http://www.voicesdivine.com Bahai audio books & podcast recordings of writings, prayers, news, & community messages for lovers of Bahaullah Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:38:12 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Bahai audio books & podcast recordings of writings, prayers, news, & community messages for lovers of Bahaullah VoicesDivine no © 2008-2010 VoicesDivine.com and others VoicesDivine.com Baha'i Podcasts https://www.voicesdivine.com/main/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://www.voicesdivine.com http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/world-reacts-trial-seven-bahai-leaders/ http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/world-reacts-trial-seven-bahai-leaders/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:08 +0000 Hans http://www.voicesdivine.com/?p=923 http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/world-reacts-trial-seven-bahai-leaders/feed/ 1 Bahai, Baha'i, trial, Iran, Yaran, Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, Mr. Vahid Tizfahm Iran's decision to begin the trial yesterday of seven Baha'i leaders has triggered a strong international reaction, including a call by Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi for their immediate release and ultimate acquittal. This is a recording from VoicesDivine.com. To see our other podcasts and our terms of use, go to www.voicesdivine.com (http://www.voicesdivine.com). This is John Iron (http://johniron.com) reading from the Baha'i World News Service (http://news.bahai.org). 13 January 2010,  GENEVA, Switzerland – Iran's decision to begin the trial yesterday of seven Baha'i leaders has triggered a strong international reaction, including a call by Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi for their immediate release and ultimate acquittal. "If justice is to be carried out and an impartial judge should investigate the charges leveled against my clients, no other verdict can be reached save that of acquittal," said Mrs. Ebadi, in comments posted on WashingtonTV, a Web-based news service in the United States. Mrs. Ebadi, who is one of the lawyers for the seven, said she had carefully read the dossier of charges against them and "found in it no cause or evidence to sustain the criminal charges upheld by the prosecutor." Others also expressed concerns about the fairness of the trial, calling for it to be open and held in accordance with international legal standards. Governments and prominent individuals in the European Union, the United States, Brazil, India, and Canada issued strong statements of concern. The European Union statement came yesterday, echoing an earlier call for international observers to be allowed in the trial of the seven Baha'is. "The EU recalls that freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a fundamental and undeniable right which shall be guaranteed in every circumstance," the statement said. "The EU calls for a just, fair and open trial respecting all international standards and obligations. ..." In Brazil yesterday, Luiz Couto, the president of the Human Rights Commission of the Federal Chamber of Deputies, said in a letter to the Iranian ambassador to Brazil that it appears the "trial is not transparent and public," and that any closed trial would violate the right to a full and fair defense. "We consider the freedom of religion and belief – that of Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Baha'is, and all other religious expressions – a fundamental human right for democracy, both in the east and west," said Congressman Couto. On Monday, the United States Department of State condemned Iran's decision to move ahead with the trial. "Authorities have detained these persons for more than 20 months, without making public any evidence against them and giving them little access to legal counsel," said Philip J. Crowley, assistant secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State. "These persons are entitled to due process." In India, prominent Indians called upon the government to take up the issue of the Baha'i persecution with Tehran. "Our country has a long record of pluralism and tolerance and must speak out," said Maja Daruwala, director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, according to The Hindu newspaper on Saturday. In Canada, Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon issued a statement on Friday expressing deep concern about the ongoing detention of the seven Baha'i leaders. "It is deplorable that these individuals were detained on the sole basis of their faith and have been denied a fair trial," said Mr. Cannon. Leading human rights barrister Cherie Blair in an interview today with the BBC World Service called for the release of "this group of people who live a religion which preaches peace and did nothing whatsoever to deserve this trial." In the WashingtonTV interview, Mrs. Ebadi, who is currently outside Iran, also offered a glimpse of what happened yesterday inside Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, where the "first session" of the trial was held. She said only two lawyers of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, which she established, were able to be present in the court. And that in spite of a request for an open hearing, the court was closed. VoicesDivine no 6:42 http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/709-buenos_aires_70_years/ http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/709-buenos_aires_70_years/#comments Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:09:37 +0000 John Iron http://news.voicesdivine.com/?p=329 http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/709-buenos_aires_70_years/feed/ 0 Argentina,Baha'i,Bahia,Brazil,Buenos Aires,election,Local Spiritual Assembly,Mr. Behrooz Khomassi,Ms. Martha Root,Ms. May Maxwell,South America This is the 70th year the Buenos Aires Baha'is elect their Local Spiritual Assembly – one of the two oldest of the now 600 Baha'i councils in South Americ (http://news.voicesdivine.com/wp-content/uploads/news/20090424-BWNS-709-buenos_aires_70_years-150.jpg)2009 April 24, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=BUENOS+AIRES&z=4) -This week, for the 70th year, the Baha'is of Buenos Aires gathered to elect their local Spiritual Assembly - one of the two oldest of what are now 600 such Baha'i governing councils throughout South America. A special program featuring historical photographs was presented at the annual meeting of the Buenos Aires' Baha'is on April 20th, said Behrooz Khomassi, who has researched local Baha'i history and helped prepare the program."The first assembly of Buenos Aires was elected on the 10th of May in 1940," he said. Published documents from the period list Buenos Aires and Bahia, Brazil, as being the first two Baha'i assemblies in South America. Both cities were visited in 1919 by the famed Baha'i travel teacher Martha Root, known for her journeys around the world to present the Baha'i message to royalty, government officials, civic leaders, newspaper editors, and the public at large. In 1940, another prominent Baha'i, May Maxwell, also came to Buenos Aires, but she died within three days of her arrival on February 27th. Mr. Khomassi said her passing served as a catalyst for Baha'i activity in the city - two months later its first Spiritual Assembly was formed. Worldwide, elections for local Baha'i assemblies are held annually at the beginning of the Festival of Ridvan, which goes from April 21st to May 2nd and marks the anniversary of Bahá'u'lláh's declaration in 1863 that He was a new messenger of God. There are thousands of localities around the globe that hold such elections. Also during Ridvan, virtually every national Baha'i community holds a convention where delegates elect their National Spiritual Assembly. Some 180 such elections will be held this year. Assemblies at both the national and local level have nine members, and all Baha'is aged 21 or over who live in the jurisdiction are eligible for election. To see the original article and images at the Baha'i World News service go to http://news.bahai.org/story/709 (http://news.bahai.org/story/709) VoicesDivine no 2:46