Human Rights Meeting Held In Tehran

Iran Press Watch reports that human rights activists in Iran met to discuss freedom of ideas and the rights of religious minorities in the Islamic Republic. The meeting was held at the premises of the “Organization of Iran’s Graduates” in Tehran. This meeting took place in the context of the recent legalization of the death penalty for apostates from Islam and ongoing religious oppression in Iran. The main speaker was Dr. Hashem Aghajari, a muslim scholar and professor of history at the “Tarbyat-e Moddaress” (teacher training college). Dr Aghajari said that the main purpose of the meeting was to “promote a progressive and compassionate view of Divine religions based on peaceful co-existence among all people”.  I am impressed by the courage of Dr. Aghajari who was also reported as referring to the views of Ayatollah Montazeri about the civil rights of the Baha’i community in Iran. Dr. Aghajari is quoted as saying “Here we are talking about the land. Citizenry rights are not just civil rights. This means that Iran is a land that belongs to all the people of Iran. These people own the land and rule the land therefore each and everyone is a citizen of this land.”

Persecution Of Baha’is In Iran Intensifies

I have learned from my friend Barnabas Quotidianus that a petition has just been signed in Friday prayers in Tehran calling for the Bahá’í administration in Iran to be disbanded. Due to current restrictions the Bahá’í administration in Iran is of a purely ad hoc nature, dealing with community affairs; for example arranging devotional meetings, burial, marriage, children’s classes and so forth. In my view Friday’s petition can be seen as de facto demand for the destruction of Bahá’í community life in Iran, or at the very least a further severe restriction of any communal activity. This is part of an ongoing disinformation campaign to present the Bahá’í administration as a sinister spy network- which would be laughable if it wasn’t so dangerous.