Chronology: Date 2017

Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

World Canada
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Date 2017, sorted by firsts, descending

date	event	tags	firsts
2017 1 - 2 Sep 201-	The opening of Cambodia's first "Local House of Worship" in Battambang, just over two years after the design of the building was unveiled in July 2015. News of this project was announced in 2012 along with other projects in Bihar Sharif, India; Matunda Soy, Kenya; Norte del Cauca, Colombia; and Tanna, Vanuatu. The Mashriqul-Adhkár was designed by Phnom Penh-based architect Tang Sochet Vitou. It is situated on a 9-hectare property of which 1.5 hectares is used for the temple, an administrative building as well as gardens and ponds. The temple is a frequent topic of conversation among the local population. Even before its completion, it had galvanized action towards the betterment of the community and brought neighbours together. it will help provide for the spiritual needs of Cambodia's growing Bahá'í community which, according to the Ministry of Cult and Religion's most recent annual report, numbers about 12,000 although some adherents say the figure may now be closer to 20,000. Bahá'í communities were first recorded in the kingdom in the 1920s and since 1992 they have grown steadily with the help of aid workers and Asian immigrants. In a letter dated 18 December 2014, the Universal House of Justice explained that a Bahá'í House of Worship is a "collective centre of society to promote cordial affection" and "stands as a universal place of worship open to all the inhabitants of a locality irrespective of their religious affiliation, background, ethnicity, or gender and a haven for the deepest contemplation on spiritual reality and foundational questions of life, including individual and collective responsibility for the betterment of society." The dedication was marked by a two-day conference bringing together over 2,500 people from Battambang and every other region of Cambodia. A number of Cambodian dignitaries attended along with representatives of other Bahá'í communities in Southeast Asia. The Universal House of Justice was represented by Ms. Sokuntheary Reth who served on the Continental Board of Counsellors in Asia. See the letter from the Universal House of Justice, dated 1 September, 2017, for the message to the gathered friends. Specifics Location: Battambang, Cambodia Design unveiled:July 2015 Groundbreaking ceremony: 14 November, 2015 Construction Period:January 2016 to September 2017 Site Dedication: 1 September, 2017 Architect: Tang Sochet Vitou Architectural firm: Architecture Design Intelligence (ADI) Seating: Dimensions: Inside height 11.8m Cost: Dependencies: References: [BWNS906, BWNS1062, BWNS1082, BWNS1100, BWNS1120, BWNS1137, BWNS1157, BWNS1185, BWNS1187, BWNS1189, BWNS1190 (slide show), BWNS1191 (video), BWNS1192]	* Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Battambang, Cambodia; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Design; Architecture; - Architects; Tang Sochet Vitou; - Basic timeline, Expanded; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Quick facts; Dedications; Firsts, other; Gardens; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Battambang, Cambodia; Cambodia	first Local Mashriqu’l-Adhkar in the world.
