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.

PDF File

"The Change Will Come" Dedicated to the Bahais in Iran

This song was made by some Bahai Youth that are concerned with the trial and injustice going on at the moment in Iran against the Bahais.

Get album
http://www.amazon.de/Harmony/dp/B002M...

GENEVA — Seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders appeared in court today in Iran for a second session of their trial.

The session was once again closed, and family members were not permitted in the courtroom, the Baha'i International Community has learned.

The hearing, which lasted just over one hour, does not seem to have gone beyond procedural issues. No date was given for any future sessions.

The seven were arrested nearly two years ago and have been held in Tehran's Evin prison since that time, spending the first year there without formal charges or access to lawyers.

After several postponements, their trial officially began on 12 January, when the seven were arraigned in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.

That session was also closed to the public, but accounts in government-sponsored news media said the defendants were formally charged with espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, the establishment of an illegal administration, cooperation with Israel, sending secret documents outside the country, acting against the security of the country, and corruption on earth.

All the charges have been categorically denied. The defendants are Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm.

http://news.bahai.org/story/756


More info about the Bahai Faith:
www.bahai.org

"This love" Dedicated to the Bahais in Iran

"This Love"
Chelsea-Lyne W/ Nabil & Karim

Dedicated to The Baha'is in Iran, especially the 7 Baha'is on trial, and their families.

Listen To It @ http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?...

Lyrics (Written By N. Moghaddam, C.Heins, K.Rushdy)

Nabil:
They can take my life away
But this love will never change
They can take my rights away
But I'll grow stronger everyday

Chelsea-Lyne:
Its my right to live a life that's free
My right to simply be a citizen
Who believes in world equality
We shouldn't have to hide
Or feel the need to cower
Our beliefs shape who we are
They give us inner power
With our heads held high we shall walk on
With utmost love in our hearts we remain strong
They ask the question, we refuse.
Because it is our right to choose

They can take my life away
But this love will never change
They can take my rights away
But i'll grow stronger everyday

Karim:
In the silence of this courtroom
I closed my eyes and saw the future
Around the time that we heard from the prosecutor
And your honour I think you've already made your choice
So to the jury, please excuse me if I rejoice
Cause it was years ago, back when I decided to save
A place inside my heart where Baha'u'llah's resided
And my family all around the world will watch and pray
So I am not alone. Will I surrender?
Not today.

They can take my life away
But this love will never change
They can take my rights away
But i'll grow stronger everyday

Its my right to an education,
My right to the living I'm making
And yet they keep taking away from me
My material possessions have be ruined and put to pieces
My spirit remains a whole, my attachment thus decreases
Still in this day though times have changed,
They haven't changed enough
The friends must hide, obey,
Pray to avoid themselves handcuffed
Battle's changed but sacrifice remains the same
This is my devotion that ignites my inner flame

They can take my life away
But this love will never change
They can take my rights away
But i'll grow stronger everyday


More info about the Bahai Faith:
www.bahai.org

دين بهائى (Persian)

بـهائی

جمعى از بهائيان از نقاط مختلف جهان

امر بـهائی جوانترين دين از اديان مستقلّ جهان است و تجديد دين از اصول اين آئين است زيرا در هر زمان مقتضيّات جامعه بشری تغيير ميپذيرد و در هر عصری دينی جديد موافق با مقتضيّات جهان و نيازمندی جهانيان ظاهر ميگردد. بـهائيان معتقدند که حضرت بـهاءالله، بنيانگذار امر بـهائی (۱۸۱۷- ۱۸۹۲) جديدترين فرستاده الهی در سلسله پيامبران پيشين چون حضرت ابراهيم، موسی و بودا و زردشت و مسيح و بالاخره حضرت محمّد است و رسالتش برای ايجاد تمدّنی جديد و جهانی است که بشر در اين زمان بدان نيازمند است.

محور تعاليم پيام بـهائی وحدت عالم انسانی است يعنی وقت آن آمده است که بشر از هر قوم و نژادی به يگانگی رسند و همه در ظلّ يک جامعه جهانی درآيند. حضرت بـهاءالله فرموده است که خداوند بيمانند نيروهائی را در جهان بکار گماشته است تا آنچه را که بر حسب سنّتهای پيشين سبب جدائی و اختلاف ميان اقوام و طبقات و اديان و ملل عالم گشته است از ميان بردارد و مهمترين کاری که امروز بشر بايد بآن پردازد وحدت عالم انسانی و تلاش و کوشش در راه اتّحاد و اتّفاق اهل عالم است.

