For five years, seven Baha’i leaders (known as the Yaran) have been wrongly imprisoned in Iran.
Their 20-year sentences are the longest given to any current prisoners of conscience in Iran. Their harshness reflects the Government’s resolve to oppress completely the Iranian Baha’i community, which faces a systematic, “cradle-to-grave” persecution that is among the most serious examples of state-sponsored religious persecution in the world today.
Their story is similar to what is happening to the roughly 100 other Baha’is now in prison in Iran that have been incarcerated for simply exercising their internationally recognized human rights.
The Central Arkansas Baha’i community is participating in an international campaign to seek the immediate release of the seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders by holding a gathering at the Little Rock Baha’i Center on May 14th, 2013 at 7:00 PM, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the imprisonment of the leaders. We invite you to join us to learn about these courageous individuals and ways that you can urge the Iranian Government to live up to its international human rights obligations.
To learn more about the Yaran and the persecution of Baha’is in Iran, visit http://www.bic.org/fiveyears/.