Bahai Library Online

Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 2018, descending sort earliest first

date event tags firsts
2018 20 Dec
201-
The last imprisoned member of the former leadership body of the Bahá'í community in Iran was released from prison after serving a 10-year prison sentence. He was arrested on 14 May 2008 and charged with, among other false claims, espionage, propaganda against Iran, and the establishment of an illegal administration. Mr. Naeimi and the other six former members of the Yaran faced those charges more than a year after their arrest in a sham trial without any semblance of legal process. Authorities sentenced Mr. Naeimi and the other former members of the Yaran to 10 years in prison. While detained, Mr. Naeimi experienced severe health problems, often receiving inadequate treatment. Authorities made a cruel determination that the brief time Mr. Naeimi, a father of two from Tehran, spent in a hospital recovering would not be counted as part of his sentence. [BWNS1302] Yaran; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Human rights; - Persecution; Human rights; Tehran, Iran; Iran
2018 Dec
201-
During a dialogue with the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination as it considered a report on measures taken to implement the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination the Iraqi Deputy Justice Minister, Hussein al-Zuhairi, said Bahaism is not a religion or faith. He further expressed the Iraqi government's commitment to legislation prohibiting the Bahá'í religion in 1970 and added that there was no religion above Islam since the Iraqi Constitution set the tenets of Islam as a source of law. He said that as Iraqi society was Muslim, it was not possible to ignore the tenets of Islam in legislation.
  • Zuhairi's statement angered representatives of civil society and the delegations of organizations that presented parallel reports to the government's report in which they outlined the Iraqi government's and the Kurdistan Regional Government's violations of the rights of minorities. His statements raised concerns for the Bahá'ís and indicated that the Iraqi government cannot solve the conflict between respecting human rights called for in its constitution and the Islamic principles that are a key source of legislation. [Al-Monitor 11 December, 2018]
  • Iran
    2018 19 - 22 Nov
    201-
    The second annual Arab Sustainable Development Week was held in Cairo from 19 to 22 November to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the year 2030. More than 120 diplomats, government officials, representatives of regional and international organizations, businesses, and academics attended the event. Speakers included Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit and Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, among a number of other leaders in the Arab region.
    It was the first time the Bahá'í community had an official presence at a space convened by the Arab League, a regional organization of about 20 nations in North Africa and the Middle East. Bahá'í International Community representatives were Dr. Solomon Belay, from the BIC Addis Ababa office, Shahnaz Jaberi from BIC-Bahrain and Hatem El-Hady from BIC-Egypt. The BIC statement, Summoning Our Common Will: A Baha'i Contribution to the United Nations Global Development Agenda, was distributed at the event. [BWNS1299]
    Solomon Belay; Shahnaz Jaberi; Hatem El-Hady; Bahá'í International Community; Arab League; Sustainable development; Ahmed Aboul-Gheit; Mostafa Madbouly; - BIC statements; Cairo, Egypt; Egypt first time the BIC had an official presence at a meeting convened by the Arab League.
    2018 15 Nov
    201-
    The passing of Shapoor Monadjem, (b. 3 October, 1933, Shiraz, Iran) at his last pioneer post in Maringá, Brazil. He had been a member of the International Teaching Center, a pioneer and member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Brazil (1963-1983), a Continental Councillor (1983-1993) as well as a Deputy Trustee of Ḥuqúqu'lláh. [BWNS1296; Bahaipedia] Shapoor Monadjem; International Teaching Centre; Counsellors; - In Memoriam; Maringá, Brazil; Brazil
    2018 9 Nov
    201-
    The Universal House of Justice announced that the Office of Social and Economic Development would be succeeded by the Bahá'í International Development Organization with a five-member board of directors to serve a five year term of service with appointment to be made on the Day of the Covenant.
  • In addition a new fund, the Bahá'í Development Fund, was inaugurated which will be supported by the Universal House of Justice, individuals and institutions. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 9 November, 2018]
  • Three days later the Universal House of Justice announced the appointment of the members of the Board of Directors for the Bahá'í International Development Organization for the five-year term beginning 26 November 2018: Elisa Caney, Maame Brodwemaba Nketsiah, Lori McLaughlin Noguchi, Sina Rahmanian, and George Soraya.
  • See also BWNS1308.
  • Social and economic development; Social action; Bahá'í International Development Organization; Funds; Bahá'í Development Fund; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre; Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED)
    2018 1 - 7 Nov
    201-
    More than 7,500 people attended the Parliament of the World's Religions held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This forum began in 1893 at the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago as an effort to promote an emerging international movement devoted to promoting dialogue among religions. Since that time, it has been held in Cape Town (1999), Barcelona (2004), Melbourne (2009) and Salt Lake City (2015). [Website] Bahá'í presenters were:
    • Bani Dugal: "The Equality of Women and Men: Divine Imperative for an Age of Transition."
    • Hugh Locke: "Half the Sky, Half the Land: The Role of Women Farmers in Transforming Agriculture,"
    • Payam Akhavan: "Equality and Justice, Global Perspectives" and "Countering War, Hate, and Violence Assembly."
    • Emily Wright: "Making Interreligious Chaplaincy Education Meaningfully Inclusive" and "A New Cup of Grace—A Ukulele Opera
    • Hooshmand Badee: "Interfaith Peacemaking Perspectives from Across the World."
    • Nader Saiedi: Presenting the new documentary film The Gate: Dawn of the Bahá'í Faith.
    • Paul Hanley: "Man of the Trees: Richard St. Barbe Baker, the First Global Environmentalist."
    • JoAnn Borovicka: "Amazing Faiths! An Interactive Workshop on Interfaith Dialogue."
    • Robert Atkinson: "New Thoughts in Interfaith Spirituality."
    • Robert Stockman: "The Characteristics of Bahá'í Interfaith Dialogue."
    • Candace Hill: "From Shiraz to Chicago: Bahá'í Women of the East and the West"
    • Edward Price: "The Divine Curriculum: Understanding the Báb, Divine Educator for the Modern Era."
    • Sovaida Maani Ewing: "Achieving World Peace: Bahá'í and Catholic Teachings."
    • Jean Muza: "Bahá'í Civic Engagement: How to Maneuver in America's Divisive Political Landscape."
    • Robert Atkinson: "The Golden Rule as the Basis for a Global Justice System: An Interfaith Perspective with a Call to Action."
    • Edward Price: "The Divine Curriculum Concept as a Framework for Interfaith Inclusion and Love." [CBN-Preparation; CBN-Inclusion; CBN-Films]