يکى از اهداف و مقاصد دين بـهائی بذل و همّت و مساعدت در اين مسير است. از اين روی امر بـهائی جامعه‌ای جهانی مرکّب از قريب به ۵ ميليون نفر از اکثر ملل و نژادها و فرهنگهای جهان بوجود آورده و تعاليم حضرت بـهاءالله را در آن جامعه تجسّم بخشيده است. آزمايشی که بهائيان در اين راه کرده‌اند سبب تشويق کسانی است که از همان راه ميپويند و نوع انسان را اعضاء يک خاندان و کره زمين را يک وطن ميدانند. اصول و تعاليم حضرت بهاءالله

دين بهائى

اصول تعاليم بهائى

راه زندگى

زمينه تاريخى

حضرت باب
(۱۸۱۹-۱۸۵۰)

حضرت بهاءالله
(۱۸۱۷-۱۸۹۲)

حضرت عبدالبهاء
(۱۸۴۴-۱۹۲۱)

اتحاد بهائيان

ولى امر بهائى

بيت العدل اعظم

مرکز جهانى بهائى

جامعه جهانى بهائى

عبادتگاه بهائى يا
مشرق الا ذ کار

رفاه اجتماعى و اقتصادى

بهائيان و سازمان ملل متحد

تماس با ما

(Arabic) الدين البهائي

الدين البهائي

بهائيون من جميع انحاء العالم

ينتشر البهائيون اليوم في أكثر من مئتين وخمسة وثلاثين بلداً، وهم يمثّـلون أصولاً دينية مختلفة وينتمون إلى أجناس وأعراق وشعوب وقبائل وجنسيات متعددة. أما الدين البهائي فمعترف به رسمياً في العديد من الدول، ومُمثّـل تمثيلاً غير حكومي في هيئة الأمم المتحدة والأوساط الدولية العلمية والاقتصادية.

والبهائيون على اختلاف أصولهم يُصدِّقونَ بما بين أيديهم من الكتب السماوية، يؤمنون بالرسالات السابقة دونما تفريق، ويعتقدون بأن رسالة حضرة بهاء الله - أسوة بغيرها من الرسالات السماوية - لا تمثّـل سوى مرحلة من المراحل المتعاقبة للتطور الروحي الذي يخضع له المجتمع الإنساني.

إِنَّ الدين البهائي دين عالمي مستقل كل الاستقلال عن أي دين آخر. وهو ليس طريقة من الطرق الصوفية، ولا مزيجاً مقتبساً من مبادئ الأديان المختلفة أو شرائعها، كما إنَّه ليس شُعبة من شعب الدين الاسلامي أو المسيحي أو اليهودي. وليس هو إحياء لأي مذهب عقائدي قديم. بل للة. أما رسالته الحضارية الموجهة إلى هذا العصر فتتلخص في المبادئ الروحية والاجتماعية التي نصّ عليها لتحقيق نظام عالمي جديد يسوده السلام العام وتنصهر فيه أمم العالم وشعوبه في اتحاد يضمن لجميع أفراد الجنس البشري العدل والرفاهية والاستقرار ويُشيّد حضارة إنسانية دائمة التقدم في ظل هداية إِلهية مستمرة.دين البهائي كتبه المُنزلة، وشرائعه الخاصة، ونظمه الإدارية، وأماكنه المقدس

