Wikileaks has revealed government and diplomatic violations of the truth while paradoxically keeping their own sources secret. In the process, editor in chief and whistleblower Julian Assange has become a hero for human rights defenders. Sadly, the intense publicity surrounding Wikileaks diverts attention from serious injustice and continuing human rights violations, some already on the back burner and badly neglected. A good example is the state-sponsored persecution of Baha'is in Iran.
The 300,000-strong Baha'i community, the largest religious minority in Iran, represents less than 1% of the population. Over the past 30 years, they have suffered torture and execution. They have been denied tertiary education and government jobs, their shops and properties are often seized, cemeteries desecrated and children harassed at school. In addition, Bahai's are facing stepped-up persecution and have been falsely blamed for organizing and inciting anti-government protests although they abstain from partisan political activity on religious principles. Charges against them include espionage, "propaganda activities against the Islamic order" and "corruption on earth," the latter a capital offence. Baha'i communities around the world insist these charges are spurious and part of a campaign to scapegoat members of the faith.
During the Shah's era, Baha'is strove for education and became successful and prominent, creating envy and suspicion, and although police sometimes protected them against Islamic extremists, they were victims of periodic outbreaks of violence.
A major source of ideological friction with Islam is the doctrine of a hierarchy of traditions that subsumes previous ones. According to Baha'is, the Prophet Mohammad was not the last prophet but one in a progressive line, and the next one is not due for a thousand years!
Women's rights are central to Baha'i teaching and in stark contrast to the discriminatory sharia laws implemented by the Islamic Republic of Iran. These rights include full support for the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
There are numerous documented stories of violent arrests and incarcerations in the hundreds of prisons situated in basements of houses in Tehran.
Rozita Vasseghi is a Baha'i prisoner. In Kafkaesque fashion, a man claiming to be a 'postman' arrested her three years ago after a knock on the door, and during repeated interrogations while blindfolded, her captors threatened her with death. Throughout her ordeal, she was denied a lawyer. Following release from prison, she found a job but government authorities exerted pressure on her employers to have her fired. A few years later, she was arrested at her home, and for the next six months, found herself in solitary confinement. Her elderly mother, who was allowed visits of only five minutes, was horrified by her wasted appearance. Accused of insulting Islam, acting against national security and teaching the Baha'i religion, she is serving a five-year sentence.
Rozita's sister Rosa, suffered multiple incarcerations before escaping Iran. She was on her way home in a shared public taxi when the driver asked about her religion. Discovering she was a Baha'i, he stopped and made a phone call. A car with several people soon showed up, the women fully covered in chadors. Rosa was blindfolded and forced into the vehicle and when they reached their destination, she was thrown onto the pavement, her hands were tied and she was dragged down stairs to a room and beaten. Her captors repeatedly called her an infidel and declared her blood would be impure until she renounced her faith and converted to Islam. Over several years, she was repeatedly arrested and imprisoned.
As proponents of a religion originating from Islam, stamped by modernity, universal human rights and compatibility with many Western values, Baha'is are vulnerable targets for persecution by the Iranian theocracy. Baha'i women are doubly at risk, being female and Baha'i, and as victims of severe injustice, they deserve more outrage and support than Assange and Wikileaks.
Ida Lichter is the author of Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression, published by Prometheus Books, New York.
Follow Ida Lichter, M.D. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/IdaLichter
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Ida, this was quite an ignorant and unnecessary remark on your behalf. It's also your opinion and not a natural fact, which further renders it undeserving of a thinking person's regard.Readers deserve better.
Assange's documents speak of egregious mass human slaughter covered up by government and I think it's incredibly insensitive of you to cherrypick which people are worse victims of human rights injustices.
Well, this'll do - Charlie Rose had Larijani on his program 11/26 - and let him skate on their human rights record!? Difficult to believe!! Let's get on his case, and put some comments and emails to any Iranian TV station in the WEST - they'd have to sit up and take notice sometime.
For that, whether you agree with Bahai Faith teachings or not is irrelevant. Any persecution against them is wrong and cannot be tolerated for any reason. If Iran claims to follow the Qur'an, then they should read 2:256 which clearly says "There is no compulsion in religion."
And for the record, I am not a Bahai. In fact, I believe Bahaullah was a false claimant to Divine guidance and that the Bahai faith is a false religion. However, difference in belief is a dogma issue while their persecution is a human rights issue. And on the human rights level, there can be no tolerance of persecuting Bahais for their faith.