2017 5 May 201-	The film Changing the World, One Wall at a Time was premiered in Harlem on the 5th of May and in Los Angeles on the 5th of June. The film evolved from shorter videos that were posted from the "Education is not a Crime" campaign and was made by Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Maziar Baharie. [BWNS1173] The film Changing the World, One Wall at a Time.	* Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Education; - Persecution; - Documentaries; Education is not a Crime (campaign); Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Changing the World, One Wall at a Time (film); Harlem, NY; New York, USA; Los Angeles, CA; California, USA; United States (USA)
2017 4 Nov 201-	Three young Iranians who complained to state officials after being denied university entrance for being followers of the Bahá'í Faith have each been sentenced to five years in prison. Rouhieh Safajoo (21), Sarmad Shadabi (22), and Tara Houshmand (21) were convicted of the charges of "membership in the anti-state Bahá'í cult" and "publishing falsehoods." [IFMAT 14NOV17]	* Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Education; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution; Tehran, Iran; Iran
2017 15 Nov 201-	Progress report on the construction of the local Bahá'í House of Worship in Norte del Cauca. [BWNS1222] See BWNS1047 for information on the reforestation project in the vicinity of the Temple.	Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Norte del Cauca, Colombia; Environment; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); North Caucasus; Colombia
2017 3 Dec 201-	Ali Abdullah Saleh, the ousted strongman who once governed Yemen and then conspired with Iranian-backed rebels to claw his way back to power, was killed after a bomb blew up his family's compound in the capital, Sana'a. After fighting along side the Iran-backed Houthis for two years it appeared that he had switched sides to join the Saudi-led coalition. [New York Times headline Monday, December 4, 2017 10:10 AM EST]	Yemen, Recent history; Sanaa, Yemen; Yemen
2017 5 Dec 201-	The release of Behrooz Tavakkoli, 66, from prison after serving a 10-year term. He was the third member of the Yaran to be released. [Iran Press Watch18533; Iran Press Watch18536; BWNS1225] See Iran Press Watch February 1, 2009 for an interview with his son, Naeim. See Iran Press Watch February 5th, 2009 for an article that appeared in McLean's Magazine two days earlier. See Iran Press Watch 1387 for the text of a talk given by his son Naeim about his father's imprisonment on February 18, 2009 in Ottawa.	Yaran; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Court cases; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Tehran, Iran; Iran
2017 30 Nov 201-	Bahá'ís celebrated the bicentennial of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh in a ceremony in Baghdad attended by representatives from the Iraqi parliament, the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR), the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, civil society as well as media activists. This was considered the most prominent ceremony where Bahá'ís officially announced themselves for the first time in 47 years, as the Baathist Revolutionary Command Council issued Decree No. 105 in 1970 to ban Bahá'í activities. As a consequence, Bahá'í administrative institutions in Iraq were dissolved and any activity where Bahá'ís declared their religious identity was punishable by imprisonment. During the proceedings they asked for support to rescind the law on prohibiting Bahá'í activity, which was still in effect despite the fact that the law contradicted the 2005 constitution, which guaranteed freedom of belief to all citizens. Millions of Bahá'ís around the world celebrated the honorary bicentennial of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh on Oct. 21-22. Bahá'ís in Baghdad celebrated after one month of postponements given the security difficulties and challenges surrounding the ceremony. [Al-Monitor.com]	Bahá'u'lláh, Birth of; Twin Holy days; Holy days; Centenaries; Websites; Persecution, Iraq; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution; Baghdad, Iraq; Iraq
2017 17 Dec 201-	The announcement by the Universal House of Justice of the passing of former House member Mr. Hartmut Grossmann. "...he poured out his life in uninterrupted service to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, as a teacher, pioneer, and member of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Germany (1963-1969) and Finland (1977-1980), the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe, (1980-1988) the International Teaching Centre (1988-2003) and, ultimately, of the Universal House of Justice (2003-2008)." [BWNS1228] He was the son of Hand of the Cause of God Hermann Grossmann (1899-1968). He was predeceased by his wife Ursula. [BWNS622; Bahá'í Chronicles]	Hartmut Grossmann; - In Memoriam; - Births and deaths; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Germany; Biography