يحثّ الدين البهائي أتباعه على الإيمان بالله الواحد الذي لا شريك له، ويعترف بوحدة الرسل والأنبياء دون استثناء، ويؤكد وحدة الجنس البشري، ويفرض على كل مؤمنٍ التخلي عن كل لون من ألوان التعصب والخرافات، ويجزم بأن هدف كل دين هو إشاعة الألفة والوئام، ويعتبر اتفاق الدين والعلم أمراً جوهرياً وعاملاً من أهم العوامل التي تمنح المجتمع البشري السكينة والاطمئنان وتحمله على التقدم والعمران. ولعل من أهم المبادئ التي ينادي بها الدين البهائي مبدأ المساواة في الحقوق بين البشر بما في ذلك المساواة بين الرجل والمرأة، فضلاً عن مبدأ التعليم الإجباري وتوفير الإمكانات لخلق مناخ اجتماعي سليم، فيأمر أتباعه بإزالة الهوّة السحيقة بين الفقراء والأغنياء، ويقضي بعدم تعدد الزوجات، ويُقدّس الكيان العائلي معتبراً الأسرة أساس بناء المجتمع الإنساني الصالح. ويمنع الدين البهائي أتباعه من الاشتغال بالأمور السياسية والحزبية ويشجعهم على الولاء والصدق والصفاء في علاقاتهم مع حكوماتهم وعلى خدمة أوطانهم ورفع شأن مواطنيهم. ولا تَدَع الكتب البهائية مجالاً للشك في أن حضرة بهاء الله سنّ لأتباعه منهجاً للسلوك ونمطاً للتعامل الشريف، فأكد أنّ الحياة الخاصة للفرد مقياس دقيق لإيمانه، ففرض على أتباعه طهارة القول والفكر والعمل، عفّةً وأمانةً وصدقاً وولاءً ونزاهةً ونقاوةً وكرماً، وأمرهم بكل معروف، ونهاهم عن كل منكر. يقول حضرة بهاء الله:

"قل يا قوم دعوا الرذائل وخُذوا الفضائل، كونوا قدوةً حسنةً بين الناس، وصحيفةً يتذكّر بها الأُناس ... كونوا في الطرْف عفيفاً، وفي اليد أميناً، وفي اللسان صادقاً، وفي القلب متذكراً..."^(١)

"كن في النعمة مُنفقاً، وفي فقدها شاكراً، وفي الحقوق أميناً ... وفي الوعد وفيّاً، وفي الأمور منصفاً ... [وكن] للمهموم فَرَجاً، وللظمآن بحراً، وللمكروب ملجأ وللمظلوم ناصراً، ... وللغريب وطناً، وللمريض شفاءً، وللمستجير حصناً، وللضرير بصراً، ولمن ضلّ صراطاً، ولوجه الصدق جمالاً، ولهيكل الأمانة طرازاً، ولبيت الأخلاق عرشاً..."^(٢)

اعلى

الدين البهائي

من تعاليم الدين البهائي

التوحيد في الدين البهائي

حضرة الباب:

المبشّر بحضرة بهاء الله (١٨١٩-١٨٥٠)

حضرة بهاء الله:

صاحب الرسالة الإلهية (١٨١٧-١٨٩٢)

عهد وميثاق حضرة بهاء الله

حضرة عبد البهاء:

مركز العهد والميثاق (١٨٤٤-١٩٢١)

حضرة شوقي رباني:

وليّ امر الدين البهائي (١٨٩٧-١٩٥٧)

بيت العدل الأعظم:

المركز البهائي الإداري العالمي

الجامعة البهائية العالمية

بيانات الجامعة البهائية

مواقع بهائية

الاتصال بنا

The Bahai Faith (English)

The Bahá'í Faith

Bahais from various parts of the world.

The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions. Its founder, Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), is regarded by Bahá'ís as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.

The central theme of Bahá'u'lláh's message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its unification in one global society. God, Bahá'u'lláh said, has set in motion historical forces that are breaking down traditional barriers of race, class, creed, and nation and that will, in time, give birth to a universal civilization. The principal challenge facing the peoples of the earth is to accept the fact of their oneness and to assist the processes of unification.

One of the purposes of the Bahá'í Faith is to help make this possible. A worldwide community of some five million Bahá'ís, representative of most of the nations, races and cultures on earth, is working to give Bahá'u'lláh's teachings practical effect. Their experience will be a source of encouragement to all who share their vision of humanity as one global family and the earth as one homeland.

To learn more about the Bahá'í Faith, choose one of the links on the menu or contact us.

Basic Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh

Bahá'u'lláh: An Introduction

The Life of Bahá'u'lláh: A photographic narrative

www.bahai.org

Introduction:

The Bahá'í Faith

Basic Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh

A Way of Life

The Historical Background

The Báb (1819-1850)

Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892)

`Abdu'l-Bahá (1844-1921)

The Unity of Bahá'ís

The Guardianship

The Universal House of Justice

The Bahá'í World Centre

The Bahá'í World Community

Bahá'í Houses of Worship

Social and Economic Development

Bahá'ís and the United Nations

Central Figures & Institutions

Spiritual Truths

The Baha'i Sacred Writings

A Global Community

A New Vision for Humanity's Future

Social Action

Perspectives and Profiles

About This Site

Site Index

Bahai Development Project in Germany

Peoples Theater
www.peoplestheater.de

OFFENBACH, Germany — An award-winning Baha'i-inspired theater project began a new season of performances this week aimed at preventing violence and promoting social skills among school students.

