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Ecumenical Committee Urges Intercession for Victimes of Religious Rights Violations

          
          BP000522
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          FREEDOM OF FAITH
          A CHRISTIAN COMMITTEE FOR RELIGIOUS RIGHTS
          170 East 64th Street
          New York, New York 10021
          (212) 838-4120
          IRAN: Persecution of the Baha'i Community
          The Baha'i community in Iran, that nation's largest religious minority
          with 450,000.members, has been experiencing growing hardship since the overthrow
          of the Shah in February of 1.979. Baha'i centers have been seized, cemeteries
          desecrated, businesses confiscated, homes burned, and individual Baha'is attacked
          throughout the country. Over twenty Baha'is are now being held in prison. Most
          recently, the most holy place in Iran for the Baha'is, the house of their prophet
          the Bab, was torn down in Shiraz. Attempts have also been made to force Baha'is
          to renounce their faith . . .
          Under the new Iranian constitution, the Baha'is continue to be denied the
          legal status as a “religious minority”that has been extended to Christians, Jews,
          and Zoroastrians. The fear is that the Baha'i community in Iran will slowly be
          deniedall personal, social, administrative, and financial rights, and be forced
          into an. underground existence.
          BACKGROUND . . . .
          The Baha9 faith is an independent world religion with adherants in nearly
          every country. Emerging from the Islamic tradition in the mid—nineteenth century,
          the Baha'is rejected a literal interpretation of the Koran. The central teachings
          of the Baha'i faith are the oneness of God, the oneness of religion, and the oneness
          of mankind; Baha'is see Divine Revelation as a continuous and progressive process.
          Baha'is have experienced great hardship in Islamic countries since their inception,
          where they have continually been accused of apostasy. Their prophet the Bab was
          executed in Persia (Iran) in 1850, and 20,000 of his followers massacred.
          Baha'u'llah, the founder of the faith, died in an Ottoman (Turkish) prison
          in 1892. The Baha'is experienced great suffering under the former Shah of Iran,
          particularly in 1955—56,.when great violence against them broke out.
          The Baha'i faith has never been granted legal status as'a “religious
          minority” in Iran, the land of their origin. Without such a provision, Baha'is.
          have no personal status - to marry divorce, adopt, or distribute inheritance —
          since these acts must be done according to the rules of one of the four
          recognized religions of the country: Islam, Christianity, Judaism, or Zoroastrianism.
          The lack of such status means that the administrative and financial institutions
          of the Baha'i community are without legal protection. The whole of the Baha'i
          community is therefore placed in a dangerous “legal limbo” which has been
          used to legitimize their suppression. Such legal status has been granted the
          Baha'is in other Islamic countries, notably Pakistan.
          RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
          It is believed that the continued denial of status as a religious..
          minority In Iran means the total suppression of the Baha'i community in that
          country. Such status would be a minimum first step towards guaranteeing
          the safety of the Baha'is in Iran. We therefore urge you to send letters and
          postcards of cor ern to the government of Iran and other officials, stressing
          
        
          
