Unlike Iran’s Jewish, Christian, and Zoroastrian communities, which are accorded constitutional protection, the Iranian government does not recognize the Baha’i Faith and considers its adherents to be apostates from Shi’a Islam. Since the Islamic revolution in 1979, the Iranian government has put in effect various discriminatory policies against the Baha’is, including limiting access to education and employment. Go to Human Rights Watch.

Iran’s judiciary is deciding on prison sentences for seven leaders of the Bahai community, who are being put on trial behind closed doors in Tehran, the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency reported. Bahai is an outlawed faith in the Shiite Muslim republic.

Arrested in 2008, the five men and two women, who acted as an unofficial leadership council for the faith’s Iranian community, are accused of espionage and collaboration with Israel, Iran’s archenemy. Bahai representatives have denied the charges.

“Iran’s own law says that you can’t be in jail without charges for over two months,” said Shastri Purushotma, human rights officer for the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais of the United States. “Iran has violated their own law by keeping them in jail for so long.” Go to Washington Post.

In a statement, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip Crowley said reports indicate that “as many as 48 Baha’is are currently imprisoned in Iran solely on the basis of their religious beliefs. … These persons,” said Mr. Crowley, “are entitled to due process. The right to a fair and public hearing is embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Iran’s constitution provides the right to legal representation in criminal cases, as does the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Iran is a party.” Go to VOA.

“He was accepted to one of the best medical schools in Iran, but after the revolution, he was kicked out,” Anis said. He added that his friend, like many Bahais, had stayed in order to “demand your right as a Bahai to live in Iran.” Iran is where the faith was founded and is considered its spiritual home.

The decision is never easy, said Anis, 45. Bahais and others can be arrested at any time.

“Every Bahai there is in danger because apparently we’re the black sheep, and if anything happens, they blame the Bahais.”

The Bahai faith is a 150 year-old religion founded by Baha’u'llah, who claimed to be the latest messenger from God and was imprisoned for his beliefs. It has 5 million followers worldwide, 160,000 of them in the U.S. and 3,000 in the Washington metro area. There are about 300,000 Bahais in Iran. Go to Washington Post.

As the Iranian government struggles to contain growing demands for freedom and democracy from its courageous people, it is flailing around trying to deflect blame for the protests. Foreign media and other countries, including Britain, have been accused of encouraging unrest. But the regime is also ­worryingly turning on all too familiar scapegoats within Iran.

Once again, followers of the Bahá’í faith within the country are in the firing line. Fresh arrests and harassment of Bahá’ís in recent days have been accompanied by increasingly extreme proclamations in the state-run media against this gentle and unifying religion. Bahá’ís find themselves once more accused of co-operating with Israel to undermine their own country.

What is even more disturbing is news that the long-delayed trial of the country’s seven-strong Bahá’í leadership is about to start. Lawyers acting for the five men and two women have been told that the revolutionary court will begin to hear the case today. Go to Guardian.

Iranian authorities have added new charges against 7 Baha’i leaders detained since 2008, under which they could be executed if convicted, and have arrested at least 12 more members of the religious minority, while desensitizing the Iranian population with propaganda campaigns against the Baha’is, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. In news reports broadcast nationally, commentators have claimed that recent Ashura demonstrations were masterminded by Baha’is, although no evidence has been produced to support the accusations. Go to ICHR Iran.

Baha’i representatives say that Iranian police have arrested 13 members of the that religious community for alleged involvement in antigovernment protests, RFE/RL’s Radio Farda reports.

Ala’i said the 13 Baha’is were arrested on January 3.

She said “they have been asked to sign a commitment letter promising not to attend protests in the future. However, they did not attend the [Ashura day] rally.”

Ala’i said that although three of those arrested have been released, 10 remain incarcerated at Evin Prison in Tehran.

She said that there are a total of 48 Baha’is in Iranian jails. Go to Radio Free Europe.

IND:  A piece about the difficulties the Bahai’s face in Iran. Go to Telegraph.

Although raising awareness for the Baha’i persecutions in Iran, Shohreh’s words also speak of human rights for all in Iran.

For over 150 years, the Baha’is have been oppressed in Iran. Waves of systematic persecution at the hands of the government and clergy has sought to expel, intimidate, and eliminate those who would believe in Baha’u'llah. Go to Examiner.

Iran reportedly plans next week to put on trial seven Baha’i prisoners accused of espionage, even though one of their lawyers has become a fellow detainee and the other is outside the country.  The death penalty trial was delayed from last month and now human rights activists are concerned that closed-door proceedings without the lawyers will result in a judicial farce. Go to CNN.