2017 28 Apr 201-	Amnesty International sent a Joint Public Statement to the Huthi-Saleh authorities in Yemen calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Hamid Haydara. The document can be downloaded from the Amnesty International site.	Yemen; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; Amnesty International; Yemen
2017 6 Nov - 22 Jan 201-	An exhibition of Bahá'u'lláh's writings opened at the John Addis Gallery in the British Museum. One of the central themes was the power of the Word, which refers to divine revelation, a concept fundamental to the origins of all the world's great faiths. The exhibition showed original handwriting of Bahá'u'lláh, as well as other archival items associated with His life such as His reed pens and examples of "revelation writing" by His scribe as he tried keep up with Bahá'u'lláh's dictation. The exhibition, timed to commemorate the period of celebration of the 200th anniversary of His birth, was open to the public until the 22nd of January. [BWNS1220] See the British Museum blog entitled Displaying the Bahá'í Faith: the pen is mightier than the sword.	British Museum and British Library; Exhibitions of Bahá'í manuscripts and relics; Relics; * Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; Exhibitions; Reed pens; Reed; - Calligraphy; Revelation writing; Kalimat-i-Maknunih (Hidden Words); Bahá'u'lláh, Pen portraits of; Pen portraits; E. G. Browne; Gifts; London, England; United Kingdom
2017 25 Apr 201-	The formation of the human rights organization, "The Yemeni Initiative for Defending Bahá'í Rights". [Facebook page]	Persecution, Yemen; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; Yemen
2017 20 - 22 Oct 201-	Bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh From the time of the setting of the sun on October 21st in Kiribati, an island republic in the Central Pacific just west of the International Date Line, until sunset in Hawaii on the 22nd of October, 72 hours later, celebrations were held in thousands of localities throughout the world commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh. Coverage on the bicentenary website began soon after 8:00 GMT on 20 October and concluded at 4:00 GMT on 23 October documenting some of the thousands of celebrations. [BWNS1201, BWNS1203, BWNS1205, BWNS1206, BWNS1207, BWNS1208, BWNS1209, BWNS1210, BWNS1211, BWNS1221, BWNS1213, BWNS1214, BWNS1216, BWNS1218] A number of countries issue commemorative stamps to mark the occasion of the bicentenary of Bahá'u'lláh's birth.	Bahá'u'lláh, Birth of; Twin Holy days; Holy days; Centenaries; Websites; Internet; * Publications; Stamps (philately); Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Basic timeline, Expanded; - Worldwide
2017 Jan 201-	The publication of Training Institutes: Attaining a Higher Level of Functioning by the International Teaching Centre. This comprehensive document prepared by the International Teaching Centre in January 2017 provides an in depth analysis of the guidance about the main sequence of courses, the junior youth spiritual empowerment program, the program for the spiritual education of children and the processes involved in developing institutional capacity.	Training Institutes; - Institute process; * Publications; - International Teaching Centre, Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre
2017 1 Aug 201-	The release of the film The Cost of Discrimination by Arash Azizi and Maziar Bahari which compared the social costs of discrimination in present day Iran to South Africa under the apartheid regime where, like in Iran, the Dutch Reform Church used their Holy Texts to justify the suppressive measures taken against people of "non-European" origin.	- Film; - Documentaries; Cost of Discrimination (film); Arash Azizi; Maziar Bahári; Race; Apartheid; Discrimination; - Christianity; - Islam; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution; South Africa; Iran
2017 Jun - Nov 201-	In Yemen an outbreak of cholera killed 2.100 and affected almost 900,000 others.	Yemen, Recent history; Cholera; Yemen
2017 18 Sep 201-	The release of the film entitled World Peace - A Bahai Vision. Produced by Radiant Century Productions, Executive Producer, Cyrus Parini.	- Documentaries; Los Altos, CA; United States (USA)
2017 7 Jan 201-	The body of Ahmad Fanaiyan was found with numerous burns all over his body in Semnan, Semnan Province. He was a respected and elderly man. [Persian-Bahá'í1147	* Persecution, Iran; Ahmad Fanaiyan; Semnan, Iran; Iran