Earlier, representatives of People's Theater outlined the program to the mayor of Offenbach, Gerhard Grandke, who has been a strong supporter of the project.

As well as being well known and appreciated in this city, People's Theater has won favor this year at the highest levels of the federal government.

The German Minister for Family and Youth, Renate Schmidt, awarded two representatives of People's Theater, Curtis Volk and Erfan Enayati, a financial grant to assist the further development of the theater.

People's Theater was one of 25 winners selected from 560 entrants in a competition initiated by the Office of the Chancellor to select the projects with the most promise of benefiting society.

At a reception for award recipients in July 2004, the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder said to the winners: "We need more people like you, people who know how to transfer their knowledge and talents into service for the community."

People's Theater was founded by Erfan Enayati, a Baha'i from Offenbach, who was inspired by "The Happy Hippo Show," a television program in Russia created by Shamil Fattakhov to help youth deal with moral and ethical situations in their everyday lives.

The Baha'i inspiration behind the People's Theater is seen not only in its selection of the social topics that are the themes of its performances, but also because in its guiding principles such as honesty and sincerity, and the decision-making process used on a daily basis by those involved in the project.

• 

  People's Theater at a primary school.

• 

  The German Minister for Family and Youth, Renate Schmidt, with People's Theater representatives Erfan Enayati (left) and Curtis Volk (right) at the award… »

• 

  Primary school children participating in the People's Theater.

• 

  Students and cast members after a successful performance.

• 

  People's Theater in action. Elements of the scene are outlined on blackboard.

• 

  German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder with Erfan Enayati (left) and Curtis Volk (right).

• 

Called consultation, this method is used by Baha'is to dispassionately examine different points of view before coming to a consensus.

In addition, the Baha'i principles of the underlying unity of world religions and respect for all ethnic groups play a fundamental role in every show.

Presentations by the People's Theater combine the elements of a talk show with those of a theater. A twist is that its outcome is largely influenced by the audience. (See an article about "The Happy Hippo Show" http://www.onecountry.org/e103/e10304as.htm.)

Each show illustrates a conflict that exists in the school where the show is being performed.

The theater portion of the show portrays the problem to the audience. Then, in the talk show section that follows, the audience discusses constructive solutions to the problem through dialog, discussion, and role-play.

The moderator begins the show by explaining the rules. The actors then illustrate a conflict in a scene that focuses on such issues as violence, backbiting, and dishonesty.

The moderator stops the scene and asks the audience such questions as: "What just happened?", or "How do the actors feel?", or "What could be done to change the situation?"

After a discussion by audience members, the moderator chooses a student to replace one of the actors. The student is then encouraged to try to change the situation by using ideas from his or her peers.

The scene lasts up to about five minutes and then begins again. After several attempts by the audience, the scene is then repeated one last time by the initial actors who follow the advice of the audience. The moderator then sums up.

The first performance of People's Theater was at a primary school in 2001 with the support of the Mayor of Offenbach, Gerhard Grandke.

"I was convinced and excited about the prospects of this project and its underlying concept from the beginning so I gladly sponsored it," Mr. Grandke said.

The project also has the support of local government offices dealing with education, community integration and crime prevention, and it has received a warm reception in the public school system.

During the last two years the People's Theater has performed more than 700 shows in more than 40 schools. In the past school year, five youth dedicated their time to working in the theater as a social service, and now more youth have offered to follow them for a year of service.

Participation in the People's Theater is recognized as social and civil service, and as such, it may be substituted for the mandatory military service required in Germany. It is supported by a pedagogical association and has a board of trustees.

A principal at Gutenberg Primary School, one of the schools where People's Theater has performed, Heike Burger, said that working with People's Theater was an enjoyable experience.

"The program was praised by all participants; parents, teachers, and pupils," Ms. Burger said.

A teacher at the Adolf-Reichwein High School, Elke Kunkel, said that the children were inspired to think by the themes of the show and were motivated to search for positive solutions."

