DATE=8/26/1999
TYPE=EDITORIAL
TITLE=EDITORIAL:IRAN'S REPRESSION OF BAHA'IS
NUMBER=0-08424
CONTENT=
THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED
FOR BROADCAST 8/26/99.
Anncr: The Voice of America presents differing
points of view on a wide variety of issues. Next,
an editorial expressing the policies of the United
States Government:
Voice: A recent report documents twenty years of
unrelenting persecution of Iranian Baha'is by the
government of Iran. The report was released by
the non-governmental organization that represents
the Baha'i international community at the United
Nations Human Rights Commission. The U.S. has long
protested these abuses, which have been cited in
human rights reports issued by the State
Department.
Even before the Ayatollah Khomeini returned from
exile to take power in February 1979, Islamic
militants were inciting mob violence against the
Baha'is. The new Iranian regime quickly stripped
the country's more than three-hundred thousand
Baha'is of any legal protection. Officially
classified as "unprotected infidels," Baha'is have
been assaulted, robbed, and murdered with
impunity.
During the past twenty years, more than two-
hundred Baha'is have been executed by the Iranian
government because of their religious beliefs.
Among them was seventeen-year-old Mona
Mahmudnizhad, one of ten Baha'i women executed in
1983 for teaching Baha'i children about their
faith. The most recent victim, Ruhollah Rowhani, a
father of four, was executed in July 1998. Four
other Bah'is are currently in prison, under
sentence of death.
Thirteen Baha'is are believed to have been
tortured to death in Iran. Hundreds more have been
imprisoned and abused by their captors. Tens of
thousands of others have been deprived of their
jobs, businesses, pensions, and savings.
Soon after it came to power, the Islamic
government in Iran seized Baha'i community assets
with no compensation paid. Baha'i shrines were
systematically desecrated, including the House of
the Bab in Shiraz, one of the holiest sites in the
Baha'i religion. The house of Baha u'llah, in
Takur, where the founder of the Bahai faith spent
his youth, was demolished and the site offered for
sale.
Since 1985, the U-N General Assembly has approved
thirteen resolutions expressing concern for the
Baha'i community in Iran and calling on Tehran to
stop these egregious human rights violations.
Article Eighteen of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights states unequivocally that, "Everyone
has the right to manifest his religion or belief
in teaching, practice, worship and observance."
The U.S. calls on Iran's rulers to respect the
right to worship of all the people of Iran,
including Baha'is.
Anncr: That was an editorial expressing the
policies of the United States Government. If you
have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A,
Washington, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. You may also
comment at www-dot-voa-dot-gov-slash-editorials,
or fax us at (202) 619-1043.
25-Aug-1999 12:44 PM EDT (25-Aug-1999 1644 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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