59 essays from 2008-2009 in Iranian newspapers or IranPressWatch.org by influential thinkers, about the Bahá'í Faith in contemporary Iran. Most of these were also translated by Ahang Rabbani.
The Bahá'ís and Higher Education in Iran, by Ahmad Batebi
Batebi came to international notice through his appearance on the July 17, 1999, cover of The Economist magazine, in a photo taken during the Iranian student protests of July 1999 in Tehran. This essay was first published September 2, 2008, in Persian in the journal Roozwww.roozonline.com/archives/2008/09/post_8980.php and a translation posted September 17, 2008 at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/6.
If I were a Shiite, by Reza Fani-Yazdi
Reza Fani-Yazdi is an Iranian-American human rights activist and freelance writer who has published extensively on the plight of Iranians under the current regime. On August 8, 2008, he published this article in the online Persian journal Iran-Emrooz, http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/politic/more/16525/, and translated on September 17, 2008, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/7.
A New Year and a New Trick, by Human Rights Activities of Iran
Shemiranie is a freelance writer specializing in analytical articles on the socio-political issues of Iran and violations of human rights. This is a translation of an article published in Shahrgon online journal, September 12, 2008, available at www.shahrgon.com/index.php?news=1959. A translation was posted September 17, 2008, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/11.
Nabil's Narrative: What History has Forgotten, by Dr. Soheila Vahdati
Vahdati is an Iranian-American human rights activist and freelance writer who has published on the effects of the death penalty and gender issues in Iranian journals. Some of her articles are available at soheila.com/Edam/indexEdam.htm. On September 4, 2008, Dr. Vahdati published this article in the online journal Iran-Emrooz: www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/hright/print/16613/, which appeared in translation on September 18, 2008, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/13.
Redeem a Shameful History by Defending our Bahá'í Countrymen!, by Behrouz Setoodeh
New Threats Against the Bahá'ís of Iran, by Hasan Zerehi
This report was filed by Hasan Zerehi, the editor-in-chief of Shahrvand, a Persian weekly published in Toronto. It was posted October 1, 2008 at fa.shahrvand.com. It was also posted on Asre-Nou October 2, 2008, http://asre-nou.net, and appeared in translation October 7, 2008, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/38.
Attack on the Bahá'í Faith at a Conference on the History of Iran and the British Empire
Extracts from remarks at a recent conference in Tehran provided in translation, and a response from the perspective of the present translator [A. Rabbani] against the accusations stated at the Tehran conference. The materials are translated from Persian and were posted October 7, 2008, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/44.
End the Persecution of Bahá'ís, by United Republicans of Iran
On May 29, 2008, the organization United Republicans of Iran demanded the immediate release of the Bahá'í leaders incarcerated in March and May of that year through a proclamation posted at www.iranrepublic.org.
Why Islamists Persecute the Bahá'ís, by Amil Imani
Human Rights for All Iranians of Whatever Religious Persuasion, by Hashem Aghajari
Aghajari is an Iranian historian, university professor and a critic of the Islamic Republic's government. This is a portion of an interview with him published by Norooz News November 1, 2008, at norooznews.ir/news/9385.php. It appeared in translation on November 24, 2008, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/20.
Freedom of Belief and the Rights of Religious Minorities, by Hashem Aghajari
Which Religion Has Authorized the Suppression of Ideas?, by Nader Karami
Karami, of Rooz Online, published a report of the Conference on Freedom of Ideas and Rights of Religious Minorities, which was held on October 6, 2008, at www.roozonline.com/archives/2008/10/post_9439.php. Aghajari spoke at this conference and his comments, and Karami's report, appeared November 29, 2008, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/268.
‘Ashura Ceremonies and the Bahá'ís, by Akhtar Arjmandi
Akhtar Arjmandi maintains a blog dedicated to the defense of Iran's Bahá'í Community where she refutes attacks made against Bahá'ís in the Iranian press and in Persian anti-Bahá'í polemical works. This report was published on her blog on January 12, 2009, and translated by Omid Ghaemmaghami on January 13, 2009 at: http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/742.
Bahá'ís Living in Iran with No Human Rights, by Wahied Wahdat-Hagh
Violations of the Rights of our Bahá'í Countrymen, by Hamid Hamidi
A talk given by an Iranian journalist in Europe and the author of a number of articles on various themes of human and civil rights of Iranians, on December 20, 2008, at asre-nou.net/php/view.php?objnr=1547. A summary was presented on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights in Brussels. Its translation appeared on February 23, 2009, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/880. The article includes a list of Bahá'ís killed since 1978 .
Iran: Using terror internally and abroad, by Wahied Wahdat-Hagh
An open letter from a group of academics, writers, artists, journalists and Iranian activists throughout the world to the Bahá'í community. This letter has been signed by a large number of the most prominent Iranian intellectuals, and posted originally on February 4, 2009, on www.iranpresswatch.org/post/998. A number of news agencies reported this letter, including CNN: arabic.cnn.com/2009/entertainment/2/10/Iran.apology/.
Press Release by "We Are Ashamed" organizers
This Press Release, by the organizers of the open letter to the Bahá'í community titled "A century and a half of oppression and silence is enough!" was posted February 14, 2009, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/1193.
