The Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights

“Can You Solve This” builds steam in the wake of EU condemnation of Iran

Suzan — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 06:06:57 +0000

6 September 2011: In a clear statement, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton unequivocally condemned the Iranian regime for it’s persistent persecution of the Baha’i minority in Iran, specifically mentioning the crackdown on the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education and the arrest of its leaders earlier this summer.

Such statements only highlight the importance of grassroots campaigns that continue to speak out about the plight of minorities in Iran. The “Can You Solve This?” campaign has sent over 1,700 letters to top European leaders, including Secretary-General of the UN, Ban-Ki Moon, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay, and German Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Guido Westerwelle. Tireless campaign activists and media attention from Mashable and more have helped bring the message of the denial of education in Iran to thousands more. “Can You Solve This?” is gearing up to launch globally, after having successfully stickered and QR coded many German cities. With the coordinated global efforts of grassroots activists around the world, Catherine Ashton won’t be the only top official to speak out against the persecution of the Baha’i community and the global problem of the denial of education that we can all help solve.

To bring the campaign to your city, or to find events happening locally, email us at hello@can-you-solve-this.org.

Berlin and Hamburg Can Solve This!

Suzan — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:42 +0000

The denial of access to education in Iran is a problem, a global problem. Iran thinks it can dictate who is allowed to educated themselves, who is allowed to advance in society, who is allowed to achieve their dreams. And who is not. Not only are Baha’is excluded from higher education simply for their beliefs, but so are political dissidents, musicians and artists, bloggers, and many others. Some of the best and the brightest youth of Iran are forced to either emigrate or forgo higher education; it is all of Iran that will suffer the loss of such potential.

The “Can You Solve This” campaign launched in Berlin and Hamburg over the weekend. Volunteers distributed thousands of postcards, stickers, and even street graffiti to get people to stop and find out what they need to solve. The QR code scans to the can-you-solve-this website where they can watch the video in German or English and are encouraged to send letters to UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay, and German Ministor for Foreign Affairs Dr Guido Westerwelle.

QR codes, big and small, have been spread throughout the two cities, and there are plans to launch in cities around the world.

Campaign in action: a passer by scans one of the postcards that links to the site.

The reaction… an education about the denial of education.

The campaign has already reached thousands; besides online pages, postcards, and stickers, volunteers were able to get their message to hundreds of people enjoying a summer concert.

Help spread the word. The campaign video is available in both English and German. Together we can solve this.

Can You Solve This?

Suzan — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:23:42 +0000

You can.
Join the digital campaign for the right of education in Iran.

Thousands of young Baha’is, filled with creative potential, eager to advance their lives and their communities, are stopped at the door by a big problem with the face of the Iranian regime and its track record of violating human rights.

Baha’i youth face incredible challenges at all levels of their education. They are harassed and persecuted in primary and secondary education. Students are threatened with expulsion, or sometimes forced to change their name or conceal their faith. Baha’i youth have been regularly denied access to universities, or what’s worse, allowed access only to have it revoked at the revelation that the student is Bah’ai. An innovative initiative on behalf of the Baha’i community, the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education, was formed in order to fill the gap that the regime’s perseuction was leaving in Baha’i communities. But BIHE has been targeted, it’s leaders and professors arrested, despite how well or effective the university itself may be.

An entire generation is being prevented from being allowed to educate itself. As Baha’i youth are stopped from gaining the skills they need to build successful communities, the cycle of state persecution will only deepen. ”Can you solve this?” is a campaign that aims to bring attention to human rights abuses in Iran. In particular, it focuses on the systematic denial of education which the Iranian government uses as a tool of persecution toward university students.

Can you solve this?

Baha’i Rights Day: Strength in Solidarity

Suzan — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 20:50:05 +0000

Yesterday, 11 July 2011, was the 3rd Annual Baha’i Rights Day, but it came and went with little comment. Not many endeavors of this nature have been undertaken, and even fewer have taken off with much public awareness, particularly among primarily Muslim communities. This site wishes to change that.

The Baha’i Faith has suffered targeted persecution at the hands of the Iranian state for years. Only Muslims, Christians and Jews are officially “recognized” by the state, and as such, not only are Baha’is invisible in Iranian society, Iran has implemented specific measures to stop the spread of the Baha’i Faith and to imprison or convert its followers. Awareness of the Baha’i plight in Iran does not travel much farther than the immigration of its followers. In the context of yet more arrests in Iran, arrests of Muslims and Baha’is, our silence becomes compliance, and acceptance of the persecution of others because of what they believe in. We do not accept this persecution for our own beliefs, and we do not accept it for the beliefs of others. The call for support for Baha’i human and religious rights is more important now then ever.

The Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights would like to formally invite you to join us in extending a hand of solidarity towards Baha’is around the world. Please take the time to educate yourself, through this site and others, about the extensive human rights abuses against Baha’is, and what is being done about them. Then take the time to educate someone else. Ask your friends and family if they accept what is happening to Baha’is, and if they do not know what the Baha’i Faith is, tell them about it. Below is a list of actions from our 2009 blog post that is still relevant.

How you can help:

Please inform your friends, family and colleagues that on July 11 they should tweet, blog, Facebook or create any material in support of Baha’i human rights everywhere, specifically in Iran where Baha’is have been severely persecuted against for the past 30 years.

Please use your influence to try and get as many journalists as possible to formally recognize this day and write about Baha’is in Iran or the remaining struggles of Baha’is in Egypt and other countries.

Please contact other bloggers and request that they dedicate at least that single day (July 11) to write about Baha’is and their rights.

Please tweet about it consistently on July 11 and use the #BahaiRights hashtag in order for people to locate. The idea is to make #BahaiRights a top trend on July 11.

If you are an artist, a website designer, a musician, or anyone with creative skills please create material in honor of this day and in the name of all the Baha’i victims around the world who suffered persecution and violent discrimination for decades.

Finally, you do not have to be a Baha’i to participate! Please make others aware of that. It does mean something that this day was created primarily by non-Baha’is who would like other non-Baha’is (especially Muslims) to recognize and act upon the abuse taking place in our name.

We do not have to wait for a specific day to stand up against human rights abuses. Make a goal to at least one of the above actions each day this week, and continue doing one of the above actions at least once a week. May the next year be filled with even stronger resistance against injustice, and may the next July 11th bring with it new freedom for Baha’is and awareness around the world.

Inspired by our faith, we know that human rights belong to everyone, including those whose religion we do not share. One of my favorite and most well known hadiths from Sahih Muslim says, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘Whoever of you sees something wrong should change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart, and that is the weakest form of belief.’”

Hate the injustice against Baha’is in your heart; right it with your tongue by spreading awareness about Bahai’s to as many people as you can, and change this injustice with your hand, by extending your hand in solidarity with all people wanting religious freedom around the world.

Wave of International Response in Light of Third Anniversary of the Arrest of Seven Baha’i Leaders

Suzan — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:15:19 +0000

The third anniversary of the arrest of seven leaders of the Baha’i faith came amid news of three new arrests of Baha’i citizens and the expulsion of two Bahai’i students from Qeshm University. In light of these events, recent statements about the situation of Baha’is in Iran made by various groups and organizations all over the world hold increased importance. As Iran continues to intentionally target the persecution of its Baha’i population, it’s crimes have begun to attract increased condemnation and attention from all levels of civic society around the world.

On June 17th, several activist organizations in the United Kingdom hosted a seminar in the Houses of Parliament that “explored the crisis of human rights in Iran”. It was attended by Nazila Ghanea, the editor of the Journal of Religion & Human Rights, by women’s rights activist Shadi Sadr, and Member of Parliament Louise Ellman, among others. The seminar emphasized that the religious persecution and harassment are instigated and propagated by the Iranian regime, which often harasses businesses, universities and other members of civil society to get rid of individuals who belong to “deviant groups”, such as Baha’is.

Meanwhile, on June 20th a group of about 800 people rallied in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to support the human rights of “deviant groups”. In honor of Brazil’s thriving Baha’i population, the rally was attended by representatives of the government, many of Brazil’s religious communities, and many civil society organizations.

In a poignant display of solidarity, 8,000 pictures of the faces of the seven arrested Baha’i leaders were on display on the beach, to correspond with their 8,000 days of imprisonment. Brazilian congressman Chico Alencar summed up the message of the day with his statement, ”Religious freedom is something that cannot be touched.”

