Iran postpones trial of seven Baha’is
Updated: Monday, August 17, 2009
Photographer: Baha'i Media Bank
Baha'i leaders
11:30GMT—7:30AM/EST
Washington, 17 August (WashingtonTV)—An Iranian court on Monday postponed the trial of seven members of the banned Baha’i faith, accused of spying for Israel and insulting religious sanctities.
The seven defendants, who have been held for more than one year in Tehran’s Evin Prison, were due to go on trial before the capital’s Revolution Court on Tuesday.
The semi-official ISNA news agency, citing the public relations office of the court, said that the trial was postponed at the request of the defense lawyers.
On Sunday, one of the defense lawyers, Hadi Esma’ilzadeh, told Reuters that a trial on Tuesday would not have been legal, as not enough time had passed between the announcement of the trial and its start.
Iran announced on Saturday that the seven Baha’is – five men and two women – would stand trial on Tuesday.
Another defense lawyer, Mahnaz Parakand, said that she and her colleagues needed more time to study the charges.
The Baha’i International Community has “categorically denied” the charges against the group, who it says were members of a national committee that coordinates the activities of Baha’is in Iran.
The Baha’i faith, which was founded in Iran in 1863, is not recognized by the Iranian government. There are some 300,000 Baha’is living in Iran, making the faith the largest minority religion there.
Sources: ISNA news agency, Baha’i World News Service
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