- 1956-00-00 — A Roman Catholic priest lodged a complaint against the Bahá'ís of Morocco with the Moroccan Security Service.
- 1961-04-14 — The knowledge of the arrest of the 14 believers was received but the Custodians at the World Centre via the publication of an article in the newspaper Le Courier du Maroc. They were in communications with the 44 National Assemblies at the time and asked them to bring pressure on the Moroccan authorities and to pray for the protection and release of the prisoners. The Custodians took the position that no attack should be made on the central authorities but rather the blame should rest on a small, fanatical, prejudiced and misinformed group of local leaders who did not seem to be under the control of the central authority in Rabat.
The Bahá'í International Community made representation at the United Nations. [MoC17-18]
- 1961-12-07 —
An article appeared in the nationally prominent Moroccan newspaper Al Alam lamenting the decline of Islám and attacking the Bahá'í Faith. [MoC17]
- This gave rise to persecution of the Bahá'ís in ensuing months.
- 1962-00-01 — Bahá'í homes in Morocco were searched by the police and Bahá'í literature seized. [MoC17]
- 1962-01-25 — A Bahá'í Professor of Fine Arts at the University of Tetuan, Morocco, Faouzi Zine Al Abidine, was dismissed from his post and warned to have no association with other Bahá'ís. [MoC17]
- 1962-04-10 —
Four Bahá'ís were arrested in Nador, Morocco. [BW13:289; BW14:97; BN No 384 March 1963 p1-4]
- Eventually 14 Bahá'ís in total were arrested: 7 in Nador, 2 in Fez and 5 in Tetuan. [MoC17]
- For an outline of the situation as it developed over 20 months see MC16–19.
- 1962-08-22 — The Custodians ask the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States to make representations to the diplomatic missions of Morocco in Washington and at the United Nations concerning the 14 Bahá'ís imprisoned in Morocco. [MoC368–9]
For four months, while a legal committee of the Bahá’ís of Morocco, aided by an able French lawyer of Rabat, explored in vain all ways to obtain either the release of the prisoners or an early hearing of their case, these fourteen souls were kept in strict isolation from their fellow-Bahá’ís, and only a few messages could be passed orally via the women members of their families who could occasionally visit them. In August a devoted Egyptian Bahá’í lawyer (Mohsen Enayat) arrived in Morocco to join in the defense of the believers. The authorities returned no answer to his applications, but he was able to see the prisoners to bring them news and assurance, and to bring back to the Bahá’í community an account of the steadfastness and devotion of these dear friends.
On October 31st, after more than six months of imprisonment, the fourteen accused were arraigned before the Regional Court of Nador which reviewed the accusations and committed the prisoners for trial before the Criminal Court of the same town on the charges of (1) rebellion and disorder, (2) attacks on public security, (3) constitution of an association of criminals, (4) constitution of an illegal association and (5) attacks on religious faith.
[BN No 384 March 1963 p2] - 1962-09-23 — The Custodians ask the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States to obtain an interview with the personal representative of the King of Morocco who heads that country's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York in connection with the Bahá'ís imprisoned in Morocco. [MoC373–4]
- 1962-10-31 —
The 14 Bahá'ís imprisoned in Morocco were arraigned before the Regional Court of Nador. [BW13:289; MC18]
- They were charged with rebellion and disorder, attacks on public security, constituting an association of criminals and attacks on religious faith. [BW13:289; BW14:97; MoC18]
- 1962-12-10 — The trial of the 14 Bahá'ís imprisoned in Morocco on charges of sedition opened. The accused were defended by four of the most able lawyers in Morocco who were advised by two Bahá’í lawyers. It quickly became apparent that no attempt was being made to prove the five charges of the indictment, rather were the accused being charged by the presiding judge with not conforming to the practices of Islám, to which the accused explained that, as they were Bahá’ís, these practices did not concern them.