201 7 Jun 201-	The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative was launched as an international, multi-faith alliance that works to bring moral urgency and faith-based leadership to global efforts to end tropical deforestation. They provide a platform for religious leaders to work hand-in-hand with indigenous peoples, governments, civil society organizations and businesses on actions that protect rainforests and safeguard the indigenous peoples that serve as their guardians. The initiative was launched in June of 2017 at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway in a first-of-its-kind summit of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu and Taoist religious leaders, climate scientists, rainforest experts and indigenous peoples' representatives from Brazil, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Meso-America and Peru. Their website. On World Environment Day, June 5th, 2020, resource guides, perspectives from ten religious traditions, were launched. The Bahá'í Faith Toolkit, a toolkit on Forest Protection is available in PDF in English, Portuguese and in Spanish. [webpage on the Parliament of the World's Religions site] See BW33 (04-05)p117-133.	Environment; Parliament of the World's Religions; Oslo, Norway; Norway
2017 May 201-	The International Teaching Centre published The Five Year Plan 2011-2016: Summary of Achievements and Learning that had been prepared under their supervision. It elaborated on the accomplishments of the Five Year Plan under the headings: Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops, Social Action, Participating in the Discourses of Society, and Developments at the Bahá'í World Centre.	Five Year Plan; - Teaching Plans; - Bahá'í World Centre
2017 Sep 201-	The statement and compilation titled The Institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár was released by the Bahá'í World Centre. See also the message of 2014 to the Bahá'ís of Iran on the subject of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, prayer, and devotional meetings.	* Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Prayer; Devotional gatherings; - Bahá'í World Centre
2017 19 Sep 201-	Mahvash Sabet, one of the seven members of the former leadership group of the Bahá'ís in Iran known as the Yaran, was released after 10 years of confinement in Iran's notorious Evin and Raja'i Shahr prisons. She had been arrested in March 2008 and was now 64 years old. Mrs. Sabet distinguished herself by the loving care and kindness she extended to her fellow prisoners. As has occurred with prisoners of conscience, writers, thought-leaders, and poets who have been wrongly imprisoned throughout history, the power of Mrs. Sabet's ideas and beliefs was only amplified by her persecution. The plight of its author attracted attention to this deeply moving collection of poetry, inspiring PEN International to feature Mrs. Sabet in a campaign to defend persecuted writers. Her poems also inspired a musical composition by award-winning composer Lasse Thoresen, performed at an international music festival in Oslo earlier this year. [BWNS1198 ] See Prison Poems. For this publication she was recognized by PEN International at its 2017 International Writer of Courage. See CNN article Writing to survive: Bahá'í woman's poetry was her best friend in Iranian jail.	Yaran; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Court cases; Human rights; Evin Prison; Rajai Shahr prison; Prisons; - Poetry; Lasse Thoresen; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Karaj, Iran; Iran
2017 15 May 201-	Hundreds of Yemenis gathered in front of the Criminal Prosecution building in the capital city of Sana'a. They were denouncing the arrest of Yemeni citizens of the Bahá'í faith and calling for their release. The demonstrations were not led by the usual human rights crew but by tribal leaders of some of the most influential tribes in the country, prominently that of the Bani Mattar. What brought the tribes out was the arrest of Sheikh Walid Saleh Ayyash, who has the distinction of being both a prominent tribal figure and one of the 2,000 or so Yemenis who practice the Bahá'í faith. It was Ayyash's faith that led to his arrest on April 19, as he was driving from the city of Ibb to the port of Hudaydah. Along with another Bahá'í who was in the car, Ayyash was arrested by Houthi forces and transferred to the Hudaydah prison. A statement by the tribal leaders called Ayash "a distinguished personality among the Arab tribes … well-known for his integrity and wisdom, for his love, loyalty and devotion to his country, for his tolerance and respect for the government and the law." The leaders had previously met with Khalid Al-Mawari, the Houthi government's Chief of Special Criminal Prosecution. He had promised them that Ayyash would be transferred to Sana'a. When that failed to happen, they organized the demonstration. [TRACKPERSIA 25 Aug 2017]	Sheikh Walid Saleh Ayyash; Khalid Al-Mawari; Persecution, Yemen; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; Sanaa, Yemen; Yemen
