Message-ID: <KF16+IlSymA@ssc.msu.edu> Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997 09:29:33 EST From: Don Osborn <mailto:don.osborn@SSC.MSU.EDU> Subject: Iran: 2 Baha'is' Death Sentences for "Apostasy" Up held To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Those on this list who are involved in development in &/or technology transfer to Iran, or who plan to attend the 8th International Conference on Rainwater Catchment Systems in Tehran this April may be interested to know that amidst the human rights problems in that country comes word that the death sentences given to two Baha'is for "apostasy" last year in two separate cases have just been upheld by the Iranian supreme court.I will not post on this list the text of several recent press releases concerning the situations of Mr. Musa Talibi and Mr. Zabihullah Mahrami, but those interested can check the following:
1. Amnesty International published a press release on 30 Jan. 1997. This has apparently not yet been posted on AI's web site: http://www.amnesty.org/news/1997/indx0197.htm (but hopefully will be soon)
2. The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States published press releases on 1/31. These can be read at: http://www.bcca.org/orgs/usnsa/press-info.html or by sending a blank email to: mailto:get-iran-bkg-1-97@bcca.org
3. The U.S. State Dept.'s recently released report gives background on persecution of Baha'is by the Iranian govt. This can be viwed at: http://www.state.gov/www/issues/human_rights/1996_hrp_report/iran.html4
4. Last year, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance called for the Iranian authorities to set aside the death sentences passed on Baha'is (in addition to the above named, two other Baha'is also await death sentences for their beliefs). His recommenda- tions were specifically endorsed by the U.N. General Assembly in a resolution adopted in December 1996.
-- Don Osborn mailto:osborndo@pilot.msu.edu don.osborn@ssc.msu.edu ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "The rise and fall of images of the future precedes or accompanies the rise and fall of cultures." Frederick Polak"A superficial culture, unsupported by a cultivated morality, is as `a confused medley of dreams.'" `Abdu'l-Baha ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~