          B5
          FREEDOM OF FAITH
          A CHRISTIAN COMMITTEE FOR REUGIOUS RIGHTS
          170 East 64th Street
          New York, New York 10021
          (212) 838-4120
          IRAN: Persecution of the Baha'i Community
          The Baha'i community in Iran, that nation's largest religious minority
          with 450,000.members, has been experiencing growing hardship since the overthro z
          of the Shah in February of 1979. Baha'i centers have been seized, cemeteries
          desecrated, businesses confiscated, homes burned, and individual Baha'is attack d
          throughout the country. Over twenty Baha'is are now being held in prison. Most
          recently, the most holy place in Iran for the Baha'is, the house of their prophet
          the Bab, was torn down in Shiraz. Attempts have also been made to force Baha'is
          to renounce their faith.
          Under the new Iranian constitution, the Baha'is continue to be denied the
          legal status as a “religious minority”that has been extended to Christians, Jews,
          and Zoroastrians. The fear is that the Baha9 community in Iran will slowly be
          • denied all personal, social, administrative, and financial rights, and be forced
          • into an. underground existence.
          BACKGROUND
          The Baha'i faith is an independent world religion with adherants in nearly'
          every country. Emerging from the Islamic tradition in the mid—nineteenth century,
          the Baha'is rejected a literal interpretation of the Koran The central teachings
          of the Baha'i faith are the oneness of God, the oneness of religion, and the oneness
          of mankind; Baha'is see Divine Revelation as a continuous and progressive process.
          Baha'is have experienced great hardship in Islamic countries since their inception,
          where they have continually been accused of apostasy. Their prophet the Bab w s
          executed in Persia (Iran) in 1850, and 20,000 of his followers massacred,
          Baha'u'llah, the founder of the faith, died in an Ottoman (Turkish) prison
          in 1892. The Baha'is experienced great suffering under the former Shah of Irà n.
          particularly in 1955-56,.when great violence against them broke out.
          The Bahasi faith has never been granted legal status as'a “religious
          iriinority” in Iran, the land of their origin. Without such a provision, Baha9s
          have no personal status - to marry divorce, adOpt, or distribute inheritance -
          since these acts must be done according to the rules of one of the four
          recognized religions of the country: Islam, Christianity, Judaism, or Zoroast ianism.
          The lack of such status means that the administrative and financial institutions
          of the Baha'i community are without legal protection. The whole of the Baha'i
          community is therefore placed in a dangerous “legal limbo”, which has been
          used to legitimize their suppression. Such legal status has been gra.nted the!
          Baha'is in other Islamic countries, notably Pakistan.
          RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
          It is believed that the continued denial of status as a religious.
          minority In Iran means the total suppression of the Baha 'i community in that
          country. Such status would be a minimum first step towards guaranteeing
          the safety of the Baha'is in Iran. We therefore urge you to send letters and
          postcards of concern to the government of Iran and other officials, stressing
          that: .
          1'). the physical safety of members of the Baha'i faith must be guaranteed;
          2). confiscation or destruction of property belonging to the Baha'i
          community or individual Baha'is must cease;
          .• ____--,.-- -.-,----,____ - TT.
          
        
          
          V
          rREEDOM OF FAITH
          A Christian Comrñittee for Religious Rights
          In process of formation
          170 East 64th Street
          New York, New York 10021
          (212) 838 4 120
          Board of Directors
          Presidents
          Rev. William Sloane Coffin Jr.
          Rev. Joseph A. O'Hare, S.J.
          Rev. Alexander Schmemann
          Chairman, Exec. Committee
          Rev. Howard Schomer
          Robert R. Andrews Jr.
          David A. Hawk
          Sr. Marjorie Keenan, R.S.H.M.
          Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky
          Sr. Colette Mahoney, R.S.H.M.
          Rev. Michael A. Meerson
          Rev. Richard J. Neuhaus
          Philip Scharper
          Rev. Eugene L. Stockwetl
          Executive Director
          John Hays-Greene
          Endorsements -
          Rt. Rev. John Maury AIIm
          Dr. Paul B. Anderson
          Rev. J. Martin Bailey
          Dr. Peter Berger
          Archbishop Joseph L. Bernardin
          Rev. W. Sterling Gary
          Rev. James M. Dunn
          Martha Edens
          Dr. Carl F. H. Henry
          Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C.
          Rev. Jesse Jackson
          Archbishop lakovos
          Rev. Robert J. Marshall
          Dr. Martin E. Marty
          Bishop James K. Mathews
          Rev. John ,Meyendorff
          Very Rev. James P. Morton
          Metropolitan Philip
          Rev. Avery Post
          Dr. Ronald J. Sider
          Dr. Lewis Smedes
          Metropolitan Theodosius
          William P. Thompson
          Dr. Cynthia C. Wedel
          MEWS RELEASE
          P m,
          embargoed for, 20.00
          Friday, January 25, 1980
          ‘ ECUMENICAL COMMITTEE URGES INTERCESSION
          ‘ FOR VICTIMS OF RELIGIOUS RIGHTS VI0LATI0 S
          Freedom of Faith, a coalition of Protestant,
          Catholic, and Orthodox Christians, today called on
          the.American church community to intercede by prayer
          and action for those suffering persecution for witnessing
          to and practicing their faith rom around the globe. 1
          The committee echoed the words of Bishop Angel
          i{obayan of the Philippines, a leading proponent of religious
          liberty and human . rights in that country: “Let us not
          forget the teaching that the Church is like a human
          body. When part of it is sick, the whole body suff rs
          the groaning pain. My dear people of God, let us ndt
          think of'ourselves as isolated people. We must be one
          in mind, one at heart, and one in spirit. If we will not
          act, who will do it for us? If not now, when else?
          • Freedom of Faith s ALERT highlighted five cases
          of the violation of religious freedom ‘in particular:
          the arrest, of a leading Orthodox figure in the Soviet
          Union; government interference with the mission of the
          Church in Brazil; the arrest of a priest and a layperson
          for fullegallyu building a church. in roland; the detention ol
          a Catholi,c priest in the Philippines; andthe arrest
          of the leader of the Christian Seminars in the Soviet Union.
          
