MUHJ63-86/299/Voice of America Report on Campaign of Arrests against Iranian Bahá’ís

←298

Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986 Voice of America Report on Campaign of Arrests against Iranian Bahá’ís

300→

22 October 1981

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

299.1 A REPORT FROM TEHRAN SAYS IRAN'S CENTRAL REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE IS PLANNING A NEW CAMPAIGN TO ROUND UP MEMBERS OF THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH. THE BAHÁ’ÍS REPORTEDLY WILL BE ARRESTED ON GROUNDS THAT THEIR MARRIAGES ARE ILLEGAL AND THEIR CHILDREN ILLEGITIMATE SINCE IRAN DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH. THE COMMITTEE SAYS SOME 96 BAHÁ’ÍS HAVE BEEN EXECUTED SO FAR AND ANOTHER 200 ARE UNDER ARREST. SOME 10,000 BAHÁ’Í FAMILIES ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE FLED IRAN SINCE THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THEM BEGAN. THE COMMITTEE HAS ANOTHER 20,000 BAHÁ’Í NAMES ON ITS ARREST LIST COMPILED FROM CAPTURED BAHÁ’Í OFFICE LISTS AND DOCUMENTS FROM THE SHAH'S OLD SECRET POLICE, SAVAK. MANY BAHÁ’ÍS HAVE CHANGED THEIR NAMES OR GONE INTO HIDING TO ESCAPE CAPTURE.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE