As the world has been focused on the current turmoil in Iran, there is mounting continued concern for the safety of the Baha’is in that country. The Bahá’ís of Arlington stand in support with the seven Bahá’í leaders in Iran who have been in prison for over a year without access to their lawyer, formal charges or even the merest semblance of a transparent and fair judicial process. These seven individual are scheduled to stand trial on July 11th on the blatantly false and trumped up charges of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.” These charges carry the penalty of death. As Friday’s New York Times noted, “The Bahais have long served as the proverbial canaries in the coal mine of Iran’s theocracy.”

In striking comparison to the injustice perpetrated against the Bahá’ís in Iran, the Universal House of Justice, the supreme administrative body for the Bahá’ís of the World, released this open letter last week. We know that the religious persecution of the Bahá’ís at the hands of the Iranian government is not in line with the desire of the Iranian people, as was stated in an open letter titled “We are Ashamed” signed on to by more than 200 academics, writers, artists, journalists and Iranian activists.

We ask that you join us in praying for the release of these seven individuals, and for the Iranian people. We pray not only for the release of these seven prisoners, but that there will be security and freedom for all citizens of Iran.