Sounds good to me!
this bahai religion has all men at the top running this religion.
religion is about the male ego. the more fundamental the religion the more the male ego is screaming for attention and control of their women. ie cave man thing. :-)
if this religion like all religions really was concerned about womens rights they would have half of their 12 leaders be women.
like most religions they let the women do the day to day work while the men make the decisions at the leadership level.
the idea that their prophet is the last prophet for 10000 years is a religious statement not the reality of spiritual discernment but then most religions are not interested in spiritual discernment.
I am not a Baha'i but would like to let u know certain things that are incorrect into your comment.
Yes this is a fact that Baha'is do not allow membership to women in the top most administrative body that is ruling world baha'is from Haifa. This body does not comprise of 12 persons but 9 persons and all male and are considered to be collectively infallible and "manifestation of god" for today.
"You said women for day to day work". That is also incorrect. Women are actively taking part in the religious activities. In fact when you observe them closely the most active members are women. This religion / cult is served by women by their body and soul and is ruled by men in Haifa. In Iran women are doing 'good work'.
Baha'is say they do not know the reason why their god / manifestation / prophet did not allowed membership to women. This is unknown to them and may be we can know the reason when new manifestation appears.
Your Idea about their god / manifestation / prophet to be the last one is again incorrect. They did not consider Baha'o'la to be the last manifestation. They believe that more manifestations will come after Baha'o'la.
The time frame of 1000 years was said by Baha'o'la that after this time a new manifestation will come. But Abdol Baha says that one year of this 1000 years comprise of 5000 years. so the new manifestation will appear
QT
Many just don't know their own scriptures. Baha'u'llah was going to allow women to serve at the highest administration level alongside men, but most of his Persian male supporters freaked out at such a thing, as it was a cultural taboo for them.
This just proves the fallibility of Baha'u'llah, as he did not want to risk the bureaucracy that would become the Baha'i faith over what his scriptures actually taught. Baha'is will just cover this fact up with the fact that "perhaps humanity was not ready for women to lead". Yet humanity had already shown several capable female leaders by this time.
That is not equality between men and women. This is just propagation of cultural Persian egotism.
And we must also condemn the persecution of orthodox Baha'is & BUPC Baha'is by the mainstream Haifan Baha'is. These two baha'is are the most persecuted baha'is in the world. There is a fight of Haifan Baha'is and other Baha'is going on in Chicago Federal Court for the use of Baha'i symbols by the Orthodox Baha'is and BUPC Baha'is. Complete story can be read here :
http://www.heraldonline.com/2010/11/25/2642982/orthodox-believers-can-keep-calling.html
The court gave its verdict favoring the Orthodox Bahais and BUPC bahais. Please support their cause. And we humbly request the Haifan Baha'is to please stop persecuting these innocent non-haifanated Baha'is.
The Haifan Baha'i is a term used by Other Baha'i sects to call those Baha'is who believe in the UHJ of Haifa (Israel).
There is one more UHJ in the United States (see www.uhj.net) that is headed by a guardian as per the commands of Baha'u'llah, Abdul Baha and Shoghi Effendi.
There are Orthodox Baha'is in United States, Canada, Mexico, Iran, Australia, India, Indonesia and Africa.
If we read the Baha'i writings presented by UHJ of America and Orthodox Baha'is we come to understand that in actuality the Haifan Baha'is are the Covenant Breakers.
The open letter to the head of Iran's judiciary further states, "“We...request that the Baha'is in that country be granted their full rights of citizenship, in order that they may be able to fulfill their heartfelt aspiration to contribute, alongside their fellow citizens, to the advancement of their nation."
"This, indeed, is no more than what you rightfully ask for Muslim minorities who reside in other lands. Baha'is merely seek the same treatment from you . . ." the letter further states, “Respecting the rights of Iranian Baha'is now would signal a willingness to respect the rights of all the citizens of your county."
The worldwide Baha'i community is holding prayer meetings this week in support of imprisoned Iranian Baha'is. Please offer your support by praying with us.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/the-great-islamophobic-cr_b_799277.html
Baha'i Activist Says Faithful In Iran Live In 'Constant Fear Of Losing Everything,' Including Their Lives
http://www.rferl.org/content/Bahai_faith_iran_persecution/1977789.html
Maybe your friend does well being not religious, but what about Baha'i who want are?
Here it is possible to read a summary of such news propaganda: http://www.bahai.org/persecution/iran/mediaattacks
As for the highest ruling authority of the Bahá'à Faith. It is actually true that women do not serve in that institution. Whether or not people agree with this does not justify the persecution of Bahá'Ãs in Iran or anywhere else. For those interested to know women participate equally in every other sphere of Bahá'à administration and often outnumber the men. For information about this institution see:
http://info.bahai.org/uhj.html
and
http://info.bahai.org/universal-house-of-justice.html