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Claremont residents face uphill battle with the Iranian courts Local members of the Baha'i faith, the largest minority group in Iran, are doing all they can to pressure Iranian government authorities to release 7 leaders of their faith being held as political prisoners. Arsalan and Keyvan Geula of Claremont are among the people seeking justice for these leaders. Recently, they hosted a prayer and discussion session on situation in Iran, inviting about 20 members of the Baha’i faith, including family members of one of the political prisoners, Fariba Kamalabadi. In March 2008, the first of 7 members of the Ad Hoc Coordinating Committee of the Baha'i faith was taken into custody. On May 14, 2008, members of the Revolutionary Guard raided the homes of the 6 remaining Committee members, including Ms. Kamalabadi, arresting them and confiscating valuables such as laptops and books. For months, no charges were filed against the prisoners, and they were denied legal council. Finally, last month, charges were brought against the 7 prisoners, including espionage for Israel, insulting Islamic sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran. “These charges are totally false,” said Iraj Kamalabadi, the brother of Ms. Kamalabadi who resides in Rancho Cucamonga. “There is absolutely no basis for them. We condemn and reject all these charges.” The case has been taken up by Nobel Peace Prize winning lawyer and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi, who has offered to represent the prisoners in court. If convicted of the charges, the prisoners could face possible execution or life imprisonment. "If they simply renounce their faith, the charges will be dropped," Mr. Geula said. "That shows you just how frivolous these charges are."
After their arrest, the prisoners were kept for the 4 months in solitary confinement at Iran's notorious Evin Prison, known for housing political prisoners in harsh conditions. "Their families could only visit them sporadically," said Iraj Kamalabadi, the brother of one of the prisoners and a resident of Rancho Cucamonga. "The rest of the time they are subject to questioning under strenuous metal torture." Shahla Kamalabadi, the mother of one of the prisoners, said she can't sleep at night and constantly worries about her daughter's safety. The situation is like reliving a nightmare for her, whose husband was also held as a political prisoner in Iran due to his religious beliefs. He passed away from a stroke shortly after being released. Across the world, the Baha’i are meeting with members of other faiths and calling for equal treatment of minorities in Iran. As part of their efforts, the Baha'i faithful are writing letters to local and national representatives, urging for resolutions to be passed against Iran over the human rights violation. They are also working with non-profit organizations like Amnesty International, discussing their plight with members of the media and regularly praying for their safe release. They hope the constant international pressure and media attention will force the Iranian government to eventually give in. “Horrible regimes like the Nazis and the Soviet Union under Stalin always denied the atrocities they committed against their people,” said Firuz Kazemzadea, a retired History Professor at Yale University who attended the meeting. “They committed their evil deeds away from the public eye. Iran is no different. It is more difficult to commit crimes in broad daylight.” The Baha'i are the largest minority in Iran, having over 300,000 members. Due to persecution, many have fled Iran and set up communities throughout the world. There are several Baha'i members living in the area and spread throughout Southern California. —Tony Krickl |