The verdict of the trial and the sentences imposed were:
Sentenced to death:
Muḥammad Muḥammad ‘Alí Al-Kabdání, 23 years of age, unmarried, schoolteacher;
Muḥammad Ba-Arafa Ma’anan, 29, unmarried, inspector of police;
Fu’ád Muḥammad Javád At-Tahhan, 38, married, three children, school director.
Imprisoned for life:
‘Abdu’l-Azíz ‘Abdu’lláh Al-Waryashí, 22, married, no children, school bursar;
Muḥammad Al-Jabbání Al-Ḥassan, 24, married, one son, teacher;
‘Abdu’s-Salam Al-Haj Salim As-Sabti, 31, married, instructor;
Muḥammad Muḥammad Sa’íd Al-Baggalí, 20, unmarried, tailor;
Muḥammad Aḥmad As-Sabti, 32, married, one child, cashier;
Imprisoned for 15 years:
‘Abdu’s-Salam Milwad Ash-Shukrí, 28, married, one child, state official.
The announcement of these sentences came as a thunderclap. The response from the press of the world was immediate and indignant. By a curious irony of fate the new Moroccan Constitution guaranteeing freedom of religion had only recently been overwhelmingly accepted by a national referendum, and on December 7, three days before the trial opened, Morocco had voted in favor of a United Nations Resolution for a draft convention on the elimination of all forms of religious intolerance.
[BW13:289; BW14:97; MoC414-418; BN No 384 March 1963 p3] - 1962-12-14 —
The Regional Court of Nador gave its verdict in the case of the 14 Bahá'ís imprisoned in Morocco on charges of sedition: four were acquitted on the grounds that they claim to be Muslims; one was acquitted apparently through family connections; one was released on 15 years' probation owing to his diabetes; five were committed to life imprisonment hard labour; and three were condemned to death. [BBRSM174; MoC18–19]
- The sentences were appealed to the Supreme Court. [BW13:289; BW14:97; MoC19]
- 1962-12-17 — The Custodians asked the Bahá'í International Community to issue press releases deploring Morocco's persecution of religious minorities and pointing out its failure to adhere to the UN charter condemning religious intolerance. [MoC397]
- 1962-12-21 — Telegrams were sent by the Bahá'í International Community to Secretary-General U Thant and 35 United Nations delegations appealing for help under the Genocide Convention for the Bahá'ís sentenced to death and imprisoned for life in Morocco. [BW13:794]
- 1962-12-23 — The Custodians asked national spiritual assemblies to cable Secretary General of the United Nations U Thant requesting his intervention on behalf of the Bahá'ís under sentence of death and imprisoned for life in Morocco. [BW13:794; MoC397–8]
- 1962-12-27 — The Custodians asked national and local spiritual assemblies to write to the Moroccan ambassador in their respective countries pleading for justice and religious freedom. [MoC398–9]
- 1963-01-00 — The publication of Freedom of Religion on Trial in Morocco:
The Nador Case
by Bahá'í International Community. It was a report on the situation in Morocco to that point in time.
- 1963-01-01 — The Custodians ask all national and local spiritual assemblies to cable the King of Morocco appealing for justice for the Bahá'ís under sentence of death and imprisoned for life in his country. [BW14:97; MoC19]
- 1963-01-31 — Roger Baldwin, Chairman of the International League for the Rights of Man, appeared before the UN sub-commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and stated that, as far they know; the Bahá'í prisoners in Morocco were the only example in recent history where members of a religion had been condemned to death solely for holding and expressing religious views regarded as heretical. [MoC415–16]
- 1963-03-31 — King Hassan II of Morocco was featured on an American television show called "Meet the Press". He stated that he believed that the Baháʼí Faith was not a religion and "against good order and also morals". However, on April 2 he made a public statement that if the Supreme Court confirms the penalty of death that he would grant them a royal pardon. in a televised interview in the United States that the Bahá'í Faith was not a religion and was 'against good order and also morals'. [MoC414-419]
- 1963-04-02 — King Hassan II of Morocco made a public statement promising that if the Supreme Court upheld the decision condemning three Bahá'í prisoners to death, he would grant them a royal pardon. [MoC416]
- 1963-04-04 —
The Custodians issued a statement of information to the national spiritual assemblies of the United States and Europe regarding the Bahá'ís imprisoned in Morocco and under threat of death, reminding them that clemency or a pardon are not sufficient, as the condemned Bahá'ís cannot be pardoned for a crime they did not commit. [MoC414]
- For text of statement see MC414–20.
