Local Baha’i communities across Canada will gather on Sunday 7 February to elect regional delegate(s) to attend the annual Baha’i National Convention in Toronto, in April. While an annual event, this year’s election coincides with a more ominous occasion, the second session of the trial in Iran of Baha’is on charges of “propaganda activities against the Islamic order”, the establishment of an “illegal administration”, cooperation with Israel, sending secret documents outside the country, acting against the security of the country, and “corruption on earth”. Baha’i communities throughout the world have grave concern about the fate of their fellow believers in Iran, and will be offering prayers on Sunday for the protection of the entire Baha’i community of Iran.
The charges against the Baha’is have been denounced by governments and human rights organizations around the world. The Baha’i community, Iran’s largest religious minority, has been systematically persecuted since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, but these persecutions have intensified in recent months. The proceedings against the seven leaders of the Baha’i community represent an effort to put on trial an entire religious community simply because they hold different religious beliefs than those in power.
The concern of local Baha’is has been further deepened by the arrest earlier in the month of ten Baha’is in Tehran following the recent demonstrations in Iran. Since the ten were arrested, their families have had no contact with them. Iranian authorities have clearly fabricated allegations accusing them of participating in the organization of the demonstrations, and have suggested they possessed arms to be used against the government. Human rights organizations and observers around the world have denounced the ludicrous nature of these charges designed, it would appear, to further scapegoat the Baha’is.
Canada’s Baha’is are hoping that international pressure will continue to make it clear to the Iranian government that they will be held accountable for their unjust actions. Canada’s media and government efforts to contribute to this international outcry have included a unanimous resolution of the Canadian Parliament a year ago, several strong statements by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and leadership by Canadian diplomats at the United Nations this past fall in tabling a resolution that received majority approval from U.N. member-states and which strongly condemned Iran for its human rights record.