For
five years, seven Baha'i leaders have been wrongly imprisoned in Iran.
Mrs Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr Afif
Naeimi, Mr Saeid Rezaie, Mrs Mahvash Sabet, Mr Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr Vahid
Tizfahm’s 20-year sentences are the longest given to any current prisoners of
conscience in Iran. Their harshness reflects the Government’s resolve to
oppress completely the Iranian Baha'i community, which faces a systematic,
“cradle-to-grave” persecution that is among the most serious examples of
state-sponsored religious persecution in the world today.
Baha'i
communities around the world have launched a campaign calling for their
immediate release – and the release of all innocent prisoners of conscience in
Iranian prisons.
I was honoured to attend a National Human Rights Forum
calling for the immediate release of the seven leaders, which was hosted on
Tuesday 7 May at NSW Parliament House, Sydney Australia. The Forum had
representatives of the major religions in Australia who offered their prayers
and blessings for the 7 Baha'i Leaders and each solemnly placed a seven red
rose on a seven empty chairs representing each of the imprisoned
Baha'i Leaders. Four Australian family members of the seven imprison
Baha'is were also present at this forum, each of which spoke of their loved ones
and shared with the audience their stories of the imprisoned, both before and
after their incarceration.
The
below photos were taken at today’s forum. Please show your support and increase
the international pressure on the Iranian Government to immediately release
these seven wrongfully imprisoned members of the 300,000 strong Baha’i
Community in Iran. My thoughts and prayers are deeply
focused on these 7 imprisoned Baha'i Leaders and all victims of Religious
persecution within Iran and across the world.
Alláh'u'Abhá
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