Baha’i World News Service
Roya Kamalabadi of Melbourne and Amin Tavakoli of Adelaide face more days of anxiety this week.
Mrs Kamalabadi, a mature-age pharmacy student, is waiting to learn the fate of her sister, Fariba, who will face trial in Branch 28 of Iran’s Revolutionary Court in Tehran this Saturday, 12 June.
“My sister, Fariba is an angel, who has dedicated her entire life to the education and service of her fellow countrymen — her only crime is serving humanity and promoting love, unity, and fellowship among friends and foe,” Mrs Kamalabadi said recently.
Mr Tavakoli, a businessman, is in a similar position to Roya Kamalabadi. His brother, Behrouz, will appear in court alongside Fariba Kamalabadi and five other long-imprisoned, innocent Baha’i leaders.
“If I could have one wish, it would be to see him one more time,” Mr Tavakoli said.
“I would hug him and put my ear to his chest and listen to the melody of his heart, a heart that plays the melody of love – love of God, love of humanity,” he said.
Two of the other imprisoned Baha’i leaders also have relatives in Australia.
For more than two years the seven have been incarcerated in appalling conditions in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.
Accusations
At the first three sessions of the trial on 12 January, 7 February and 12 April this year, no evidence was presented to support grave charges of espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, acting against the security of the country, and “spreading corruption on earth”.
The court date this week coincides with the anniversary of last year’s controversial presidential election, as well as a global day of action aimed at calling attention to human rights abuses in Iran.
Australian Baha’i Community spokesperson Tessa Scrine said: “At the very least, the seven should be released on bail pending a prompt, fair and open trial that upholds international legal standards.”
“Iran should know that its actions against these seven innocent people are being watched by the rest of the world” she said.
Australia speaks out
Australian diplomats recently spoke out at the United Nations, the latest of the repeated official expressions of concern for the seven leaders by Australian Government representatives over the past two years.
Resolutions of the Australian Federal Parliament and State Parliaments have called for their immediate release as have individual MPs from both major parties.
The seven defendants are Mrs Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr Saeid Rezaie, Mrs Mahvash Sabet, Mr Behrouz Tavakkoli, Mr Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr Afif Naeimi, and Mr Vahid Tizfahm.