    During the conference the Hindu Swami Agnivesh said that instead of spending trillions of dollars on the war system, the peoples of the world need to unite and create a world parliament based on an Earth Constitution. He said that "without a world government, we cannot solve our major world problems." [History News Network 13 Feb 2022]

    Parliament of the World's Religions; Toronto, ON; Canada
    2018 24 Oct
    201-
    The body of a Bahá'í citizen, Shamsi Aghdasi Azamian, from Gilavand, a suburb of the city of Damavand was exhumed by unknown individuals several days after being buried in the Gilavand Bahá'í Cemetery and abandoned in the deserts of Jaban in the suburbs of that city. No individual or institution has accepted responsibility for this action, although security forces had told the Gilavand Bahá'ís earlier that they had no right to bury their deceased member in this place, and that they should perform burials only in Tehran. Her son refused to move the body but found that it had been taken to Tehran which is a distance of some two hours away. [Iran Press Watch 19720]
  • Subsequently, a group of progressive Muslims strongly condemned the "desecration and excavation of the grave of a Bahá'í compatriot." In their statement the "systematic and deeply rooted denial of Bahá'í citizens' rights" was denounced, and the violation of their citizenship rights was called a "hateful" act, "born of ignorant prejudice." The signatories of the statement called for an open investigation and prosecution of perpetrators and facilitators. The message can be seen at Iran Press Watch19731.
  • Shamsi Aghdasi Azamian; - Persecution, denial of burial; Damavand, Iran; Iran
    2018 11 Oct
    201-
    Abdullah Al Olofi, member of the Bahá'í community in Yemen, was on his way to the market in Sana'a when suddenly he was surrounded by armed soldiers in a pick-up truck. He was blindfolded and taken away. [Counterpunch 9 November, 2018] `Abdu'lláh Al Olofi; Persecution, Yemen; Sanaa, Yemen; Yemen
    2018 Oct
    201-
    The announcement of the translation and publication of the Kitab-i-Aqdas into the Philippines' second most widely spoken language, Cebuano. (Translation into Tagalog was completed in 2003.) This translation was done by Dr Gil Tabucanon and was completed after ten years of effort. Publication was done by the Philippines Baha'i Publishing Trust.
  • Among the languages into which the Kitab-i-Aqdas had been translated, in addition to English, were Albanian, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Marathi, Norwegian, Oriya, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, and Vietnamese. [BWNS1294; BWNS646]
  • * Translation; Cebuano language; Tagalog language; Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book); Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Manila, Philippines; Solano, Nueva Vizcaya; Philippines first translation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas into Cebuano
    2018 Oct
    201-
    The publication of Man of the Trees: Richard St. Barbe Baker, the First Global Conservationist. by Paul Hanley. It was published by the University of Regina Press.
      Richard St. Barbe Baker was an inspirational visionary and pioneering environmentalist who is credited with saving and planting billions of trees. He saved lives, too, through his ceaseless global campaign to raise the alarm about deforestation and desertification and by finding effective, culturally sensitive ways for people to contribute to a more peaceful and greener world. He was also an Edwardian eccentric whose obsession with trees caused him to neglect his family; the devout son of an evangelical preacher who became a New Age hero; an unapologetic colonial officer fired for defending indigenous Africans; a forester who rarely had a steady income; a failed entrepreneur and inventor; a proud soldier and peace activist; a brilliant writer, speaker, and raconteur who made wild claims about the effectiveness of his conservation efforts. His encounters with historical figures like FDR, Nehru, and George Bernard Shaw are eye-popping, as were his accomplishments.
  • See BWNS1292.
  • See 9 June 1982.
  • See Paul's presentation on the Wilmette Institute site.
  • Richard St. Barbe Baker; Man of the Trees; Paul Hanley; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Regina, SK; Saskatchewan, Canada; Canada
    2018 29 Sep
    201-
    In the second court hearing presided over by judge Abdu Ismail Hassan Rajeh, three additional Bahá'ís were sentenced to death. Five of the indicted Bahá'ís were in attendance at the court where the judge requested the prosecutor to publish the names of 19 others indicted in a newspaper, further endangering the lives of the Yemeni Bahá'í community. The judge also ordered that all of the properties belonging to the Bahá'ís indicted be frozen until the court verdict was issued. He furthermore objected to a request by the lawyer for the five to be released on bail and deferred any such decision to the next hearing to be held in a month and ten days.
  • The actions undertaken by the Houthis were condemned in two recent United Nations resolutions, one of which called for the immediate release of all Bahá'ís detained in Yemen due to their religious beliefs and to cease any harassment they are subjected to. [Iran Press Watch 4 October, 2018]
  • United Nations; Persecution, Yemen; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; Sanaa, Yemen; Yemen
    2018 21 Sep
    201-
    The Bahá'í World Centre announced the release of three short films that highlighted aspects of the community building endeavours of Bahá'ís and like-minded friends around the world. Totaling about 32 minutes, the new films covered three themes: nurturing younger generations, exploring the empowerment of junior youth, and communities learning to advance together. The films complement the recently produced documentary film A Widening Embrace released in April. [BWNS1286]

