Bahai follower dies mysteriously
(AKI) - A follower of the Bahai faith, Zabiollah Mehrami was killed in December while in jail in the Yazd prison in central Iran and the circumstances behind his death are unclear. "Mehrami was 59 years old and was arrested in 1995 having been accused of heresy and condemned to death," said the spokesperson of the Bahai community, Dayan Alaii in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI). The Bahai religion is vigorously opposed by the Iranian regime as well as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
"I would like to stress that Mehrami is not the first Bahai killed in Iran since the Islamic revolution," said Alaii. "In the last 26 years, more than 200 Bahai have been hung, killed while being tortured or assasinated on the street," the spokesman said.
The Iranian constitution does not recognise the Bahai as having the status of a minority religion and according to the law, those that profess the faith and are members of the Bahai community are punishable by death. Bahais who do not renounce their faith are denied access to university and jobs in any public professions.
"When I porfessed my membership of the Bahai faith, the ministry of Islamic culture and guidance forced me to leave my job as an actress with state television," said Shabnam Toloui, a young actress who has starred in a successful Iranian television series.
"Following this decision, about a year ago I was forced to leave Tehran and find refuge in Paris," said Shabnam. "When I was younger, my biggest worry was that my classmates and teachers would find out about my belief in the Bahai faith," the Iranian actress said.
In Iran and Saudi Arabia, members of the Bahai community who refuses to renounce their faith, face the seizure of their property and jail sentences under harsh, often life-threatening prison conditions.
"If in the last few years under the presidency of Mohammad Khatami, the Bahai could survive in some way. in the last three months with the election of [president] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, they find themselves once again the target of radical Islam," Shabnam Toloui said.
According to the Bahai International Community, as of October, Mehrami was one of nine Bahais being held in Iranian prisons. He was arrested in 1995 while all of the others had been arrested in 2005.
The Bahai faith is one of the youngest of the world's major religions. It was founded by Bahaullah in Iran in the 19th century. The central idea of the faith is that of unity, and Bahais seek to remove barriers of race, gender, and belief. There are 6 million Bahais in the world, in 235 countries.
The U.S. Baha'i community has launched a new official website for the general public, www.bahai.us. The site offers news, information and inspiring stories on the Baha'i Faith in the United States, as well as resources for those who share the Baha'i commitment to human rights, religious freedom, the advancement of women, moral education and sustainable development. The site replaces www.us.bahai.org.
"I would like to stress that Mehrami is not the first Bahai killed in Iran since the Islamic revolution," said Alaii. "In the last 26 years, more than 200 Bahai have been hung, killed while being tortured or assasinated on the street," the spokesman said.
The Iranian constitution does not recognise the Bahai as having the status of a minority religion and according to the law, those that profess the faith and are members of the Bahai community are punishable by death. Bahais who do not renounce their faith are denied access to university and jobs in any public professions.
"When I porfessed my membership of the Bahai faith, the ministry of Islamic culture and guidance forced me to leave my job as an actress with state television," said Shabnam Toloui, a young actress who has starred in a successful Iranian television series.
"Following this decision, about a year ago I was forced to leave Tehran and find refuge in Paris," said Shabnam. "When I was younger, my biggest worry was that my classmates and teachers would find out about my belief in the Bahai faith," the Iranian actress said.
In Iran and Saudi Arabia, members of the Bahai community who refuses to renounce their faith, face the seizure of their property and jail sentences under harsh, often life-threatening prison conditions.
"If in the last few years under the presidency of Mohammad Khatami, the Bahai could survive in some way. in the last three months with the election of [president] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, they find themselves once again the target of radical Islam," Shabnam Toloui said.
According to the Bahai International Community, as of October, Mehrami was one of nine Bahais being held in Iranian prisons. He was arrested in 1995 while all of the others had been arrested in 2005.
The Bahai faith is one of the youngest of the world's major religions. It was founded by Bahaullah in Iran in the 19th century. The central idea of the faith is that of unity, and Bahais seek to remove barriers of race, gender, and belief. There are 6 million Bahais in the world, in 235 countries.
The U.S. Baha'i community has launched a new official website for the general public, www.bahai.us. The site offers news, information and inspiring stories on the Baha'i Faith in the United States, as well as resources for those who share the Baha'i commitment to human rights, religious freedom, the advancement of women, moral education and sustainable development. The site replaces www.us.bahai.org.
posted by Marko at 1/11/2006 02:45:00 AM
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