On December 1, 2009, the U.S. Senate passed by unanimous consent, Senate Resolution 71, a concurrent resolution to H. Res. 175, condemning the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran and asking for the release of the Yaran 7 held in Evin Prison in Tehran.

S.Res.71 was introduced to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2009, by Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon. The other original cosponsors are Sens. Sam Brownback, Robert Menendez, Olympia J. Snowe and Sheldon Whitehouse.

Special thanks to all those who helped support this important resolution!

For more information and updates, click here.

Baha’is included in 2009 International Religious Freedom Report on Iran

Iran must end anti-Baha’i policies

 Jewish Journal article by Rabbi Mark S. Diamond "We Are All Baha'is"

Thanks to all those that supported and/or attended the Oct. 14 event of Belief Behind Bars, on Oct. 22, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, by a vote of 407-2, a resolution condemning the government of Iran for “state-sponsored persecution of its Bahá’í minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights.” H.Res.175 is the eleventh congressional resolution since 1982 to address the religious oppression of the Bahá’ís in Iran.

There is still much to be done, but the most important thing we can do right now is contact our senators and ask them to help pass Senate Resolution 71.

If you'd like to find out more about the situation of the friends in Iran that are still victims of religious discrimination and victims of human rights abuse and more of what you can do, visit: iran.bahai.us.

On behalf of our dear friends still imprisoned in Iran, thank you so much!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009
7:30pm

USC Bovard Auditorium
3551 Trousdale Pkwy
Los Angeles, CA

Rainn Wilson to Host Concert Event in Los Angeles that Will Feature International Musical Artists and Guest Speakers

Co-sponsored by the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Baha’i Center

Join the international community, people from all faith traditions and world-renowned musicians, actors and artists to support religious freedom in Iran in a special event, “Belief Behind Bars”, on October 14, 2009, 7:30 p.m. at the University of Southern California.

The Iranian government has arrested and jailed its religious minorities for many years. Last year, the seven leaders of Iran’s Baha’i community, the largest non-Muslim religious minority in Iran, were unjustly jailed. The five men and two women were arrested in the spring of 2008 and have been held in Evin prison under terrible conditions with no direct access to their legal counsel, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and human rights attorney Shirin Ebadi. They have been charged with a variety of offenses, including two capital crimes: “corrupting the Earth” and “espionage for Israel”.

On October 18th these seven innocent people will be on trial for their lives. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom all agree that the seven Baha’is are being targeted solely because of their religious beliefs -- and have called on the Iranian government to release them.

Please join us on October 14 and lift your voice for religious freedom! Only a worldwide cry for justice will impact the Iranian government’s actions.

For more event information, please contact (818) 378-8272 or email below.
For more information about the Bahá'ís in Iran, please visit http://iran.bahai.us