    The films can be downloaded using the link below:
    Nurturing younger generations
    Exploring the empowerment of junior youth
    Communities learning to advance together

    Widening Embrace, A (film); - Institute process; Childrens classes; Youth empowerment program; Ruhi Institute; - Film; - Documentaries; - Documentaries, BWC; - Bahá'í World Centre
    2018 15 Sep
    201-
    Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi authorities held a court hearing that targeted some 20 or 24 Bahá'ís, most in absentia, with a string of baseless charges which included espionage and apostasy. The charges were primarily made against individuals who held administrative roles in the Bahá'í community but extended to other Yemeni Bahá'ís including a teenage girl. In a subsequent hearing on September 29, the judge asked the prosecutor to publish the names of the accused in a newspaper and ordered their properties frozen. The judge in the case was Abdu Ismail Hassan Rajeh, the same judge who presided over Mr. Haydara's in January of 2018.
  • Subsequently the governments of Australia, Canada, and Germany issued a joint statement calling for the immediate release of all Bahá'í prisoners. [Global Affairs Canada Joint Statement on the Bahá'ís in Yemen; BWNS1285]
  • Persecution, Yemen; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution, Court cases; Court cases; Human rights; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Sanaa, Yemen; Yemen
    2018 9 Sep
    201-
    Ētahi Karakia Bahá'í (Book of Bahá'í Prayers) was launched at the Pūrekireki Marae in Pirongia to coincide with the beginning of Māori Language Week. For Dr. Tom Roa, professor of Maori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Waikato, it was the fourth significant translation of canonical Bahá'í texts he and his team have undertaken. This endeavour came amid broader efforts to revive the Maori language. Dr. Roa, who has been at the forefront of these efforts, said that Maori speakers were a declining share of New Zealand's population. Maori people made up only 15 percent of the population, and only a fifth of them can have a conversation in Maori, he noted.
  • Providing access to prayers in Maori was a key motivation for the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New Zealand when it undertook the process in 2004. A small team of Bahá'ís worked with Dr. Roa, who had translated other spiritual texts into the Maori language, including the Bible and the Quran. The 14-year translation project began first with The Hidden Words, Bahá'u'lláh's preeminent ethical work, and then Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, an introduction to the Faith.
  • Bahá'í writings have been translated into some 800 languages to this date. [BWNS1287; Raglan23 18SEP2018]
  • Prayer; Maoris; * Translation; * Publications; Pirongia, New Zealand; New Zealand
    2018 6 Sep
    201-
    The passing of Lily Ayman (b. 17 May 1929 in Tehran) in Chicago. She was buried in the Oakwood cemetery near the resting place of Hand of the Cause Corrine True. She was a prominent Iranian educationalist who later became a Bahá'í in 1975 and left Iran with her family after the Revolution and finally settled in the USA where she become actively involved in various Bahá'í educational projects. See her "In Memoriam" published in Lights of Irfan, 20, 2019 p. 264-269.

    She was considered the "Mother of Persian Textbooks" [Iran Wire 10 April 2013]

  • Listen to the audio story The threat of being executed seven times and other stories on the Northwestern University website.
  • - In Memoriam; Lily Ayman; Tehran, Iran; Iran; Chicago, IL; United States (USA)
    2018 31 Aug
    201-
    To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival in the Holy Land the Bahá'í World News Service published a series of podcasts. Akka, Israel
    2018 summer
    201-
    Starting with the summer of 2018, Romania hosted the Seminars of the Institute for Global Prosperity Studies for Eastern European students. Young people from the following countries participated: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary. [Romanian Bahá'í website] Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (ISGP); Romania
    2018 22 Jul
    201-
    The dedication of the second local Bahá'í House of Worship in the world in Norte del Cauca, Colombia. News of this project was announced in 2012 along with other projects in Battambang, Cambodia; Matunda Soy, Kenya; Bihar Sharif, India; and Tanna, Vanuatu. (For information on the first local Mashriqu'l-Adhkár see here.) The event marked the opening of a month-long inauguration period. In a series of weekly visits to the Temple, 1,500 people were expected to participate in a special program called "My First Visit to the Bahá'í House of Worship."
  • In the Ridván Message of 2012 the Universal House of Justice announced that national Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs would to be raised up in two countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Papua New Guinea and that the first local Houses of Worship were to be built in Battambang, Cambodia; Bihar Sharif, India; Matunda Soy, Kenya; Norte del Cauca, Colombia; and Tanna, Vanuatu. This was the second of those local Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs to have been completed. [Ridván 2012 Message]
  • See the message from the Universal House of Justice dated 1 August 2014 where they pointed out the "the dynamic interaction between worship and endeavours to uplift the spiritual, social, and material conditions of society" and recalled the construction of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs in Turkistan and in America.
  • The local Bahá'í House of Worship in Norte del Cauca, Colombia, included a budding native forest, called the Bosque Nativo, that aimed to restore the region's indigenous plants. This video in Spanish describes the Bosque Nativo's features.
  • The Universal House of Justice was represented by Mrs. Carmen Elisa de Sadeghian who read a letter addressed to the attendees. "This House of Worship stands now as a symbol of the beauty inherent in the noble people of this region and its design evokes the generosity of their land," stated the letter, dated 22 July 2018. Also in attendance were Mr. Gustavo Correa and Dr. Farzam Arbab, two former members of the Universal House of Justice, as well as the mayors of four neighbouring towns. [BWNS1275]
  • A musical group sang and dancers performed a piece titled "The Soul of Norte del Cauca," about the arrival of the Bahá'í Faith to the region and how Bahá'u'lláh's teachings are given expression in the hopes and aspirations of the people. The group also performed a song called "La Cumbia del Jardinero" which was made available on SoundCloud.
  • See photo of the Greatest Name.