"The young actors and actresses have a special understanding of the language which speaks to the youth --they are able to get their attention and motivate them to work with the show," Ms. Kunkel said.

"The work with the young actors and actresses is a worthwhile investment in our pupils," she said.

A teacher at the Helen-Keller Primary School, Christina Kutzmann, said that working with People's Theater is very constructive for the pupils.

"They are able to work with abstract ideas, for example 'Conflicts from Boredom' or 'Dealing with Provocation' in a very creative fashion that realistically brings the problems (to the attention of) the children in an appealing manner."

Bahais offer decision-making model at UN

16 February 2010

UNITED NATIONS — A new model of decision-making among peoples of different cultures would contribute to integration "at this time of transition to a new social order," according to a new Baha'i statement.

The statement was prepared for the 48th United Nations Commission for Social Development, which concluded on 12 February. The commission is the chief UN body charged with following up on the World Summit on Social Development held in 1995 in Copenhagen, where world leaders outlined principles that would characterize a new "society for all." These principles included respect for diversity and participation of all people.

The Baha'i International Community said in its statement that it was offering its experience in the method of consultation used by Baha'i communities around the world – a key component in creating unity among people.

The consultative process, the Baha'i statement said, rests on the understanding that all human beings are essentially noble – "they possess reason and conscience as well as capacities for inquiry, understanding, compassion, and service to the common good."

Mr. Ming H. Chong of Singapore, a delegate to the commission who presented a summary of the Baha'i statement, said afterward that understanding the nobility of all humans prevents people from dismissing others as needy rather than being in charge of their own development.

"If you start with (this) understanding, then you have a different perspective, one that avoids labels like 'marginalized' and 'poor,'" he said. He explained that he was a child of immigrants to Singapore and had learned that such labels create the wrong impression of entire groups of people.

"Language shapes the way we think," he said. "It creates mental pictures of how we see the world. Some of these mental pictures are not always positive – those that dehumanize migrants, for example."

The Baha'i statement to the UN commission suggested that the human body can serve as a model for comparing the integration of the world's cultures and peoples. "Within this organism, millions of cells, with extraordinary diversity of form and function, collaborate to make human existence possible. Every least cell has its part to play in maintaining a healthy body," the statement said.

This image can be used to envision the world's peoples as one human family and understand how each culture plays a part in the functioning of the whole, Mr. Chong explained.

In consultation as practiced in Baha'i communities, great value is placed on the diversity of perspectives and contributions that individuals bring to the discussion.

"Actively soliciting views from those traditionally excluded from decision-making not only increases the pool of intellectual resources but also fosters the trust, inclusion, and mutual commitment needed for collective action," the Baha'i statement said.

A key feature of Baha'i consultation is that ideas belong to the group rather than to individuals.

"Detachment from one's positions and opinions regarding the matter under discussion is imperative – once an idea has been shared, it is no longer associated with the individual who expressed it, but becomes a resource for the group to adopt, modify, or discard," the statement said.

A diversity of opinions, however, is not sufficient – it "does not provide communities with a means to bridge differences or to resolve social tensions," it continued.

"In consultation, the value of diversity is inextricably linked to the goal of unity. This is not an idealized unity, but one that acknowledges differences and strives to transcend them through a process of principled deliberation," the statement said. "It is unity in diversity."

International News Prosecution against Bahais in Iran

Nations rally to defend human rights in Iran

16 February 2010

GENEVA — Countries from around the world have voiced strong concern at the United Nations Human Rights Council over Iran's deteriorating human rights record.

In speeches yesterday and in documents filed with the Council, nations and human rights groups described the degree to which Iran has failed to live up to its obligations under international human rights law.

"The good news is that governments and organizations are rallying to defend innocent Iranians, who have over the last year seen their human rights so gravely violated," said Diane Ala'i, the representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations in Geneva.

"The bad news is that Iran continues to ignore such appeals," she said, speaking after yesterday's session of Council, which specifically focused on Iran's human rights record.

Muhammad Javad Larijani, secretary general of the Islamic Republic of Iran's High Council for Human Rights, told the session that there is religious freedom in Iran and that no Baha'i is persecuted for his beliefs. If any Baha'is are imprisoned, he said, it is because of "illegal activities" as a cult.

"Put bluntly, Iran once again completely discredited itself before the eyes of the international community," said Ms. Ala'i, noting that last week Iran arrested at least 14 more Baha'is.