2017 18 Jun 201-	The plan for the design of the local Mashriqul-Adhkár in Tanna, Vanuatu was announced. Ashkan Mostaghim of Mostaghim & Associates, a firm from Sydney, Australia, was chosen as the Temple's architect. His design was on the shortlist for the Continental Mashriqul-Adhkár in Santiago. [BWNS1175] No less than a hundred design ideas had been offered for the Temple. [Ridván Message, 2014] In the same message, the House of Justice highlighted Tanna as an example of a community where an entire population is moving toward a vision of material and spiritual prosperity, for which Baha'is around the world are striving.	Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Vanuatu; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Design; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Architecture; - Architects; Ashkan Mostaghim; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Tanna, Vanuatu; Vanuatu
2017 18 Jan 201-	The announcement of the publication of Days of Remembrance: Selections from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh for Bahá'í Holy Days by the Bahá'í World Centre. It is also made available in electonic format from Bahá'í Reference Library at Days of Remembrance: Selections from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh for Baha'i Holy Days. [BWNS1148]	- Days of Remembrance (book); Holy days; * Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; * Publications; * Translation; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre
2017 23 Feb 201-	Plans for the construction of the local Bahá'í House of Worship in Agua Azul, a village in Norte del Cauca, Colombia, reached an important milestone. Construction officially began in January after building contracts were formalized with a local firm in the region. [BWNS1153] Concurrent with the building the House of Worship has been the reinforcement of activities that contributed to the spiritual and material progress of communities in and around Norte del Cauca. Inspired by the Temple, these community-building activities multiplied, and a spirit of prayer, devotion, and participation begun to increasingly permeate the area. Parallel to this, the community undertook a reforestation project, designated for a "Bosque Nativo" or native forest on an 11-hectare piece of land adjacent to the Temple site to reintroduce native vegetation which had been decimated by years of monoculture plantations of sugarcane. For pictures see BWNS1153 For development report dated the 14th of May, 2017 see BWNS1168.	Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Norte del Cauca, Colombia; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Agua Azul, Colombia; North Caucasus; Colombia
2017 12 May 201-	The Bahá'í International Community launched a global campaign calling for the immediate release of the seven Iranian Bahá'í leaders, unjustly imprisoned for nine years as of the 14th of May. The theme of the campaign, "Not Another Year," was intended to raise awareness about the seven women and men unjustly arrested in 2008 and sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for their religious beliefs. This sentence was reduced to 10 years in 2015 after the overdue application of a new Iranian Penal Code. [BWNS1167] The official video of the Bahá'í International Community to commemorate the 9th anniversary of the arrest and imprisonment of seven Iranian Bahá'í leaders - Not Another Year.	Yaran; Court cases; Human rights; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; Iran
2017 19 Apr 201-	Houthi-Saleh political security officers arrested Walid Ayyash, Mahmood Humaid, and Badi'u'llah Sanai, all members of the Bahá'í community, at a checkpoint near the city border of Hudiedah. Sanai was released one week later, but was re-arrested in May. All three remain detained, their whereabouts unknown. [UN News Centre 22 May 2017] In total over 25 Bahá'ís, including many prominent members of the Bahá'í community who assisted with organization of community affairs at the national level were arrested around the time. In October it was reported that eight Bahá'ís were still detained but the place of detention was not known. [BWNS1215]	Persecution, Yemen; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Yemen
2017 3 Mar 201-	The publication of Toward Prosperity The Role of Women and Men in Building a Flourishing World Civilization, the Bahá'í International Community's contribution to the 61st United Nations Commission on the Status of Women which took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 13 to 24 March 2017 as a follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and to the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century". [BIC Statements]	Toward Prosperity; New York, USA; New York, USA