    Specifics

      Location: Aqua Azul, Notre del Cauca, Columbia
      Property acquired:December, 2013
      Design unveiled: 13 September, 2014
      Groundbreaking: 22 May, 2016
      Construction Period: January 2017 to July 2018
      Site Dedication: 22 July, 2018
      Architect:Mr. Gutierrez Chacón
      Architectural firm:CUNA Engineering and Sustainable Architecture
      Seating:
      Dimensions:The Temple is 18 metres tall. Inside height is 15 metres.
      Cost:
      Dependencies:
      References: BWNS1020; BWNS1047; BWNS1109; BWNS1153; BWNS1168; BWNS1222; BWNS1240; BWNS1249; BWNS1268, BWNS1277.
  • * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Quick facts; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Norte del Cauca, Colombia; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Dedications; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Agua Azul, Colombia; North Caucasus; Colombia; Gutierrez Chacon first...the dynamic interaction between worship and endeavours to uplift the spiritual, social, and material conditions of society
    2018 8 Jul
    201-
    The opening of the play about Tahirih called Daughter of the Sun to an audience of 450 people at the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama. The dramatic presentation was produced by journalist Kamale Selim Muslimgizi and came at a time when the life of Tahirih was gaining renewed attention and interest in Azerbaijani society due, in part because a book on Tahirih's life and works that were translated and published in 2016 which catalyzed a growing interest among the people of Azerbaijan about the life of this iconic champion of women's emancipation.
  • Tahirih wrote in Persian, Arabic, and Azeri, a widely spoken language in Qazvin and the surrounding region. Azeri is also the main language of Azerbaijan. Tahirih has long attracted interest among scholars. Western Orientalists of the 19th century wrote of her influence on literature and gender equality. In recent years, there have been numerous academic articles and books about her as well as translations of three volumes of her poetry into English.
  • The play continued its run in Baku and in the following months on stage in other cities across the country. [BWNS1276; 30 April, 1960]
  • Tahirih (Qurratu'l-'Ayn, Zarrín-Táj); - Drama; - Plays; * Arts and crafts; Kamale Selim Muslimgizi; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Bandar Anzali, Iran; Azerbaijan
    2018 6 Jul
    201-
    Mr. Javaid Rehman was appointed as the third Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran since re-establishment of the mandate. The former mandate holder, Ms. Asma Jahangir assumed the mandate from November 2016 until her sudden passing in February 2018.
    Mr. Rehman was a Professor of International Human Rights Law and Muslim Constitutionalism at Brunel University, London. Mr Rehman taught human rights law and Islamic law and continued to publish extensively in the subjects of international human rights law, Islamic law and constitutional practices of Muslim majority States. Several of his published works have been translated into various languages. Overview of the mandate The Human Rights Council Resolution 37/30 requested the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran to submit a report on the implementation of the mandate to the Human Rights Council at its fortieth session and to the General Assembly at its seventy-third session and calls upon the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur, to permit access to visit the country, and to provide all information necessary to allow the fulfillment of the mandate.
    In the discharge of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur will:
    a) Monitor and investigate human rights violations, transmits urgent appeals and letters to Iran on alleged violations of human rights; b) Seek to undertake country visits to Iran and to the region and engage with relevant stakeholders; c) Submit reports to the General Assembly and Human Rights Council on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; and d) Engage publicly on issues of concern, including through press releases. [Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights]
    Javaid Rehman; United Nations; United Nations; Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran; New York City, NY
    2018 22 Jun
    201-
    Following the recitation of prayers, the carved teak Greatest Name symbol was raised 15 meters to be placed at the inner apex of the dome inside the local Bahá'í House of Worship in Agua Azul, Colombia. This marked the near-completion of the world's second local House of Worship. [BWNS1268] Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Norte del Cauca, Colombia; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Agua Azul, Colombia; North Caucasus; Colombia
    2018 13 Jun
    201-
    Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested on charges of collusion and propaganda against Iran's rulers. [Al Jazeera]

    On 29 August 2018, Sotoudeh began a hunger strike to protest her detention and government harassment of her family and friends.