Among those arrested, she said, was Niki Khanjani, the son of one of the seven Baha'i leaders who are currently on trial on false charges.

"As the Nobel laureate Mrs. Shirin Ebadi has recently stated in an open letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Iran is now trying to increase pressure on prisoners by taking their relatives hostage," said Ms. Ala'i. "Jamaloddin Khanjani is 76. He has been incarcerated for almost two years – and then they arrested his granddaughter at the beginning of January and now, his son."

"These are the desperate acts of a regime that is frantically lashing out to blame others for its troubles and to suppress any viewpoint that is different from its own ideology," she said.

The majority of countries who spoke out against Iran focused on the violence following last June's presidential election and also on the situation of the country's religious minorities.

Brazil called for Iran to extend rights to all religious groups in the country, saying Baha'is should enjoy the same rights as everyone. Mexico said all minorities – particularly the Baha'i community – must be able to practice their religion.

"Romania and Slovenia devoted almost the entire allotment of their time to discussing the increasing repression of Iran's Baha'i community," reported Ms. Ala'i.

Human rights groups, in documents filed with the Council, made similar points.

"Despite constitutional guarantees of equality, individuals belonging to minorities in Iran are subject to an array of discriminatory laws and practices," wrote Amnesty International in its statement. "Minorities suffering persecution include ethnic and linguistic minorities such as Kurds, Arabs, Azerbaijanis, Turkmen and Baluchis, and religious minorities such as Baha'is and the Ahl-e Haq."

"The government systematically denies rights associated with freedom of religion to members of the Baha'i faith, Iran's largest non-Muslim religious minority. In most cases, including the persecution of the Baha'i community, the government uses 'security' as a pretext for detaining individuals and denying them basic due process rights," said a statement from Human Rights Watch.

The session was part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a relatively new procedure that seeks to review the human rights record of all 192 United Nations member states once every four years. This year is the first time Iran has come up for review.

Learning to Coexist, Learning to live in Peace.

The fundamental purpose of all religions is to bring man nearer to God, and to change his character, which is of the utmost importance. Too much emphasis is often laid on the social and economic aspects of the Teachings; but the moral aspect cannot be overemphasized. (Shoghi Effendi, September 6, 1946)


Believers are urged not to get discouraged, because all the trials are temporary and will pass away, an as the love for God grows, we should concentrate on the constructive work of exemplifying the Faith. All religions are in perfect harmony with one another, they contain universal truth with do not change! One of them is peace.

Baha'i: "War is death while peace is life."

Christianity: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."

Confucianism: "Seek to be in harmony with all your neighbors ... live in peace with your brethren."

Buddhism: "There is no happiness greater than peace."

Hinduism: "Without meditation, where is peace? Without peace, where is happiness?"

Islam: "God will guide men to peace. If they will heed Him, he will lead them from the darkness of war to the light of peace."

Taoism: "The wise esteem peace and quiet above all else."

Sikhism: "Only in the name of the Lord, do we find our peace."

Judaism: "When a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even His enemies to be at peace with Him."

Jainism: "All men should live in peace with their fellows. This is the Lord's desire."

Zoroastrianism: "I will sacrifice to peace, whose breath is friendly."

Shinto: "Let the earth be free from trouble and men live at peace under the protection of the Divine."

Is the meaning of faith to just believe?

By faith is meant,
first, conscious knowledge, and second, the practice of good deeds.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Baha'i World Faith, Page 383)

Religious Leaders met at Bahai gardens

60 Religious Leaders to Meet at Elijah Interfaith Convention at the Bahai Gardens and Shrine in Haifa, Israel.

Priests and a Buddhist religious leader take their shoes off before entering a shrine during the Elijah Interfaith Convention in Bahai Gardens and Shrine in Haifa, northern Israel, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009. About 50 religious leaders representing Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Sikhism visited the Bahai center as part of a 5-day conference where the results of a survey showing how members of different religions view their religious leadership will be released.

(IsraelNN.com) About 60 religious leaders are scheduled to meet Tuesday in the Bahai gardens in Haifa as part of the fourth biennial assembly of the World Council of Religious Leaders which is taking part in the northern port city. The theme of this year's assembly is "the future of religious leadership".

Speakers who have confirmed their appearance at the event include former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron and the current Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal.