Australian Baha’is are extremely concerned for the safety of seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders who are set to face trial in Iran on Tuesday 12 January, a spokesperson, Natalie Mobini, said today.
“Baha’is are being falsely blamed for the recent unrest in Iran and we fear these claims may be introduced at the trial,” Dr Mobini said.
The semi-official Fars News Agency reported last week that an “expert” in political affairs said: “Bahaism under the leadership of Zionism is behind the latest crisis and unrest.” Similar claims have appeared in other State-sponsored media.
Baha’is in Iran are being scapegoated for events in which they have not been involved, Dr Mobini said.
“We expect their trial to be a show trial with the outcome already decided,” she said.
“We are asking that the international community tell Iran that the trial should follow internationally-recognised principles of due process and be held in public.
“We are grateful to the Australian Government and to the Federal and State parliaments for their statements and resolutions calling for the release of the seven Baha’is and for an end to the persecution of the Iranian Baha’i community, which is the country’s biggest religious minority.”
Relatives in Australia
Dr Mobini said three of the accused have close relatives who are members of the Australian Baha’i community and who are understandably extremely anxious about the fate of their loved ones.
“There are Baha’is living in all parts of Australia and we are all watching developments with great concern,” she said.
The seven leaders have been imprisoned with very limited access to lawyers or family since March and May 2008.
Trial dates were previously announced for July, August, and October 2009 but were postponed each time. In December, lawyers were notified that 12 January had been set as a new date.
False
Official Iranian news accounts have said the seven leaders are to be accused of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic republic”.
“All these charges are utterly baseless,” said Dr Mobini. “Baha’is are known for being law-abiding and non-political,” she said.
“In a further ominous development, 13 more Baha’is were rounded up and arrested last Sunday in Iran, including relatives of two of the imprisoned leaders,” Dr Mobini said.
“There are now 48 Baha’is in jail, and many more have been subjected to raids on their homes, confiscation of their property and revolving-door arrests.”
For more information, visit the Baha’i World News Service.