        
          
          security police; they had been instrumentable in communicating the offer
          of the diocese to use the church, as a meeting place to the striking workers,
          whose labor hail had b.een rans.acked and closed by the police. Finally,
          on November 6, a hundred joi:1.itary police assaulted the church of Nuestr
          Senora .del Socorro Our Lady of Sanctuary) and drove out 250 workers and
          their families who had peacefully been meeting there. Tear gas was used
          on the people, and a number were beaten and arrested. The workers had
          been invited by the church to use the building as a meeting place.
          These government actions were immediately and strongly protested
          Archbishop Paul Arns of Sao Paulo, who telephoned from Rome to communicate
          his support for the church's work and the blessing of Pope John Paul II.
          Similar support came from Bishop Ivo Lorscheiter,. president of the
          t ational Conference of Brazilian Bishops., who accused the government
          of targeting the church for repression as a result of its “clear and co nsistenL
          preference for the poor.”
          Freedom of Faith protests this interfereoce in the life—sustaining 1
          ministry of the church in Sao Paulo, and, asks that American Christians 1
          express their sUpport and ‘prayerful concern for the Brazilian church'.
          POLAND : Freedom of Faith's third cases focuses on the trial of Fr.' Adam
          Michaiski, a priest in the diocese of Przemsyl, and Tadeusz Radochomski
          for “illegal bUilding” in connection with the construction of a church
          on property belonging to Radochomski. .
          Fr. Michaiski was given a one-year suspended sentence and fined
          230,000 zlotys ($8,000) ,and Radochomski was fined 80,000 zlotys ($2 5O0)
          In the fall of 1978, the diocesan office for the new district of
          Przemsyl requested permission to build a church for the 7,000 inhabit nts
          who had no place to worship. ‘When no reply was forthcoming, a temporary
          chapel was bUilt, which was later enlarged. Governmentharassmeflt ofEthose
          -3-
          
        
          
          Fr. Cardenas waS. given a “‘temporary release” on January10 in the
          custody of his bishop. It j not clear, however, if charges will be
          filed at a later date.
          Freedom of Faith urges; Chrjsçtians to remember the work of Fr.
          Cardenas and the Church, in Samar for the poor and disposses ,sed and
          to express their prayerful concern for their continued safety and well-being.
          SOVIET In its fifth case, Freedom of Faith protests the arrest of Lev
          UNION
          Regelson, leader of the Ch.ri's .ti:an Seminars on the Problems of Religious
          Renaissance, on December 24 in Tallin, Estonian S. S.R.
          Regelson had been in hidfng si:nce th.e arrest of his close associate
          Fr. Gleb Yakuñiri on Noyember 1, 1979. His arrest appeared imminent
          when militiamen were seen near the entrance. to his apartment after he
          failed torespondto a summons: to police headquarters. Reports indicate
          that he will be charged under Article 70 of the Russian Criminal Code,
          “anti-Soviet agitation and propanda,' which could bring from three to tek
          years imprisonment.
          Regelson had assumed the leadership of the Christian Seminars On
          ‘the arrest of its founder, Alexander Ogorodnikov, in the fall of 1978.,
          The seminar, which was organized by young Orthodox Christians in order
          to seriously study their faith, has been a particular target of the
          government crackdown on religious activism. Six members of the group
          have now been arrested: Regélson, Ogorodnikov, Vladimir Poresh, Igor
          Polyakov, Sergei Ermolaev, and Tatyana Schipkova.
          Regelson is perhaps best known as co-author, with Fr. Yakunin, of
          the 1975 appeal to the World Council of Churches meeting in Nairobi, Ke iya,
          urging that greater attention be gjyen to the plight of believers in
          the Soviet Union.
          Freedom of Faith calls on the Christian community to express their
          —5-
          
