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/711_nunavut_art_project/ http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/711_nunavut_art_project/#comments Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:19:37 +0000 John Iron http://news.voicesdivine.com/?p=339 http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/711_nunavut_art_project/feed/ 0 Arctic Youth Art Initiative,art,Baffin Island,Baha'i,Canada,Caring Canadian Awards,Children,Iqaluit,Ms. Beth McKenty,Nanavut,painting,suicide Beth McKenty moved to Iqaluit in northeast Canada in 1999 to fulfill a pledge, made 45 years earlier, to devote part of her life to reducing youth suicide. (http://news.voicesdivine.com/wp-content/uploads/news/20090426-BWNS-711_nunavut_art_project-150.jpg)26 April 2009, IQALUIT, NUNAVUT, Canada (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=107001268033865952759.000467d7fa436430d35d6&ll=63.749478,-68.521214&spn=0.016533,0.065746&t=h&z=15) - Beth McKenty moved to sparsely populated northeast Canada - to Iqaluit on Baffin Island - in 1999 to fulfill a pledge, made 45 years earlier, to devote part of her life to reducing youth suicide. Within two weeks of arriving she had begun a project to help children build self-esteem by exploring their creativity. The Arctic Youth Art Initiative has since grown to involve hundreds of children. Ms. McKenty's efforts were acknowledged this month when she was one of 75 individuals from across Canada named as recipients of the Caring Canadian Awards for 2009. Created in 1996 by the Canadian Governor General, the award is presented to individuals and groups whose unpaid, voluntary contributions over a number of years provide extraordinary help or care to people in their community.It has been a long and often surprising road for Ms. McKenty from her birthplace of Snowflake, Manitoba (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=107001268033865952759.000467d7fa436430d35d6&ll=49.047756,-98.659716&spn=0.011842,0.018797&t=k&z=16), to Iqaluit, population 7,200 and the capital of the Nunavut territory. In addition to several decades in Wisconsin, where she worked as a freelance journalist and raised a family, she has lived in Japan, China, and Russia, and she has taught at the Navajo College at Tsaile, Arizona (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=107001268033865952759.000467d7fa436430d35d6&ll=36.293665,-109.216869&spn=0.014147,0.018797&t=k&z=16), in the United States. "I started out on a farm in Manitoba, one of seven children," she said. "My father was from pioneer stock and a veteran who served at Vimy Ridge. My mother, a nurse, was an Icelandic immigrant. We grew up in a home with an openness to the whole world. "In 1954, my younger brother took his own life. One way I dealt with the anguish was to make a promise to myself that some day, somehow, I would do something to help reduce youth suicide." It was the day of her brother's funeral that she first heard of the Bahá'í Faith. As she learned of Bahá'u'lláh's world-embracing principle of unity, she felt it matched the values she had grown up with. A life of Bahá'í activity has followed. "I was so busy and the years went by, but my plan always included fulfilling my promise to my brother," she said. "Then in 1999, two things happened simultaneously. I read that the rate of youth suicide in newly formed Nunavut was seven times the Canadian average. Around the same time, I attended the Bahá'í National Convention in Montreal where I learned of opportunities for service in the Arctic. Here was my chance." By October, she had moved into Bahá'í House in Iqaluit, located on the Arctic tundra not too far south of the Arctic circle. 'I came with a purpose' "I came with a purpose but didn't have a method," she said. "Earlier, I had had my own artist's studio for two years and had brought my paints with me to Iqaluit. Two weeks after getting there, I heard some strange sounds and discovered two boys trying to throw stones over the house, but missing. I opened the door and asked if they'd like to come in for hot chocolate. "Since I'd been painting, I asked them if they would like to paint, too. I explained that with red, yellow, and blue they could mix any color except white. They were shy but accepted. I was astounded at what they could paint. Their work was so northern. The wonderful heritage of the Inuit was evident in these children. They returned later with one or two friends. That's how this project began. "I never really instructed these children. I just facilitated by providing a space and good quality materials. In addition to the painting, the children enjoy games, VoicesDivine