Following is Associated Press story from Tt.J Aviv AP I3ureau
transcribed from telephone dictation -
The Bahá'I International Community fearing a wnpaign to eliminate
the Faith in the land where it was born has appealed to Iran's Isl nic
Government to stop executing Iranian Bahá'is. A spokesman for the
Bahá' World Cente in Haifa Monday released the text cable sent by
the Bahá'i office in New York last weekend to Ayatollah Khomeini,
Prime Minister Mir Husayn Musavi,af d Ayatollah Musavi Ardibili the
Supreme Court President
the cable issued in the name of Bah ' communities in 164 independent
countries of the world “appeals to the Iranian leadership to stop
summary arrests and executions of Bahá'is to publish any evidence
used against Bah ' S and grant to members of the minority faith their
inalienable right to publicly defend themselves and disprove malicious
ac usationS and false charges”. The Baha'cs World Centre becamse
publicly involved in the protests against suppression of the faith in
Iran for the first time following the revelation of 14 ‘exeeutions in
late December and early January. Earlier protests have been issued by
Bàh -communities in other countries because leaders of the Faith
sought to play down the connection to Israel where Bah 'i shrines are
located and where the elected international leadership livcs in Haifa.
The Iranian authoritieS have branded Bahá'Is as “Zionist spies' stating
a connection to the Bahá' World Cente. The Bah ' s says the charge is
spurious since the World Centre was established in Haifa in 1868 more -
than 70 years before the Jewish state was founded. Bah ism grew up i
Iran in the mid 19th century and but its Founder called the Bah 'u'l1âh
was exiled to Haifa and died there in what was then part of the Turkish
Ottoman empire. Iranian Bah 'Is number some 300,000 making them the
second largest religion after Shi'ite Islam but the Bah ' s, who are
j àdahétët ic by Shi tite .Islam,C0mP -that. the_new Ir niafl
- - - - s it 4 ion_.acn1es fl0 ien though Jews,
Christians and Zoroastriafl s are recognised as religious minorities. The -
Bahá'Zs say more than tOO adherents of the Faith have been executed in
the 3 years since the Islamic Republic took power. The latest execUtiOnS
reported by relatives in Iran took the lives of B members of the National
Spiritual Assembly, the elected. Iranian leadership and 6 memberS of the
Tehran Local Spiritual Assembly. A woman who was hosting a meeting of
. . the Tehran A emblY also reported arrested and executed.
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“These are actions of an organised campaign to eliminate the
Bahá' leadership in Iran” said a World Centre spokesman who released the
text of the protest cable on condition that his name not be used. The
spokesman said Bahá'Is hope that world governments and human rights
movements would express “shock and abhorrence” at the executions and
support the Bahá'! appeal for fair treatment in Iran.- The 14 executions
caused the Bahá'fs to fear for the fate of 14 others who have disappeared.
The spokesman said among those who have disappeared are 10 members of the
National Spiritual Assembly who were replaced by other Bahá' s. Eight of
the replacements were reported executed on December 27 and they in turn have
been replaced by new members. The spokesman said expressing “loving
admiration” for their willingness to take a dangerous position. According.
to a Bah '! “white paper” issued in New York the Iranian authorities also have
confiscated all Bah ' communal properties, destroying shrines and cemeteries
and they have dismissed Bah 'is from government jobs and expelled their
children from school. Bah 'is have been put on trial and offered the
chance to save themselves after they recant their faith and accept Islam.
The white papers says but few have recanted. Iranian Bah '!s living abroad
are unable. to get their passports renewed and thus are in danger of becoming
• - stateless persons. The white paper said Bahâ'i doctrine stresses the unity
of divine revelati ns through the Biblical prophets, Khrishna, Buddha, Jesus
• and Muhammad as well as the teachings of Bah ' prophets reflecting a long
history of persecutions. In Iran Bahá' s are taught to obey their government
and avoid ,olitics and faithfully believe that a just world government will
evolve
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