        
          
          UP DATE
          (This new sectthn will contain additional information and news on cases
          Freedom of Faith has adopted jn past ALERTs. For further information, please
          contact the FOF offices).
          - The persecution of the B ha i community in Iran continues with the
          recent abduction of three prominent leaders of that religion. Reports indicat
          that they are being held in prison without charges. The Baha'i community is
          Iran's.largest religious minority, yet they have not been accorded legal
          status as a recognized religious: minority under that country's new constitution.
          Such recognition would provide a minimum guarantee that the Baha'i faith will
          be:permitted to exist openly in I:ran ( ctob.er ALERT).
          BULGARIA - Five Pentecostalists. and one other person were sentenced on October
          25, 1979 to terms ranging from three to five years imprisonment on charges of
          ‘illegally importing foreign and Bulgarian currency. Reports indicate that these
          individuals did not receive the currency directly, but in the form of religious
          literature and printing eqCiipment from the West. The Bulgarian, government has
          long sought to restrict the activities of the Church, and is particularly
          concerned about, the rapid growth of the Pentecostalists (October ALERT).
          TAIWP N - The government has shelved its draft of restrictive new regulations
          governing “Shrines, Temples, arid Churches” in the face of massive opposition
          from Buddhist, Muslim, and Christian groups. Among other items, these regulations
          would have prohibited the use of local languages or dialects in worship. However,
          reports of recent arrests in Taiwan indicate a fresh wave of religious
          persecution (September ALERT).
          PHILIPPIN - The ten members of th:e Student Christian Movement detained on
          June 14, 1979 during a seminar on Christian renewal were given “temporary
          releases in early August. Under the conditions of the release, alFmay be
          lover.. . /
          
        
          
          1 EEDOM OF FAITH
          A Christian Committee for Religious Rights
          In process of formation
          170 East 64th Street
          New York New York 10021
          (212) 838 4 120
          Board of DIrectors
          Presidents
          Rev. Wlllia n Sloane Coffin Jr.
          Rev. Joseph A. O'Hare, S.J.
          Rev. Alexander Schmemann
          Chairman, Exec. Committee
          Rev. Howard Schomer
          Robert R. Andrews Jr.
          David A. Hawk
          Sr. Marjorie Keenan, R.S.H.M.
          Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky
          Sr. Colette Mahoney, R.S.H.M.
          Rev. Michael A. Meerson
          Rev. Richard J. Neuhaus
          Philip Scharper
          Rev. Eugene L. Stockwell
          Executive Director
          John Hays-Greene
          Endorsements
          Rt. Rev. John Maury AIIm
          Dr. Paul B Anderson
          Rev. J. Martin Bailey
          Dr. Peter Berger
          ArchbIsho Joseph L. Bernardin
          Rev. W. Sterling Cary
          Rev. James M. Dunn
          Martha Ed ns
          Dr. Carl F. H. Henry
          Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C.
          Rev. Jess Jackson
          Archbishop lakovos
          Rev. Robert J. Marshall
          Dr. Martin E. Marty
          Bishop James K. Mathews
          Rev. John'Meyendorff
          Very Rev. Jàmes P. Morton
          Metropolitan Philip
          Rev. Avery Post
          Dr. Ronald J. Sider
          Dr. Lewis Smedes
          Metropolitan Theodoslus
          William P. Thompson
          Dr. Cynth ,a C. Wedel
          embargoed for 20.00
          Thursday, October 25, 1979
          NEWS RELEASE
          CHRISTIAN CALL TO ACTION FOR VICTIMS
          OFRELIGIOUS RU HTS VIOLATIONS
          Freedom of Faith, the ecumencial Christiar
          organization working for the religious rights C
          all believers and all faiths, today called on
          the Christian community to intercede by prayer$
          and action regarding five cases of violations
          of religious rights from around the world.
          The call came in the organization's regul
          25th-of-the-month “Alert,” which is timed to
          recall Christmas and God's committment to humal
          in Christ's birth.
          The cases noted this month include the
          suppression of the Baha'i community in Iran,
          the arrest of another member of the Religious
          Youth Seminar in the USSR, the arrest and
          interrogation of at least fifteen members of
          the Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia, the
          harassment of the Catholic Farmer's Associatio
          in South Korea, and the trial of members of th
          Pentecostalist Church in Bulgaria.
          f.
          ikind
          I I
          a
          
