TORONTO – B’nai Brith Canada has responded to the call of Canada’s Baha’i community to spotlight the human-rights abusing regime of Iran, which has intensified persecution of its Baha’i citizens. For nearly three decades, the Iranian regime has engaged in a campaign of persecution against the Baha’i community, the largest religious minority in that country. According to documentary evidence from Baha’i members, Iran is reinvigorating its campaign of discrimination, this time specifically targeting Baha’i children.

An intensified campaign against the Baha’i in Iran was the focus of community forum last Wednesday at the downtown Baha’i Centre.

The Baha’i religion, which combines the teachings of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, was founded in Iran in the 17th century. Its world headquarters are on Mount Carmel in Haifa.   It has always suffered persecution in Islamic Iran, even under the days of the Shah.

Roya Mostaghim with the Baha’i Centre in Toronto told the Jewish Tribune, “Even under the Shah I had to be cautious. I was told in school that I was such a good student, but it was a shame that I am a Baha’i. (Her grandparents were Jewish and she came to Canada at a young age.)

But since the Shah was overthrown by the Islamic revolution in 1979 – under Ayatollahs Khomeini and now Khamanei – the persecution of Baha’i followers has taken on a much more virulent, ominous tone. This persecution was detailed during the forum by Dr. Gerald Filson, director of external affairs for the Baha’i Community of Canada.

“Between 1979, when the ayatollahs took over Iran, to 1985, there were many executions of Baha’i leaders,” Dr. Filson said.  

Then on Feb. 25, 1991, a document written by the secretary of the Supreme Revolutionary Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and signed by the supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, specified, among other edicts, that the Baha’i “be expelled from universities, once it is known that they are Baha’i; their political espionage activities must be dealt with according to government laws and policies; they should be denied employment if they identify themselves as Baha’i; they should be denied any position of influence, especially in the educational sector, and a plan must be devised to confront and destroy their cultural roots outside the country.”

According to Dr. Filson, “from 2006-08 (when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who seeks to wipe Israel off the map, became the Iranian president after Ayatollah Khamanei disqualified most of his opponents), hate articles appeared in the official newspapers of the Iran regime. Members of the Baha’i faith were arrested and their bail were the deeds to their property. Baha’i homes were bulldozed and there was a regime-sanctioned economic boycott of Baha’i businesses.

“On Aug. 5, 2007, Baha’i employees of the government were removed from their jobs without their pensions. Ayatollah Khamanei himself issued a document calling the Baha’i religion a ‘misguided sect’ and prescribed new means of educational discrimination against the Baha’i adherents, which included educational persecution even against young children.”

Dr. Filson said, “The Iran regime called on teachers to oppress young Baha’i children in their classes. The Iran educational system vilified the Baha’i faith. Baha’i students and teachers were tortured. There has been a recent sharp increase in the persecution of the Baha’i in Iran.”

According to both Dr. Filson and Mostaghim, the UN has taken a stand and majority resolutions in the General Assembly have been passed condemning Iran, which has one of the worst human rights records in the world. Canada has done well in this regard, according to Dr. Filson. “Canada has introduced a resolution against Iran in the UN.

“Iran replied by introducing their own resolution denouncing Canada as having the worst human rights record in the world!”

 But while such resolutions might have kept the Baha’i in Iran alive up until now, their fate, according to Mostaghim, remains in grave danger. And, according to Dr. Filson, “more than 70 young people are awaiting execution in Iran; 54 other young people who worked in self-starting social welfare and education projects without regime permission were arrested in Shiraz (Iran’s third largest city) and sentenced to four years each in jail.”

Brutal torture most likely awaits these imprisoned students.

Anita Bromberg, director of the legal department with B’nai Brith Canada, took the opportunity to pledge her organization’s support for the Baha’i persecuted people. Bromberg noted in particular Israel’s and the Jewish community’s long-standing record of respect for all faiths, including the Baha’i.

Dr. Filson urged that there be a campaign of letter-writing to all MPs and media to emphasize the plight of the Baha’i movement within Iran.  However, Mostaghim felt that Iranian popular sympathy for the Baha’i will have little impact on the tyranny of the ayatollahs, and others suggested that stronger action by the free world was needed.

Roy Havelock of Toronto Residents In Partnership (TRIP), which engages in social welfare projects within Toronto, said that “Ahmadinejad wants to complete what Hitler began.”   He also urged a letter-writing campaign to politicians and media people.

Also present were representatives of the Persian Human Rights Commision and Theresa Chavez of the UN Association of Canada. Rev. Paul McKenna of the Interfaith Commission of Scarborough Missions, while not present, sent a message of solidarity on behalf of his large religious organization.