Friday, February 1, 2008

Iran steps up persecution of Bahai faith: judge sentences Bahais to prison for 'propaganda'

Iran’s judiciary has sentenced 54 members of the Bahai faith for "propaganda." Three of the Bahais got 4 years prison, and, 51 members got suspended sentences with mandated state-run propaganda classes. The Bahai faith is not officially recognized by Iran.

There are 300,000 members of the Bahai faith in Iran, making Bahai the country’s largest minority religion. Persecution of the Bahais in reached a peak in the 1980's, before declining. But there is evidence the current government is making an extra effort to repress Bahais. Last September, a Bahai cemetery in Najafabad, Iran was bulldozed. During 2007, the government expelled hundreds of Bahai students from universitites. Is this "cultural cleansing"? Probably the best information on Iran's persecution of the Bahai faith is this article from the Weekly Standard.