        
          
          (Article 70), which can carry a penalty of ten years imprisonment followed
          by five years in internal exile.
          Poresh is the fifth member of the Seminar arrested since last
          November. Two other members, Sergei Yermolaev, 20 , and Igor Polyakov,
          24, were sentenced on September 24 to four and three and a half years
          in a labor camp respectively, on the strength of their involvement in the
          Seminar. Soviet authorities appear determined to forcibly break up the
          Seminar by arresting all those associated with it.
          Freedom of Faith calls on Christians to keep Vladimir Poresh and
          the other members of the Seminar in their thoughts and prayers, and to
          express their concern for and support of the work of the Moscow Religious
          Youth Seminar.
          CZECH0- Freedom of Faith's third case focuses on the arrest and interrogation
          SLOVAKI A :
          of four priests and at least eleven laymen since Monday, September 10.
          The arrests appear to be in connection with the unauthorized publication
          of theological literature and the “Teologicky Sbornik” (Theological Review
          Nine of the fifteen arrested have apparently been released from detention,
          but indications are that all will be charged in the case.
          Those arrested include some of the most prominent Catholics in
          Czechoslovakia today, including four signers of “Charter 77,” the Czech
          human rights document. Still in detention is Fr. Frantisek Lizna, S.J.,
          a young Jesuit priest imprisoned twice during the sixties and allowed to
          say mass officially only once, in 1974. Dr. Josef Zverina, S.J., probably
          the most prominent theologian in Czechoslovakia who has been allowed to
          publish only once, was arrested, and released, but will be charged.
          Since the election of John-Paul II and his historic journey to
          Poland, members of the Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia have begun to
          speak more openly against the three-decade-long repression of religious
          liberty and human rights in their country. These recent arrests, coming
          on the heels of the the trial of ten members of the Comittee for the
          -3-
          
        
          
          Association, and urges Christians to express their support for the
          invaluable work of the CFA in building peace and justice in South Korea.
          BULGARIA : Freedom of Faith's fifth case focuses on the arrest and trial of
          five Pentecostalists and one member of the Open Brethren in Sofia.
          The six were placed on trial on September 11, formally charged with
          “currency violation.” They are: George Todorov, Peter Janev, Bancho Banchev,
          Nathaniel Tsachev, Mitko Zhekoy, and Peter Shupov.
          Arrested in March during a government crackdown on religious
          groups, it appears that they have been singled out for especially
          harsh treatment because of the rapid growth in membership of the Pentecostalist
          church, particularly among young people. Bulgarian officials are also
          reported to be anxious about the amount of religious literature from the
          West coming into Bulgaria.
          Seized with them was literature production equipment, including
          typewriters, duplicators, cassettes, and manuscripts.
          Freedom of Faith calls on Christians to express their concern
          for these people who are attempting to live out their faith in witness,
          and to keep them in their prayers and thoughts.
          
          For further information, please contact the FOF offices at 170 East 64th
          Street, New York, NY 10021.
          (for further details, please call John Hays-Greene at 212-831-7002).
          - 5-.
          
        

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