no 7:52 http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/canadas-parliament-condemns-persecution-of-bahais-in-iran/ http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/canadas-parliament-condemns-persecution-of-bahais-in-iran/#comments Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:19:19 +0000 John Iron http://news.voicesdivine.com/?p=289 http://www.voicesdivine.com/news/canadas-parliament-condemns-persecution-of-bahais-in-iran/feed/ 0 Baha'i,Canada,condemn,Evin Prison,House of Commons,human rights,Iran,motion,Parliament,persecution,spies,Yaran Canada's House of Commons unanimously adopted a strongly worded motion condemning the persecution of Baha'is in Iran and calling for release of Baha'i leaders. (http://news.voicesdivine.com/wp-content/uploads/news/20090402-BWNS-706-Canadian-Parliament-150.jpg) 2009 April 2, OTTAWA, Canada (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=45.424442,-75.699277&spn=0.004925,0.011373&t=h&z=17) - Canada's House of Commons has unanimously adopted a strongly worded motion condemning the persecution of Baha'is in Iran and calling on the Iranian government to release Baha'i leaders imprisoned in Tehran. The motion, which was approved on 30 March, stated that the accusations against the Baha'is - espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic republic - are charges "frequently used by Iranian authorities to target human rights defenders and religious minorities, and there is nothing in the history or teachings of the Baha'i community to lend any credence to such charges." The motion was addressed in a debate on the floor of the House of Commons which lasted some 90 minutes. Members of Parliament from all four of Canada's political parties spoke of the long history of persecution suffered by Iran's Baha'is and the current "campaign of hatred and incitement" against the Baha'i community there, noting that these current attacks "constitute a number of warning signs that often foreshadow widespread ethnic, racial or religious cleansing." Decrying the "persistent and pervasive" violation of the human rights not only of Iran's Baha'i but of all Iranian citizens who have suffered repression at the hands of extremist elements in that country, members of Parliament also expressed deep admiration for Iran's people and "the enormous contribution" that Iran's "great civilization" has made to humankind. The resolution concludes: "Therefore, be it resolved that this House condemns the ongoing persecution of the Baha'i minority of Iran and calls upon the government of Iran to reconsider its charges against the members of the Friends in Iran, and release them immediately or failing this, that it proceed to trial without further delay, ensuring that the proceedings are open and fair and are conducted in the presence of international observers." Seven of the Baha'is imprisoned in Tehran had comprised an ad hoc group called the "Friends in Iran" that tended to the minimum needs of the 300,000-member Baha'i community in Iran. The seven were rounded up a year ago and have been detained ever since, without access to legal counsel. Accusations against them were only recently announced, but no hearing or trial has yet been held. More than 30 Baha'is are currently jailed in Iran because of their religion. The following is the wording of the full motion adopted by the Canadian House of Commons: "Whereas, the House of Commons recognizes that on 14 May 2008, six members of an informal group known as the Friends in Iran tommunity in Iran were arrested and taken to the political prisoners section of Evin prison in Tehran, where the seventh member was already being held, following her arrest in Mashhad in March 2008. "And whereas, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in October 2005, uncovered a confidential letter from the Command headquarters of the Armed Forces of Iran ordering the identification and monitoring of all Baha'is and their activities. "And whereas, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief stated on March 20, 2006, that she 'also expresses her concern that the information gathered as a result of such monitoring will be used as a basis for the increased persecution of and discrimination against, members of the Baha'i Faith, in violation of international standards ... The Special Rapporteur is concerned that this latest development indicates that the situation with regard to religious minorities in Iran is, in fact, deteriorating.' "And whereas, the Baha'i community of Canada is gravely concerned for the safety of these seven Baha'is, who have been held without formal charges, John Iron no 6:33