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Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 2023-08, sorted by date, ascending

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2023 5 Aug
202-
On July 31, 2022, the Ministry of Intelligence conducted a large-scale, systematic raid on the homes of numerous Bahá'í citizens. Saman Ostovar was arrested as part of this operation. He was released on bail after spending four and a half months in temporary detention. Subsequently, the Revolutionary Court of Karaj handed down a sentence of five years in prison, and a five-year deprivation of social rights after his prison term. He was also exiled from Alborz province for two years and prohibited from leaving Iran for 2 years. A two-year ban on engaging in any educational and cultural activities was also imposed. Since 2017 Ostavar and friends had been operating a private school, "Saman's School", their own educational initiative, outside the standard school system. The school was shut down and no consideration was given to the academic needs of its students.
  • He began serving his sentence on the 5th of August, 2023. [IranWire 5 September 2023]
  • * Persecution, Iran; Karaj, Iran; Iran
    2023 11 Aug
    202-
    The Tehran Court of Appeal maintained the original rulings against Baha'i citizens, Mahvash Sabet (Shahriari) and Fariba Kamalabadi, confirming their 20-year prison terms. Initially, both women were sentenced to ten years, along with additional penalties by the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of "forming and leading groups to act against national security." Following these apprehensions, the Ministry of Intelligence released a video portraying these individuals as spies, alleging their involvement in infiltrating kindergartens to propagate their beliefs and advocating for the removal of hijab.

    A source close to Sabet's family revealed that Sabet, aged 70, is battling multiple illnesses that have been aggravated by her prolonged imprisonment. Over the past few months, she has faced several hospitalizations. [Iran Press Watch 11 August 2-23]

    They, along with fellow former member of the "Yaran", Mr Afif Naimi, had been arrested on the 31st of July at the outset of the summer crackdown. [BIC News 18 November 2022]

    * Persecution, Iran; Yaran; Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2023 13 Aug
    202-
    The arrest of Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, a 90-year-old Bahá'í in failing health who had already served 10 years in prison (2008-2018) for his membership in the Yaran. His arrest, along with his daughter, Maria Khanjani, were part of a new wave of repression targeting the Bahá'ís that has seen over 180 incidents of persecution against the community in recent weeks. Note

    Mr. Khanjani's arrest comes days after two other Bahá'í women and former Yaran members, Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamalabadi, received confirmation of their 10-year prison terms which were upheld this week on appeal. A fourth member of the Yaran, Afif Naimi was also arrested a year ago and has recently received a seven-year jail term. His brother, Enoyatollah, was sentenced to 18 years in prison by Judge Morteza Barati of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court, 10 years for "organizing a group or association aimed at undermining national security" and to five years in prison for "propaganda against the regime". If the verdict is upheld by the appeals court,Naimi must serve the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The court also sentenced him to a fine of 50 million tomans and deprived him of his civil rights for 15 years. [Iranwire 15 may 2023]

    Nine other Bahá'ís were also arrested on the same day as Mr Khanjani. They are the owners and employees of a number of pharmacy businesses, which were sealed and shut down by the authorities. They have been accused of disrupting pharmaceutical supplies. In the face of growing solidarity between the Bahá'ís and the general population the government is trying to drive a wedge by calling these legitimate Bahá'í-owned trading businesses "hoarders". These new arrests have taken the number of Bahá'ís arrested or imprisoned in recent weeks to almost 60 incidents. During the same period, over 26 Bahá'ís also received sentences for jail terms that could begin at any time. Further, 18 Bahá'ís have faced interrogations. Fifty-nine Bahá'í-owned businesses were reported to have been sealed by the authorities and the homes of nine others were raided and searched. The brutal crackdown is reminiscent of August last year, where over 300 incidents of persecution against the Bahá'ís occurred in one month alone. [BIC News 16 August 2023; HRANA]

    * Persecution, Iran; Yaran; Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2023 14 - 18 Aug
    202-
    The Parliament was held in Chicago at McCormick Place. The theme was A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom & Human Rights. There were more than 7,000 attendees representing more that 95 countries. [Chicago 2023] Parliament of the World's Religions; Chicago, IL; United States (USA)
    2023 Aug
    202-
    The release of the compilation To Set the World in Order: Building and Preserving Strong Marriages prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. Marriage; - Bahá'í World Centre
    2023 22 Aug
    202-
    The launch of the Townshend Taherzadeh Library and Archives established in honour of George Townshend (1876-1957), the founding figure of the Irish Bahá'í Community, and Adib Taherzadeh (1921-2000), a father figure during its formative years. the library's primary founding objectives are to promote, preserve and provide accessibility to the rich history and development of the Bahá'í Faith in the island of Ireland and throughout the world, and to become a centre of learning and research for future generations.

    Website.

    Waterford, Ireland; Ireland
    2023 8 Aug
    202-
    The publication of Servant to the Servants; Roy C. Wilhelm, Hand of the Cause of God by Joel Nizin, Kathryn Jewett Hogenson and Gary L. Hogenson. It was published by Bahá'í Publishing in Evanson, IL. * Publications; Roy C. Wilhelm
    2023 26 Aug
    202-
    The publication of Baha'i Community of the British Isles 1844–1963 by Adam Thorne, Moojan Momen, Janet Rose, Earl Redman. It was published by George Ronald Publishers.

    The British Bahá'í community has been in existence since 1899 and its elected national leadership council, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles (later the United Kingdom), was first elected in 1923. Although a number of monographs, articles and biographies have appeared over the years, no overall survey of the community's history has yet been published. The Bahá'í Community of the British Isles, 1844–1963 is an attempt to fill some of the gap.

    Oxford, England; United Kingdom
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