    On 11 March 2019 Nasrin Sotoudeh was sentenced in two different trials to 38.5 years in prison and 148 lashes and was denied access to a copy of the verdict against her. She was only permitted to see the text of the sentence and to note the charges of which she was convicted. One of the charges against her was "membership in an illegal group", referring to her membership of Legam, a campaign to abolish the death penalty in Iran. According to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, and given the high number of charges against her, only the most severe punishment will be enforced. However, given the high number of charges against her, it is unclear how much of the sentence she will have to serve. [Front Line Defenders]

    On 27 July 2020, her husband, Reza Khandan, reported that his wife's bank accounts had been blocked by the Tehran Prosecutor's Office. Reza Khandan believed this to be the beginning of the seizure of the family's assets.

    On 10 August 2020, Nasrin Sotoudeh began a hunger strike to protest the continued imprisonment of human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience in Iran. In a letter outlining her reasons, she highlighted that COVID-19 has only served to exacerbate the already poor conditions for prisoners in Iran. In September she was hospitalised after her physical condition worsened following weeks of hunger strike. Her strike ended in late September after 46 days.

    On October 20, Sotoudeh was transferred from Evin Prison in Tehran to Qarchak, a women's prison outside the city that has been blacklisted under United Nations human rights sanctions.

    7 November 2020. Sotoudeh was temporarily released from prison after concerns mounted over her deteriorating health. Her temporary release came weeks after she was moved to intensive care in a hospital in Tehran following a lengthy hunger strike. [Al Jazeera]

    2 December 2020: Nasrin Sotoudeh was returned to Qarchak prison despite the fact that medical experts recommended the extension of her medical leave for a further two weeks. [Al Jazeera]

    Queen's University conferred an honorary doctorate of Law. Accepting it on her behalf was Irwin Cotler, Sotoudeh's international legal counsel and former Minister of Justice of Canada. [Queen's Gazeette 23 January 2021]

    * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Human rights; Nasrin Sotoudeh; Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2018 9 May
    201-
    The premiere of the film The Gate: Dawn of the Bahá'í Faith in Los Angeles. The first ever documentary about the origins of the Bahá'í Faith. On May 23rd, Bahá'í communities in multiple locations showed the film as part of their Holy Day observance. The film was directed by Bob Hercules, written by Ed Price, and the producers were Steve Sarowitz, Ed Price and Adam Mondschein. [Film Website]
  • Later, about October, 2019, the film would be used to produce The Gate, Dusk of the Baha'i Faith as propaganda against the Faith.
  • * Báb, The (chronology); Bábí history; - Documentaries; - Film; The Gate: Dawn of the Bahá'í Faith (film); Bob Hercules; * Persecution, Iran; Los Angeles, CA; United States (USA) The first documentary about the origins of the Bahá’í Faith.
    2018 (post International Bahá'í Convention)
    201-
    Some 80 members of the Continental Boards of Counsellors met for a conference at the Bahá'í World Centre following the 12th International Bahá'í Convention. On that occasion, the Counsellors were able to reflect on major developments in Bahá'í communities around the world. In order to share their experiences some of their stories were recorded and made available via podcasts. The Counsellors discussed the impact of spiritual and moral education programs offered by the Bahá'í community on youth and the communities in which they live, drawing on experiences in Cambodia, Kiribati, India, Norway, Spain, and Timor Leste (or East Timor). [BWNS1264]
  • Counsellors in Africa, Alain Pierre Djoulde, Clément Thyrrell Feizouré, Maina Mkandawire, and Judicaël Mokolédiscuss discussed endeavours in the field of education in that continent. [BWNS1269]
  • The podcasts can be found here or on SoundCloud.
  • Counsellors; Conferences, Counsellors; - Institute process; Youth; Podcasts; Education; Conventions, International; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel; Cambodia; Kiribati; India; Norway; Spain; Timor Leste, East Timor,
    2018 30 Apr
    201-
    The announcement of the election of the 12th Universal House of Justice. Those elected were Paul Lample, Chuungu Malitonga, Payman Mohajer, Shahriar Razavi, Stephen Hall, Ayman Rouhani, Stephen Birkland, Juan Francisco Mora, and Praveen Mallik. [BWNS1258]
  • The twelfth International Bahá'í Convention was held from the 29th of April until the 2nd of May. In the election of the Universal House of Justice over 1,300 ballots were cast by representatives of 160 national communities. [BWNS1256, BWNS1257, BWNS1259, BWNS1261]
  • See Vimeo for a short film of the International Convention by Farideh Baki-Nasseri.
  • The film A Widening Embrace was screened at the Convention, enriching the consultations of the delegates. It is a documentary film about the community-building efforts of the Bahá'í world. Many of the themes discussed over the days of the Convention were highlighted in the practical examples presented in the documentary which tells the story of the transformation of communities unfolding throughout the world by featuring the process in 24 communities representing different realities and contexts. The 77-minute film, which was commissioned by the Universal House of Justice, was made available in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic, and Persian. [BWNS1260] .
  • Paul Lample; Chuungu Malitonga; Payman Mohajer; Shahriar Razavi; Stephen Hall; Ayman Rouhani; Stephen Birkland; Juan Francisco Mora; Praveen Mallik; Universal House of Justice, Election of; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Conventions, International; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Widening Embrace, A (film); - Documentaries; - Documentaries, BWC; - Institute process; Social action; Social and economic development; Farideh Baki-Nasseri; - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel
    2018 27 Apr
    201-
    The publication of the booklet entitled For the Betterment of the World by the Office of Social and Economic Development to be made available to the more than 1,300 delegates at the International Bahá'í Convention. As with the editions published in 2003 and 2008, it provided an illustration of the Bahá'í community's ongoing process of learning and action in the field of social and economic development. [BWNS1255] - Institute process; Social and economic development; Social action; For the Betterment of the World (document); - Basic timeline, Expanded; - Bahá'í World Centre
    2018 23 Apr
    201-
    Afif Naeimi, the seventh and last imprisoned member of the Yaran, returned to Rajaee Shahr Prison (also known as Gohardasht Prison) near Tehran at the end of his medical leave despite suffering from life-threatening ailments.
  • On May 1 the judiciary's medical experts had ruled that the 57-year-old was too ill to be incarcerated.
  • Naeimi, who had completed his 10-year prison sentence, should have been released by that time but the judiciary extended his term by more than nine months—the period he was out of prison on furlough receiving medical treatment. He had hypertrophy, a condition where the heart muscle thickens and he was afflicted with Syncope disease, which causes temporary losses of consciousness. [Iran Press Watch 18975; Iran Press Watch 18975]
  • Yaran; Rajai Shahr prison; Prisons; * Persecution, Iran; Karaj, Iran; Iran
    2018 22 Apr
    201-
    The announcement of the retirement of Universal House of Justice members Mr. Gustavo Correa, 70, and Dr. Firaydoun Javaheri, 72. Mr. Correa was from Colombia. He was elected to the House of Justice in 2008. Dr. Javaheri was born in Iran and spent much of his life in Africa—first in The Gambia and subsequently in Zambia. He was elected to the Universal House of Justice in 2003. [BWNS1253] Gustavo Correa; Firaydoun Javaheri; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Retirements; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre
    2018 15 Apr
    201-
    The design for the local Bahá'í House of Worship was unveiled at a gathering in Matunda Soy, Kenya attended by about 1,000 people. The temple will accommodate about 250 people and the design incorporated the diamond-shaped pattern, a motif commonly found in Kenyan culture. It will be built of construction materials found locally; the roof will be made of local state and the walls from from stone quarried nearby. The Temple's architect, Neda Samimi, was the first female architect whose design for a Baha'i House of Worship was selected. [BWNS1251]
  • Concept Drawing.
  • * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Design; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Matunda Soy, Kenya; Architecture; - Architects; Women; Firsts, other; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Matunda Soy, Kenya; Matunda Soy, Kenya; Kenya first woman to design a Bahá'í House of Worship
    2018 12 Apr
    201-
    The premiere of the documentary film, An American Story: Race Amity and The Other Tradition in a television broadcast on station WBGH, channel 2 in Boston, MA. [Trailer]
  • From the film website...."The primary purpose of the documentary project, An American Story: Race Amity and The Other Tradition, is to impact the public discourse on race. To move the discourse from the "blame/grievance/rejection" cycle to a view from a different lens, the lens of "amity/collaboration/access and equity."
  • Race; Unity; Race amity; Race unity; Racism; - Documentaries; Boston, MA; Massachusetts, USA; United States (USA)
    2018 4 Apr
    201-
    A major milestone in the construction of the local Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in Agua Azul was reached. The crown on the topmost part of the roof was installed. [BWNS1020, BWNS1109, BWNS1168, BWNS1109, BWNS1248, BWNS1249] Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Norte del Cauca, Colombia; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Agua Azul, Colombia; North Caucasus; Colombia
    2018 1 Apr
    201-
    The launch of a fierce campaign of hatred against members of the Bahá'í Faith, as well as other against peaceful religious minorities was proclaimed by Houthi activist Ahmad Ayed Ahmed in a public Tweet. The campaign coincided with the threats made by the leader of Ansaruallah, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, against the Bahá'ís, Ahmadis, Christians and a number of Islamic sects during his Friday speech on the occasion of Rajab Friday. This marked a clear call for a sectarian war against minorities and specifically the Bahá'í's and parallelled the already ongoing systematic attack against Bahá'ís including arbitrary arrests, persecution, and torture. This indicated a new stage in Houthi persecution, until this time they had exercised a degree of "political dissimulation" to conceal their direct involvement, however, since al-Houthi's public speech, Houthis were openly spearheading as well as escalating the systematic persecution of Bahá'ís. [Iran Press Watch 1 April, 2018] Persecution, Yemen; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; Yemen