- 1963-11-23 —
At the request of the Universal House of Justice, Bahá'ís around the world prayed at the Feast of Qawl for favourable action to be taken in the case of the Bahá'ís under threat of death and imprisoned in Morocco. [BW14:98]
- Shortly after the Feast the Moroccan Supreme Court heard the appeals, reversed the decision of the trial court and ordered the release of the prisoners. [BW14:98]
- 1963-12-13 — The Bahá'í prisoners in Morocco were released on order of the Supreme Court. The high drama had run for some twenty months. [BW14:98; MoC19]
They were not only released but were exonerated of any culpability and paid compensation for their loss of freedom to earn their living and, in a few cases, where they were employed by th Government, indemnified. All the National Spiritual Assemblies, wherever possible, were asked by the Universal House of Justice to express gratification, through the Moroccan Embassy or Consulate in their areas, to the King for this decision of the Supreme Court. [Mess63-86p25]
For a picture of the release of the Moroccan Bahá'í prisoners see BW14:97. - 1968-01-26 — A Moroccan Bahá'í was arrested, tried and convicted on the charges of having abused the sacredness of Islám and using deceptive methods to convert people to another religion; he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. [BW15:172]
- 1968-10-10 —
The widowed mother of seven children was sentenced to six months' imprisonment in Morocco for refusing to deny her faith. [BW15:172]
- Despite the efforts of national spiritual assemblies to secure justice for her through their embassies and cables to the King of Morocco, she was made to serve the entire sentence. [BW15:172]
- 1968-10-24 —
The Moroccan Bahá'í, Mr. Allal Rouhani, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in January 1968 appelled and his sentence was extended to four years. [BW15:172]
- Despite the efforts of national spiritual assemblies to secure justice for him through their embassies and cables to the King of Morocco, he was made to serve the entire sentence. [BW15:172]
- On January 30, 1972, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of North-West Africa held a luncheon attended by about sixty Bahá’ís and friends from all the Local Assemblies in the area. The Universal House of Justice was represented by Mr. Salim Nounou from France. [BN No 494 May 1972 p9]
- 1983-04-01 — The Government of Morocco prohibited all Bahá'í meetings. [BW19:49]
- 1983-12-00 —
Bahá'ís were arrested in Mohammadieh and Casablanca, Morocco. [BW19:49]
- The Bahá'ís in Mohammadieh were convicted of violating the ban on Bahá'í meetings, were sentenced to two years' imprisonment but were released. [BW19:49]
- 1984-06-00 —
A Bahá'í in Tetuan, Morocco, was arrested and sentenced to three years imprisonment for violating the 1983 ban on Bahá'í meetings. [BW19:49]
- The response for this arrest was to emphasize the non-partisan and obedience to government principles of the religion. An appeal to the Supreme Court was unsuccessful. [BW19:49]
- 2020-06-30 — As of mid year 2020 the U.S. Department of State in their Report on International Religious Freedom 2020. estimated there were between 350 to 400 Bahá'ís in Morocco, a country with a population of 36.7 million. More than 99% of the population was Sunni Muslim. Religions other than Islam and Judaism are not recognized by the constitution or laws. Voluntary conversion is not a crime under the law. The law can penalizes anyone who "employs enticements to undermine the faith" or converts a Muslim to another faith by exploiting a weakness or need for assistance, or through the use of educational, health, or other institutions. The law government may summarily expel any noncitizen resident determined to be "a threat to public order," and the government has used this clause to expel foreigners suspected of proselytizing.
The challenge for the Bahá'í Community was the lack of legal recognition, which created difficulties for Moroccan Bahá'ís with regard to the personal status system.
[Yabiladi]
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