The sentences have been announced for seven Bahai men from Gorgan, who were tried in Tehran on April 24. Fahrmand Sana’i, Kamal Kashani, Payam Markazi, Siamak Sadri, Fu’ad Fahandezh and Kourush Ziari ( فرهمند سنایی، کمال کاشانی، پیام مرکزی، سیامک صدری، فواد فهندژ و کوروش زیاری) were sentenced to five years each, while Farhad Fahandezh (فرهاد فهندژ) was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The charges were “organising and running an illegal organisation, membership of an illegal organisation, and propaganda against the regime.” They were among about 20 Bahais who were detained in a wave of arrests on about October 17. (Kourush Ziari is from Gonbad-e Qabus, where he was arrested and later transferred to Gorgan). After some weeks in detention in Gorgan, all seven were transferred to Evin prison in Tehran for interrogation, after which they were sent to Raja’i Shahr prison.

Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1JL

Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here.

Didar Ra’ufi (دیدار رئوفی ) who was reported to have been released from Raja’i Shahr prison on January 27, 2013, having served a three year sentence for membership of the Bahai community and teaching the Bahai Faith, is listed today among the prisoners of conscience on leave, who have been told to return to Raja’i Shahr prison. He was arrested on January 4, 2010, but was free on bail from October 16, 2011 to January 13, 2012 (3 months), and had 5 days of furlough at Now Ruz, 2012. Thus at the time of his release on January 27, he still had about 6 weeks of his sentence to serve.

Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1JH

Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here.

Husayn Runaqi-Mulki ( حسین رونقی ملکی ), who was yesterday reported to have been sentenced to 5 months in prison for his part in assisting victims of the Azerbaijan earthquake, has begun his sentence in Evin prison. Mr. Runaqi is not, so far as reports indicate, a Bahai, but one of a progressive younger generation of intellectuals and activists who are prepared to work with people of all religions and none, for the betterment of Iran. In addition to his work for the earthquake victims he is a blog writer and human rights activist. He was serving a 15-year sentence as a political prisoner until, in autumn last year, he was released for medical treatment. He suffers from prostrate, bladder, kidney and other disorders. He has now been recalled to prison. Reports indicate that many other political prisoners on leave have also been recalled to prison, in relation to the forthcoming elections in Iran.

Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1JC

Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here.

Emanullah Mostaqim ( امان‌الله مستقیم ), one of the staff of the Bahai Open University (BIHE) in Iran, reported to Evin prison in Tehran on May 20, to begin serving his 5-year sentence for “membership of the Bahai community” and supporting the University. He has recently had open heart surgery, and suffers from diabetes. His doctors have said that prison conditions will be difficult and perhaps dangerous for him.

Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1Jk

Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here.

The general court in Tabriz has sentenced Seyyid Husayn Raunaqi-Mulki and Navid Khanjani (حسین رونقی و نوید خانجانی) to five months in prison, and has fined a number of other voluntary aid workers 5 million rials (320 euros, $US 400 ). They organized a relief camp following a major earthquake in the Azerbaijan region in January 2011. The charge was failure to follow the instructions of the police. These sentences are in addition to previous sentences on other charges. They were acquitted on charges of endangering public health.

Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1Jf

Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here.

Gudarz Bidaqi ( گودرز بیدقی ) and his daughter Roufiya Bidaqi ( روفیا بیدقی ) have been freed from prison in Semnan, after completing their one-year sentences. Mr. Bidaqi was arrested in March, 2011, and sentenced in September 2011 to one year in prison and two years of exile from the province, on the charge of “propaganda against the regime through teaching the Bahai Faith.” His exile is expected to begin soon. [While this HRANA reports states his exile is for two years, other reports and those of his trial state it is for 3 years ~ Sen] Mr. Bidaqi is in his sixties, and has already served one term in prison for his beliefs, after the 1979 revolution. His daughter, Roufiya Bidaqi ( روفیا بیدقی ) was sentenced to one year in prison, on charges of propaganda against the regime and participation in Bahai activities. The family’s business has also been closed by the authorities.

Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1J7

Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here.

The house in Tehran where Baha’u'llah was born was added to the register of historic buildings in December 2006 and is to be restored. In recent days, reports of this, with numerous photographs of the exterior and courtyard of the house, have been carried in the conservative FARS news agency and copied by many other publications. This is being used to embarrass Isfandiyar Rahim Masha’i ( اسفندیار رحیم مشایی ), a close ally and relative of President Ahmadinezhad and one of the proposed presidential candidates. FARS claims that there are hundreds of old houses in Tehran with a similar architectural and cultural value, which the provincial authority for Cultural Heritage has not registered. The report lists the homes of princes and prominent clerics of the period that have not been registered, and describes the importance of the house in Bahai history (with the bias one would expect). It was previously owned by an organisation for the propagation of Islam, and purchased by the present owner in 2005, in order to prevent its demolition. This owner has registered it as a historic building and intends to restore it using his own funds. However the ‘transparency” magazine (which Radio Zamaneh says is an anti-Bahai organisation) has claimed that it was bought by the Cultural Heritage foundation, at a time when Mr. Masha’i was the head of that organisation.

Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1IW

Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here.

The third sitting of the trial of Nika and Nava Khalusi ( نیکا و نوا خلوصی ) took place in Mashhad on May 6. They were charged with membership of the Bahai organisation, participation in illegal Bahai activities, and propaganda in favour of the Bahais and against the regime of the Islamic Republic. The two sisters have been free on bail pending the trial. They were arrested on September 26, 2012, and were held for 57 days in solitary confinement, followed by 4 months in Vakil Abad prison, before being released on bail.

Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1IR

Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here.

On the second anniversary of the arrest and detention of a number of teachers and administrators in the Bahai Open University (BIHE), 12 prisoners of conscience in one wing of Raja’i Shahr prison have signed an open letter addressed to their compatriots, protesting the imprisonment of Bahais “whose only crime was spreading knowledge and science.”

Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1IN

Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here.

The members of the International Teaching Centre for the five-year term beginning 23 May 2013 are:

Uransaikhan Baatar: female, re-appointed
Ramchand Coonjul: male, he was appointed Counsellor (Africa) in 2010
Antonella Demonte: female, she was appointed Counsellor (Europe) in 2010
Andrej Donoval: male, he was appointed Counsellor (Europe) in 2010
Praveen Mallik: male, re-appointed
Alison Milston: female, she was appointed Counsellor (Americas) in 2008

Juan Mora: male, re-appointed
Rachel Ndegwa: female, re-appointed
Mehranguiz Farid Tehrani: female, she was appointed Counsellor (Asia) in 2005

[Thanks to Steve Marshall for the biographical research. Please use the comments section below for additions and corrections ~Sen]

Former members Joan Lincoln, Zenaida Ramirez and Penelope Walker are thanked for their services. Former members Chuungu Malitonga, and Ayman Rouhani are now serving on the Universal House of Justice.

A copy of the letter announcing these changes has been placed in the documents archive of my Bahai Studies blog.

Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1IB

Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here.