    2018 23 Mar
    201-
    Sayyid Abdul-Malik Badreddin Al-Houthi, the Secretary-General of Yemen's Shia political party Ansar Allah, accused the Bahá'ís of seeking to create disunity among Muslims. In a televised speech broadcast to a wide audience within and outside of Yemen, he vehemently vilified and denounced the Bahá'í Faith, further intensifying the ongoing persecution of the Bahá'ís in that country. It was reported that the Houthis had also launched a social media campaign against Bahá'ís. "The Yemeni Initiative for Defending Bahá'í Rights", a human rights organization, said in a Facebook post that Al-Houthi's incitement coincided with incitements against Ahmadis, Christians, intellectuals, scientists, and activists, as well as "a number of Islamic doctrines." [Conatus News 28 March, 2018]
  • See BIC News.
  • Persecution, Yemen; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; Sayyid `Abdu'l-Malik Badreddin Al-Houthi; Yemen
    2018 21 Mar
    201-
    The design for the national Bahá'í House of Worship of Papua New Guinea (PNG) was unveiled.
  • Originally from New Zealand, Rodney Hancock—one of two individuals who brought the Bahá'í Faith to PNG in the 1950s—was asked to unveil the temple design before the audience of over 300 visitors.
  • The architectural team—composed of indigenous architect from PNG Henry Lape and Saeed Granfar—also addressed the audience. They explained that the "search for a universal theme" for the temple was "a profound challenge in a country with more than 700 distinct cultural groups.
  • The central edifice of the House of Worship will have a seating capacity of 350. [BWNS1246, EMTV.com 3 April, 2018]
  • Concept photo's.
  • From the website of the department of External Affairs for the Bahá'ís of Papua New Guinea.
  • * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, National; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Design; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Port Moresby; Architecture; - Architects; Rodney Hancock; Henry Lape; Saeed Granfar; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Papua New Guinea
    2018 19 Mar
    201-
    The release of Mr. Vahid Tizfahm from the Rajaee Shahr Prison in Karaj after having completed his 10-year sentence. He was the sixth of the seven Bahá'í leaders to be released from prison.
  • At this time the 10 year term of the remaining prisoner, Mr Afif Naeimi, had two months yet to serve. Due to a serious illness he was released to the custody of his family while receiving medical treatment under the proviso that he would return to prison when deemed medically fit. [BWNS1245, Iran Press Watch, 29 March, 2018, Iran Press Watch 30 March, 2018]
  • For his personal history see Iran Watch 11557.
  • According to BIC, there were 97 Bahá'ís in prison as of 1 March. [Middle East Eye Tuesday 20 March 2018 12:39 UTC]
  • Yaran; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; Human rights; Court cases; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2018 16 Mar
    201-
    Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, at 85 the oldest member of the Yaran to be imprisoned, was released after serving his 10-year sentence. [BWNS1244] Yaran; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; Court cases; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2018 15 Mar
    201-
    The Bahá'í cemetery in the city of Kerman was sealed by order of the Kerman judicial authorities and the burial of deceased Bahá'ís was prevented. [Iran Press Watch 19720] - Persecution, denial of burial; Kerman, Iran; Iran
    2018 12 Mar
    201-
    The Bahá'í International Community in New York released the statement "Beyond Mere Economics: A Moral Inquiry into the Roots of Empowerment" to the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (12 to 23 March 2018). [BWNS1243] Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; * Publications; Women; Empowerment; Economics; United Nations; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); New York, USA; United States (USA)
    2018 22 Feb
    201-
    A progress report on the construction of the Mashriqul-Adhkar in Norte del Cauca was made. The main structural components of the central building had been completed and work had begun on the finishing of the floor and the walls as well as the placement of the roof tiles. Construction had begun in a number of auxiliary buildings. [BWNS1240] Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Norte del Cauca, Colombia; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; Agua Azul, Colombia; North Caucasus; Colombia
    2018 20 Feb
    201-
    Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, a former member of the Yaran, was transferred from Evin Prison to a hospital as per directions of the prison doctor after experiencing heart issues. He underwent surgery and, after spending a few days in the ICU, was transferred back to prison. Mr. Khanjani suffered from old age and multiple ailments. He had been in prison since May 18, 2008. Throughout his 10-year term he had not been allowed a single day of leave. Security and Judicial authorities did not even allow him to attend his wife's funeral. His sentence was completed on March 22. [Iran Press Watch 18815] Yaran; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; Court cases; Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2018 18 Feb
    201-
    In an open letter, twenty-five prominent international lawyers and human right activists appealed to Mohammad Javad Larijani, the Secretary-General of the High Council for Human Rights in Iran, to take steps to end the persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran. In the letter they made reference to the new website, "Archives of the Bahá'í Persecution in Iran", stating that it "vividly demonstrates the depth and breadth of unjust, relentless, and systematic oppression against a religious minority". [BICNews10Feb2018] Human rights; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Open letters; Websites; Internet; * Publications; Iran; - Worldwide
    2018 16 Feb
    201-
    The release of Saeid Rezaie, one of the seven members of the Yaran, the former leadership group of the Bahá'ís in Iran after completing his 10-year sentence. He was the fourth person from among the Yaran to be released. [BWNS1238] Yaran; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Court cases; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2018 Feb
    201-
    Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), an NGO working to promote the right to freedom of religion or belief of all and raising awareness about the persecution of Christians and other religious groups around the world, published a shocking report that revealed the influence of religious persecution on religious minority children. In its Faith and a Future report, CSW focused on the situation of religious minority children in educational settings in Burma, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan. The report scrutinized three common acts of persecution in the educational setting specifically bias, discrimination and abuse.
  • In Iran, bias can be seen across various educational materials in the country. School textbooks were focused on the Shi'a Muslim perspective and were silent on any other religions. This had an adverse effect on religious minorities. Children belonging to the Bahá'í religion were denied access to schools and often access to higher education. Bahá'í children that were lucky to be enrolled in schools were not free to learn or partake in their religious belief. According to the CSW report, a memorandum from the Iran government stated that Bahá'í children 'should be enrolled in schools which have a strong and imposing religious [Shi'a] ideology.' The situation for children partaking in higher education is no better. According to Article 3 of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council's student qualification regulations (1991), students were to be expelled if they were found to be Bahá'í. Only Muslim or students belonging to recognized religions were allowed to take the national enrolment exam. The report further alleged that some Bahá'í children had been subjected to physical abuse at schools. [Iran Press Watch 18838]
  • * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Human rights; - Persecution, Education; - Persecution, Education; - Persecution; Human rights; Faith and a Future (CSW); Iran
    2018 29 Jan - 7 Feb
    201-
    The 56th session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development focused on strategies for eradicating poverty. It explored many dimensions of this complex and vexing issue, including the necessity of realizing the equality of women and men, the promise and potential pitfalls of technology, issues of disability and inclusion, as well as the special role of families, communities, and youth.

