URGENT APPEAL REQUESTED re. the Arrest of the Baha'i leaders in Iran:

The facts as known currently:
Six leaders of a group managing the Baha'i community's religious and administrative affairs in Iran were arrested at their homes by officers from the Ministry of Intelligence on 14 May and are now detained in Evin Prison in Tehran. A seventh person, acting secretary for the group, Mahvash Sabet, has been in detention since 5 March. They may all be prisoners of conscience, detained solely because of their religious beliefs or their peaceful activities on behalf of the Baha'i community.

The six Baha'i leaders, Fariba Kamalabadi Taefi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Behrouz Tavakkoli and Vahid Tizfahm, were arrested following raids on their homes by officers from the Ministry of Intelligence in the early hours of 14 May, 2008. Their homes were extensively searched for about five hours.

Fariba Kamalabadi Taefi, Behrouz Tavakkoli and Jamaloddin Khanjani have previously been arrested for their activities on behalf of the Baha'i community. Fariba Kamalabadi Taefi and Behrouz Tavakkoli were arrested in Mashhad in Khorasan Province, north-eastern Iran, on 26 July 2005 after they arrived at the city's bus station from Tehran in order to meet some other Baha'is and discuss community affairs. Fariba Kamalabadi Taefi, who was released on bail on 19 September 2005, is a member of a coordinating group that supervises course work for Baha'is in Iran who wish to study their religion. She had previously been arrested on 25 May 2005 and released on bail on 28 June. Behrouz Tavakkoli was released on bail on 15 November 2005.

Mahvash Sabet, who lives in Tehran, was summoned to Mashhad by the Ministry of Intelligence as part of its investigation into the burial of an individual in the city's Baha'i cemetery. She was arrested on 5 March and later transferred to Evin Prison, where she remains.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send your appeal to the Iranian authorities listed below as soon as possible in English, Arabic or Persian languages:

- asking why the seven individuals (please name them) have been detained by the Ministry of Intelligence;

- stating that Amnesty International would consider them to be prisoners of conscience if they are detained because of their Baha'i faith or their peaceful activities managing the religious or administrative affairs of the Baha'i community in Iran;

- calling for their release if they are not to be charged with a recognizably criminal offense and brought to trial promptly and fairly;

- calling on the authorities not to torture or ill-treat them;

- urging the authorities to ensure that they are given immediate and regular access to their relatives and lawyers of their choice.

Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader, Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Intelligence
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Intelligence, Second Negarestan Street, Pasdaran Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency

Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 6 649 5880
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir, via website: http://www.president.ir/email/

Director, Human Rights Headquarters of Iran
His Excellency Mohammad Javad Larijani
c/o Office of the Deputy for International Affairs
Ministry of Justice,
Ministry of Justice Building, Panzdah-Khordad (Ark) Square,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 5 537 8827 (please keep trying)

TLC,

You are invited to visit the Bahai Gardens in Haifa Israel and pray at the shrine there. Unfortunately for your cause the Bahai's you mentioned were arrested in Iran while on the other hand they could have freely fulfilled their religious obligations in Israel. Had they been arrested in Israel and allowed to be free in Iran, you would get a lot more response from those supposedly concerned about  human rights on this "Middle East News and Politics" forum. 

Suggestion -- perhaps you could say that they were arrested by Zionist double agents in Iran, just to make Ahmadinijad look bad.

Habesor

Well, it is true that the Baha'i have a safe and peaceful haven in Haifa, w'gal. Been there, experienced it...

Got news for ya -- Iran DOES routinely violate not only the human rights of Baha'i, but also those of other non-Shiites, trade unionists, women, rock-and-rollers, etc., but because this is IRAN doing it the apologists try to ignore the abuses.

Where's those "non-biased" outfits like AI and HRW when you really need 'em...?

200 eh?

How many reports when compared to Israel?

BTW I don't "hate" anybody, newyawka, although I disagree with many liberal positions - such as apologizing for Mulsim extremists or dictatorial theocracies like Iran.  Nice of you to assume that tho...