2017 Jul 201-	The men who admitted to stabbing and killing Farhang Amiri, a 63-year-old father of four children, in September 2016 in Yazd on the street outside his home in public view were sentenced by a court in Yazd. The two brothers immediately admitted to have been motivated by religious hatred. "He was a Baha'i, we killed him to buy paradise for our seven generations". The older brother was sentenced to just 11 years in prison and two years away from home. The court justified the sentence by stating that according to the Islamic penal code, the accused and the victim are not equal for the general purpose of retributive justice. This astonishing provision clearly and deliberately deprives non-Muslims of the legal right to seek justice on equal-footing with the country's Muslim majority. The younger man was sentenced to half of his brother's sentence for aiding in the murder. [BWNS1182]	Farhang Amiri; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution, Court cases; Court cases; Human rights; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Yazd, Iran; Iran
2017 25 Aug 201-	The announcement of the opening of the new Pilgrim Reception Centre. The three-story stone structure, which is located immediately to the west of the Shrine of the Bab, was opened in time to receive the season's first pilgrim group in October, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh. [BWNS1188]	Pilgrimage; Pilgrim Reception Centre (Haifa); Pilgrim Houses; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; - Bahá'í World Centre; Pilgrims; - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel
2017 17 Nov 201-	A committee of the United Nations General Assembly condemned Iran by a vote of 83 to 30 with 68 abstentions for its continuing violations of human rights, the 30th such resolution since 1985. The Third Committee of the General Assembly approved a five-page resolution expressing concern over illegal practices ranging from torture, poor prison conditions, arbitrary detention, and curbs on freedom of religion or belief, to state-endorsed discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities as well as women. The resolution expressed specific concern over Iran's treatment of members of the Bahá'í Faith and highlighted the economic and educational discrimination against them and called on Iran to release the more than 90 Bahá'ís who were unjustly held in Iranian prisons. The resolution followed a strongly worded document from the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Asma Jahangir. Her 23-page report, released earlier this session, she catalogued a broad range of rights violations by Iran. [BWNS1221]	United Nations; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); New York, USA; United States (USA)
2017 28 Sep 201-	The Universal House of Justice announced the launch of a new website, created in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, and Persian. This portal will be used to share news of the commemoration of the Twin Holy Days throughout the world. Included on that portal was the Message from the Universal House of Justice date October 2017 regarding the celebration of the Bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh.	Bahá'u'lláh, Birth of; Centenaries; Twin Holy days; Holy days; Websites; Internet; * Publications; * Translation; - Bahá'í World Centre
2017 18 Oct 201-	The release of the film Light to the World. The 51 minute film recounted the story of Bahá'u'lláh's remarkable life and the impact of His teachings on communities around the world. [BWNS1208]	Light to the World (film); - Film; - Documentaries; - Documentaries, BWC; * Bahaullah (chronology); - Institute process; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Basic timeline, Expanded; Centenaries; - Bahá'í World Centre
2017 22 Oct 201-	The bicentenary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh was commemorated around the world. A multi-lingual web page was implemented to track the celebrations. [BWNS1212]	Bahá'u'lláh, Birth of; Twin Holy days; Holy days; * Bahaullah (chronology); Centenaries; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre
2017 22 Oct 201-	Yemeni security forces raided a Bahá'í gathering in Sana'a opening fire on the small group of people assembled to commemorate the bicentenary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh. The attack occurred in the family home of prominent tribal leader Walid Ayyash, who had been abducted in April and whose whereabouts were unknown. The attackers were reportedly in four cars and an armored vehicle which they used to break down the front door of the house. They arrested Mr. Ayyash's brother, Akram Ayyash. This event proved unequivocally the extent of Iran's role in the persecution of the Bahá'ís in Yemen, especially in Sana'a, which was under the control of Iranian-backed militias. Similar attacks occurred in Iran during the period of celebration of the bicentennial of the birth of Bahá'úlláh. [BWNS1215]	Persecution, Yemen; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Bahá'u'lláh, Birth of; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Walid Ayyash; Sanaa, Yemen; Yemen; Iran