What is there to Celebrate?, by Shahrzad Arshadi
Arshadi is a Montreal-based human rights activist, photographer and filmmaker. This essay was first disseminated on February 11, 2009, under the title, "What is there to Celebrate? For the 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran" and posted February 15, 2009, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/1175.
Supporting Freedom of Expression for Bahá'ís, by Abolhassan Banisadr
Abolhassan Banisadr was the first president of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1980-81). This is a translation of an introduction to an interview he held with Rahmat-Qasem Begu, a reporter for Radio France Internationale, on February 16, 2009, www.rfi.fr/actufa/articles/110/article_5377.asp. This translation was posted February 17, 2009, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/1252.
Statement of Support by Writers and Journalists from Kurdistan
The Kurdistan region, covering land in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, is victim to long- running separatist conflicts in which thousands of lives have been lost. Under such circumstances, the statement in support of Iranian Bahá'ís is a sign of courage, selflessness and humanity. This statement was published in Persian on February 16, 2009, at komala.eu/kurdi/?p=562 and a translation appeared on February 18, 2009, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/1272.
Violation of the rights of the Bahá'í citizens is shameful, by United Republicans of Iran
Dialogue with Some Signatories of the "We are Ashamed" Proclamation, by Iraj Adibzadeh
This is a translation of an interview held by Iraj Adibzadeh, a noted reporter for Radio Zamaaneh. This article was entitled in Persian, "To be Iranian does not mean to be Shi'ah" and published February 5, 2009 at zamaaneh.com/adibzadeh/2009/02/print_post_287.html. Translation was posted February 22, 2009, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/1403.
Bahá'ís, the Sole Targets of Conspiracism?, by Aram Anahid
This is a translation of an article published in Persian on February 17, 2009, at www.iranian.com/main/2009/feb-21, under the title, "When Hate Triumphs over Justice, All are Victims." This translation was posted February 22, 2009, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/1407.
IMHRO condemning trial of 7 Bahá'í leaders in Iran for spying, by Iranian Minorities' Human Rights Organization
Dr. Wahdat-Hagh is a Senior Fellow with the European Foundation for Democracy in Brussels and this essay was published on March 23, 2009, on www.iranpresswatch.org/post/2003.
I really do not understand!, by Hassan Yousefi Eshakavari
The Bahá'ís of Iran and Contact with Foreign Nations, by Mehdi Khalaji
Khalaji is a visiting fellow at the Washington Institute on the role of politics in contemporary Shi'ite clericalism in Iran and Iraq. He has published extensively, including "Apocalyptic Politics: On the Rationality of Iranian Policy". This essay was originally published by BBC Persian Service February 18, 2009, at www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2009/02/090223_ag_iranian_bahaeis_foreign_gov.shtml and a translation appeared on March 31, 2009, at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/2056.
Two Mistakes of the Islamic Republic of Iran, by Shahla Firouz
Supporters of Ayatollah Boroujerdi demand investigation of Bahá'í case, Boroujerdi is an Iranian cleric who advocates separation of religion and government. He first expressed his opposition to the Islamic government of Iran in 1994, and opposed the theocratic concept of rule by clerics. On May 25, 2009, supporters of the imprisoned Boroujerdi condemned the ongoing suppression and violation of the rights of the Bahá'í community in Iran by posting a statement on bameazadi19.blogspot.com/2009/05/blog-post_25.html. This translated was posted June 2, 2009, on www.iranpresswatch.org/post/3775.
Persecution of Bahá'ís and the Iranian Presidential Elections, by Wahid Wahdat-Hagh
Bahá'ís as Precedents for Execution of Political Dissidents, by Reza Fani-Yazdi
Fani-Yazdi is an Iranian-American human rights activist and freelance writer. He has published on the plight of Iranians under the current regime in Iran. This essay was published in Iran Emrooz, July 10, 2009, at www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/politic/more/18706/ and a translation appeared at www.iranpresswatch.org/post/4390.
There Can't be a Happy Ending to Our Story, by Soheila Vahdati
Vahdati is an Iranian-American human rights activist and freelance writer who has published on the effects of the death penalty, women's rights and gender issues. This article was published July 16, 2009, in Iran-Emrooz,www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/hright/more/18792 addressed to Mrs. Fakhri Mohtashamipour, wife of Seyyed Mostafa Tajzadeh, who served as the Political Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior of Iran in the government of President Khatami.
Rehumanizing the Dehumanized, by Koroush Agah-Kesheh
In Support of the Bahá'ís of Iran, by Abbas Milani
Prof Milani is Director of Iranian Studies at Stanford, where he is the co-director of the Iran Democracy Project. This is the text of Dr. Abbas Milani's speech at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco as published in The New Republic, August 15, 2009: www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=6f52df18-cf88-4fd8-8e94-f4e5c4c1e5aa.
We will celebrate the end of religious despotism, by Abdolkarim Soroush
Soroush is one of the most prominent Iranian political philosophers, religious scholars and writers. He is a former professor at the University of Tehran. On September 9, 2009, he published an open letter to Khamenei, expressing his belief that Iranians would triumph over "the decline of religious despotism", at www.akhbar-rooz.com/news.jsp?essayId=23793.
When Bahá'ís are free, then all Iranians will be, by Hamid Dabashi
Site Map
