, which requests

its members to send a card to seven prisoners of conscience. Seven is in fact a group,
the former Friends in Iran

Seven Baha'is

Seven leaders of Iran’s Baha’i community are currently on trial on serious, but baseless, charges that could lead to the imposition of the death penalty. Although they have done nothing more than peacefully practice their religion, they have been charged with spying for Israel, for “insulting religious sanctities,” with “propaganda against the system” and with being “mofsed fil arz” or “corruption on earth.” They have denied all charges.

The seven include two women, Fariba Kamalabadi and Mahvash Sabet, and five men: Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaei, Behrouz Tavakkoli and Vahid Tizfahm. All are leading members of a group responsible for the Baha’i community’s religious and administrative affairs. Mahvash Sabet who acted as the group’s secretary, was arrested on 5 March 2008. The others were arrested on 14 May 2008. All seven are held in Section 209 of Evin Prison in Tehran, which is run by the Ministry of Intelligence. They have only been allowed very limited access to their lawyers while they have been in custody.

The first session of their trial—which had been repeatedly postponed—finally began before a Revolutionary Court in Tehran on 12 January 2010. Their next court date is scheduled for 10 April. Amnesty International has repeatedly criticized proceedings held in Iran’s Revolutionary Courts for their failure to adhere to international standards for fair trials. In fact, the authorities attempted to bar the Baha’is’ lawyers from the courtroom on 12 January and only allowed them access after they insisted upon entering.

You can send Nowruz greetings to the seven Baha’is to:

Baha’i International Community
15 route des Morillons

1218 Grand Saconnex Switzerland

To mark the Persian spring holiday of Nowrouz, Amnesty International has launched a campaign to send messages of goodwill to prisoners of conscience in Iran.

The seven cases selected by Amnesty International mirror the “Haft Sin” (seven “s”s) traditionally placed on a Nowrouz table.

The 14 individuals in the seven cases have all been identified as being “at risk”. Many have been sentenced to long prison terms for their beliefs or peaceful activism and several are in poor health.

Trade union leader Mansour Ossanlu is serving a five-year prison sentence for “acts against national security” in connection with his peaceful trade union activities.

Ronak Safarzadeh, an Iranian-Kurdish graphic artist and women’s rights activist, is serving a prison sentence of six years and seven months.

Prominent journalist Emadeddin Baghi, the 2009 recipient of the prestigious Martin Ennals Award for human rights defenders, was arrested on 28 December 2009 after protests marking the Shi’a religious festival of Ashoura. He is detained without charge or trial.

Seven leaders of Iran’s Baha’i community are currently on trial on serious, but baseless, charges including espionage for Israel and propaganda against the system that could lead to the imposition of the death penalty.

Human rights activist Shiva Nazar Ahari was arrested on 20 December 2009 and has since told her family she has been transferred to a “cage-like” solitary confinement cell where she cannot move her arms or legs. This is her second arrest since the disputed presidential election of 2009.

Brothers Kamiar Alaei and Arash Alaei, doctors specializing in the prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS, were sentenced in January 2009 to six and three years in jail respectively for plotting to overthrow the Iranian government after an unfair trial in spite of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declaring their detention arbitrary.

Academic and social scientist Kian Tajbakhsh is serving five years in jail on politically-motivated charges including espionage, co-operation with an enemy government, and acting against national security.

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