2017 18 - 22 Oct 201-	The Iranian Bahá'í community was targeted during the bicentenary period. Between 18 and 21 October, some 19 individuals were arrested in Kermanshah, Tehran, and Birjand, and the homes 25 Baha'is were raided. Twenty-six Bahá'í-owned shops around the country were sealed off by authorities because the owners observed the Holy Day on 21 October. These closures occurred in Shiraz, Marvdasht, Gorgan, and Gonbad. [BWNS1215]	* Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Bahá'u'lláh, Birth of; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Iran; Kirmánsháh, Iran; Tehran, Iran; Bírjand, Iran; Shíráz, Iran; Marvdasht, Iran; Gorgan, Iran; Gonbad, Iran
2017 Sep 201-	Arrests of Bahá'ís in Yemen drew international censure which led to a United Nations resolution, titled "Human Rights, Technical Assistance and Capacity-building in Yemen". It was introduced by Egypt on behalf of the Arab Group and supported by the entire UN Human Rights Council—calling for the immediate release of all Bahá'í detainees. The Council was the principal human rights body at the UN and was composed of 47 members who are elected by the General Assembly based on equitable geographic distribution. At the time of the resolution there were seven Bahá'ís in prison in Yemen, most of whom are held in undisclosed locations and one of which has been detained for nearly four years due to repeatedly postponement court-hearings. Arrest warrants had been issued for over a dozen others, while a number of families had been forced to leave their homes. Developments in Yemen indicated that the authorities' prosecution of individuals had broadened in scope to be against the Bahá'í community in general and that efforts were being made to turn public opinion against all of the Bahá'ís under the premise that they are secretly plotting to stir unrest in Yemen. The resolution established a Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts tasked with monitoring and reporting on the situation on human rights in Yemen. It was also mandated to carry out a comprehensive examination of all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights in the country. [BIC News 3 October 2017, UN Human Rights Council – 36th Session, Agenda Item 10]	Persecution, Yemen; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; United Nations; Human rights; Geneva, Switzerland; Switzerland; Yemen
2017 near the end of Oct 201-	Fariba Kamalabadi, a member of the former leadership group of the Bahá'ís called the "Yaran", concluded her ten-year prison sentence. She was the second individual from among the former Yaran to be released. She, along with five others, were arrested on the 14th of May, 2008. Mrs. Kamalabadi had graduated from high school with honours but was barred from attending university because of her Faith. In her mid-30s, she embarked on an eight-year period of informal study and ultimately received an advanced degree in developmental psychology from the Bahá'í Institute of Higher Education (BIHE), an alternative institution established by the Bahá'í community of Iran to provide higher education for its young people. She worked as a developmental psychologist before her arrest and imprisonment. She was married with three children. Along with the deprivations of imprisonment itself (she had spent 2 1/2 years of the 10-year sentence in solitary confinement), Mrs. Kamalabadi was also deprived of irreplaceable family moments, including the birth of her first grandchild and the weddings of her daughters. She was 55 years old upon her release. [BWNS1217] See Huffington Post for an article entitled "Iran's Bahá'í Problem" by Payam Akhavan about the visit of Ms. Faezeh Hashemi, the well-known daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who made a visit to her home while she was on leave from prison. Ms Hashemi, herself a former MP, was heavily criticized after she met with Ms Kamalabadi while the latter was on leave from prision. See the article in The Guardian for details.	Yaran; * Persecution, Iran; Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE); Court cases; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; - Persecution, Education; Court cases; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Tehran, Iran; Iran
2017 15 Feb 201-	The Bahá'í International Community announced the launch of a website for the Bahá'ís of Iran at Bahaisofiran.org. "Although the official website of the worldwide Bahá'í community had recently been made available in Persian and a number of other languages, the new "Baha'is of Iran" website was the first website of the Bahá'í community of Iran. This development was especially important at a time when a large volume of anti-Bahá'í propaganda had proliferated in that country. Since 2013 alone, more than 20,000 such pieces had been disseminated in Iran's media." [BWNS1152, The Baha'i Question Revisited] Web sites for other national communities can be found at A Global Community.	Websites; Internet; * Publications; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; Iran


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