    The BIC prepared a statement for the Commission calling for a profound shift in thinking. Referring to the Commission's aim of "eradicating poverty to achieve sustainable development for all," the statement explains that it "is not simply a matter of expanding access to material resources, challenging as that can be. Rather, it is an endeavor of structural and social transformation on scales never attempted before. And the magnitude of that work calls for new ways of understanding individual human beings and society as a whole."

    The statement, Towards a Just Economic Order: Conceptual Foundations and Moral Prerequisites was made available on the BIC website.

    United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; - Statements; New York, USA; New York, USA
    2018 25 Jan
    201-
    By way of a contribution to the 7th Annual ECOSOC Youth Forum at the United Nations, the Bahá'í International Community presented a statement titled, Rising Generations: Weaving a New Tapestry of Community Life in which our current systems of governance, economics, health, and education, among others were discussed and thought given to what these systems would have to be like in the future. Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; New York, USA; United States (USA)
    2018 25 Jan
    201-
    Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Asma Jahangir, in her report, shared with that country on this date, listed the names of some 77 Bahá'ís imprisoned in that country.
  • Report.
  • United Nations; Asma Jahangir; Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran; Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; New York City, NY
    2018 25 Jan
    201-
    The announcement of the opening of an educational centre at the Bahá'í Lotus Temple. The educational facility, which can accommodate hundreds, will be used to host camps, courses, and seminars for youth and young adults who are involved in efforts to improve their communities. With the opening of the new educational facility, many more will be able to attend these programs than was previously possible.
  • Shaheen Javid, General Manager of the House of Worship reported that the Temple, which opened in 1986, received 10,000–15,000 visitors on weekdays and over 35,000 on weekends. [BWNS1234]
  • Shaheen Javid; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Delhi; Lotus temple, New Delhi; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Statistics; Youth; New Delhi, India; India
    2018 18 Jan
    201-
    The publication of A Vision of Peace: Stories from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a brief history of the struggles and successes of the Bahá'í community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
  • The podcast associated with this Bahá'í World News Service story, can be found here.
  • Community building; Congo, Democratic Republic of
    2018 2 Jan
    201-
    The Specialized Criminal Court of the Houthi militia in Yemen sentenced 52 year-old detainee Hammed bin Haidara to death on the basis of his Bahá'í beliefs, allegedly for collaborating with Israel and forging official documents. His execution was to be a public event. He had been tortured and ill-treated in custody since being incarcerated in December of 2013. The judgment issued by the Houthi-controlled Criminal Court in Sana'a also confiscated the funds of Hammed bin Haidara and shut all Bahá'í centres in the country. The persecution of Bahá'ís in the area controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia reflected the pattern of persecution in Iran.
  • The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) estimated that the number of Bahá'ís in Yemen was about 2,000 people in several Yemeni provinces. [Al Arabiya English 3 January, 2018, BIC 5 January, 2018, Amnesty International 28 April, 2017, Defending Bahá'í Rights facebook page]
  • "The Yemini Initiative for Defending Bahá'í Rights", a activist group launched in April of 2017, gained tens of thousands of followers. Prominent media groups in the Arab world have publicized the case. In addition to Mr bin Haidara there were six other Bahá'ís in prison in Sana'a. [BWNS1232]
  • Persecution, Yemen; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution, Court cases; Court cases; Human rights; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Yemen
    2018 (In the Year)
    201-
    The publication of
    2018 Jan
    201-
    Southern Yemeni separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates seized control of Aden. Yemen, Recent history; Aden, Yemen; Yemen
    2018 (In the year)
    201-
    The Bahá'í International Community established a web site, Archives of Bahá'í Persecution in Iran to document the persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran. Each document is available as a digital scan of the original and in a text-searchable format. In time, all materials will be available in both Persian and English. The site was established in response to rising interest both internationally and within Iran to understand the depth and breadth of this persecution. The documents shed light on the decades-long, systematic, and ongoing persecution of the Baha'is, instigated by the clergy and by the government.

    Although most of the documents on this website are related to the decades following the Islamic revolution in 1979, there are many that date back a long time prior to the revolution. They cover a wide range of persecutions, including systematic discrimination, arrest and imprisonment, execution, economic oppression, exclusion from education, acts of destruction and violence, and incitement to hatred. Over time, the archive will contain thousands of documents, mostly text documents, but also audio and visual records, many of which were being made publicly available for the first time.

    One can subscribe to receive an email with weekly updates.

    On the 9th of May 2023 the Universal House of Justice wrote to all National Assemblies announcing that this resource had been made available. iiiii

    * Persecution, Iran; Bahá'í International Community; Iran
    2018 (In the year)
    201-
    The population of the Bahá'ís of the world was given as 8,327,581 or 0.10% of the population.
    1. India 2,011,510
    2. USA 543,635
    3. Kenya 448,148
    4. Vietnam 412,130
    5. Democratic Republic of the Congo 299,890
    6. Philippines 291,573
    7. Iran 266,194
    8. Zambia 255,578
    9. South Africa 252,843
    10. Bolivia 228,280

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