On June 28th, one of the lawyers of the seven Baha’i leaders tried to convince the European Parliament meeting in Belgium to demand such religious freedom from Iran. In a passionate speech, Mahnaz Parakand stated that the expectation of the people of Iran is “not to be left alone by the governments and international organizations whose primary policy is the respect of humanity and human rights…”

And Iran most certainly should not be left alone. Even as two more Baha’is arrested in the raid on the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education are released, more remain in Iranian prisons even after the international community took a strong stance against the arrests. Iran’s human rights abuses must continue to be condemned, and we must extend our solidarity to the Baha’i community from all levels.

Iranian State Attacks Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education

Suzan — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:16:41 +0000

A Bahá’í World News Service report describes the latest wave of a concentrated effort to restrict the Bahá’í Faith. Iranian officials have raided 30 Bahá’í homes and arrested up to 16 leaders of the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) and accused them of “spreading the faith of a misled group … and setting a trap for the citizens.” Since then, nine have been reportedly released.

Considering Iran does not permit followers of the Bahá’í faith into their university programs, the BIHE is one of the main tools of self-preservation and advancement for the Bahai’i community in Iran. The arrests echo similar raids that occurred in the late 1990s, where 36 Bahá’í educators were arrested, although most of them were shortly released. Bahá’í students are regularly denied from access to higher education, and even younger Bahá’í students are harassed and persecuted because of their faith. BIHE has served as an invaluable resource for the advancement of Baha’is by providing them with access to higher education, mostly through online classes. The physical headquarters of the BIHE had been housed in the homes of a few faculty and professors, but was shut down by the Iranian authorities in 2000.

As far as is known, these Bahá’í leaders have been arrested for nothing other than their faith, as further evidence of the extensive persecution of religious minorities in Iran. However, by targeting the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education, the Iranian state is also denying the Baha’i community a fundamental right to development and denying them a crucial part of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Considering the demand for an educated population in a globalised community, and the difficulty even Iranians of the majority have obtaining employment, this further obstacle in the path of Bahá’í education is an effective means of keeping the community marginalized and suffocating it even without the use of traditional violence.

Baha’is of Egypt Address Fellow Countrymen Following the Revolution

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 12:59:17 +0000

In an open letter to fellow Egyptians, the Baha’is of Egypt proposed a number of suggestions for the betterment of Egypt at this critical juncture, based on the teaching of the Baha’i faith. In the letter, the Baha’is of Egypt express their view that the January 25th uprising demonstrates the collective desire of Egyptians to “exercise greater control over our destiny”. The letter sees the uprising as a sign that Egyptian society has reached a new stage in its development. They add that “the events that have taken place in Egypt can be seen as a response to forces that are, in fact, drawing the entire human race towards greater maturity and interdependence.”

The letter suggests a number of principals for the betterment of Egypt following the revolution. The writers of the letter state that “a mature society demonstrates one feature above all others: a recognition of the oneness of humanity.” Many principles can be derived from “this fundamental truth -the oneness of humanity”. The principles suggested by the Baha’is include the equality between genders – an end to the exclusion of women from full participation of the affairs of the Egyptian nation. Another principle is the importance of education that allows each Egyptian youth to “fulfil their innate potential to contribute to the progress of society.” The corruption afflicting Egypt must be dealt with to allow young people to harness their talent and gain employment “on the basis of merit, not privilege”. The letter also highlights the importance of equality, stating that “the collective resources of the human race should therefore be expended for the benefit of all, not just a fraction. Neglect of this ideal has a particularly destabilizing influence on society, as extremes of wealth and poverty exacerbate existing social tensions and provoke unrest.”

Read the full letter in English or in the original Arabic.

Podcast: The religious minorities in Egypt after Jan. 25th

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:46:47 +0000

What’s like to belong to a religious minority in Egypt after January 25th? Will the long history of oppression get worsened or relieved? To better know, we’ve interviewed four young activists who represent a major portion of the religious minorities in Egypt; a Baha’i, an atheist, a secular, and a Christian, in quest for their opinions, reflections, thoughts, ideas, and hopes about the Egyptian people’s uprising which made the news for the last 2 consecutive months.

To better understand the situation, the listener has to put in mind that Egypt hosts two major religious institutions, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria established in the middle of the 1st century by Saint Mark the Evangelist, and Al-Azhar University founded in 970 A.D by the Fatimids as the first Islamic University in the world. Cairo has a unique cityscape with its ancient mosques, especially around the area of Old Cairo. Cairo is also known as the “city of a thousand minarets.”

