There has always been, at least in the spaces that I have been in throughout my life, a focus on Mona Mahmoudnejad. And it was and still is shocking that a mere 17-year-old would be put to death by hanging for the reasons Mona was. But 23 isn’t that much more, the age Roya Eshraghi… Read More #OurStoryIsOne: Roya Eshraghi, 23 years old (part 1)
You met Mona Mahmoudnejad in my last post (here). At this point in the story, she is 17 years-old, living in Shiraz, expecting to be expelled from her high school because of her Faith, and teaching Bahá’í children’s classes. On the evening of 23 October 1982, Mona was arrested together with her father. Although the… Read More #OurStoryIsOne: Mona Mahmoudnejad, 17 years old (part 2)
The most well-known name in the 10 women executed in June 1983, that I will cover in my #OurStoryisOne series, is that of Mona Mahmoudnejad. I mean, there is something particularly poignant and disturbing about a 17-year-old being hung because of the strength of her Faith. How was she such a threat, you know? Just… Read More #OurStoryIsOne: Mona Mahmoudnejad, 17 years old (Part 1)
Although I was really young, I still remember the phone calls, usually late at night, during which the adults’ voices would increase in pitch: “Allo? Allo? Allo! Iran? Iran?!?” I should have been in bed, but I knew something was up. My memories of course are extremely hazy because I was a toddler, and the… Read More #OurStoryIsOne: Ten Bahá’í Women Martyred in Shiraz 40 Years Ago
GENEVA — A coordinated series of raids have been carried out on the homes of several Iranian Baha’is, active in a community initiative to provide a higher education programme for young members who are barred from university. Initial reports indicate that raids took place yesterday on houses in Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan, and Shiraz. As many… Read More BWBS: Baha’i educational programme targeted in raids
From Baha’i World News Service Iranian report confirms innocence of Shiraz Baha’is 24 October 2008 NEW YORK — An Iranian inspector who examined the 2006 arrests of a group of young Baha’is in Shiraz, Iran, filed a confidential report dated June 2008 confirming what Baha’is have said all along: that their activities were strictly humanitarian… Read More Iranian report confirms innocence of Shiraz Baha’is
Unfortunately, things haven’t started changing (yet)… NEW YORK, 3 October 2008 (BWNS) — As the new academic year got under way, young Baha’is in Iran again found the door to higher education closed. Although in its public stance the Iranian government maintains that Baha’is are free to attend university, reports over the past few weeks… Read More News: Iran’s new school year again excludes Baha’is
Dear all; There are unfortunately many human rights violations around the world. We often feel helpless in the face of such injustice; however, helplessness has never helped anyone. The first step to empowerment is information, and so I offer part of this blog as a source of information on the human rights violations that touch… Read More Baha’is in Iran