Egypt’s “recognized” religions are Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and more recently the “Dash religion,” which denotes the Baha’i faith according the the state. The Bahai’s of Egypt, who were granted their basic rights to issue an ID after uphill trials and long waiting years, still face a lot of problems though. You’re not allowed, by state, to believe in any other religion, or practise any other rites. Egypt is a predominantly Sunni Muslim country with Islam as the recognized state religion. The percentage of the adherents of various religions is a controversial topic in Egypt, with different sources citing different figures. According to public figures, around 90% are identified as Muslim “by birth or by I.D.,” however it’s nearly impossible to estimate accurate figures, because it’s considered “deadly” to announce a convert publicly. A significant number of Muslim Egyptians also follow native Sufi orders, and there is a minority of Shi’a. Islam plays a central role in the lives of most Egyptian Muslims, however the state of ambivalence is a wide trend in Egypt. The Adhan (Islamic call to prayer) is heard five times a day, and has the informal effect of regulating the pace of everything from business to media and entertainment. Cairo also comprises a significant number of church towers.

According to the current constitution of Egypt, until Saturday’s referendum, any new legislation must at least implicitly, but ambiguously, agree with Islamic law; however, the constitution bans political parties with a religious agenda, moreover the constitution is mostly secular, except for the personal status laws which are derived from Sharia Law.

Religious minorities face discrimination and marginalization on many levels. In terms of religious freedom, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life ranks Egypt as the fifth worst country in the world, after Saudi Arabia, Iran, Uzbekistan and China. In addition, Egypt ranks among the 12 worst countries in the world in terms of religious violence against religious minorities and in terms of social hostilities against Christians in specific. Furthermore, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has placed Egypt on its watch list for religious freedom that requires close monitoring due to the nature and extent of violations of religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by the government.*

Listen to the podcast now or download it!

Mideast Youth Podcast: Broadcasting Ahead
Originally posted on MideastYouth.com by Ahmed Zidan

Baha’i Homes Set on Fire Again in Egypt – UPDATED

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:20:18 +0000

The Egyptian paper Youm 7 reported yesterday that two homes of Baha’is were set on fire in Shuraniya village, in the Sohag governorate. The group of people responsible for the arson also stole property of the Baha’is.

The arson did not result in human casualties because the owners of the homes had fled Shuraniya and have been living in Cairo since their homes were previously torched in March 2009, fearing additional attacks. 40 Baha’i families from the village fled it following the attacks and are still unable to return to them. While several people were arrested after the previous arson attack, they were later released and no charges were brought against anyone. The March 2009 attack targeted five homes of Baha’is following anti-Baha’i incitement on Egyptian TV.

Update: The Daily News Egypt is reporting that police involvement is suspected in the arson. It also reports that the arson happened a few days before the Baha’i home owners were expected to return to Shuraniya.

According to Adel Ramadan, the Head of the legal unit of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, “a group of Baha’is had asked state security police to secure their return to their homes. They were told that they can return on Tuesday, and suddenly we found people attacking homes.” He added that “we have strong evidence that two state security officers incited the people to attack the homes of Baha’is.” Bahaa Abdel-Rahman, a Baha’i home owner who fled Shuraniya after the 2009 arson is quoted in the paper as saying that “people told us that the police had left the village an hour before the attacks, which proves their involvement in inciting people.”

Wave of Arson Attacks against Baha’i Businesses in Rafsanjan, Iran

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 17:58:12 +0000

In the last two months there have been nine reported cases of arson targeting Baha’i businesses in Rafsanjan, Iran.

Reports coming from human rights activists in Iran indicate that during November and December 2010 nine arson attacks were carried out targeting Baha’i-owned business. One of the victims was a Muslim owner of a coffee shop who was mistakenly identified as a Baha’i in a newsletter of Mahdi Ma`ud Cultural Foundation, which made him a target. The names of the Baha’is targeted are Siavoch Rushangir (two attacks), Ali Shakir (two attacks), Mahbub Bandi, Mas`ud Mibadi, Iraj Payandeh, Mujid Payandeh and Ali `Amadi. After the previous arson, Ali Shakir took measures to prevent future arson, including renting properties near his electronics store. The assailants managed to set the store on fire again on December 19th by pouring flammable substance through a hole in the ceiling of the store.

Following complaints from Baha’is about this recent string of attacks the leader of Friday prayer in Rafsanjan said: “What right do these Bahais have to complain? They are not even entitled to live.”

Below is a video from the most recent attack filmed by HRANA showing the fire and enormous destruction caused by the attack.