"An extraordinary wave of support": growing outcry for Bahá'ís in Iranian Village, Ivel
Join the Twitter Storm to support them: 23 & 24 February 17:00-18:00 GMT
Leading Muslims, government officials, and parliamentarians around the world have joined a growing outcry at the unjust confiscation of properties owned by Bahá'ís in the farming village of Ivel in Iran.
Statements of support from leading Muslims for the Bahá'ís in Ivel, who have lived there for more than 150 years with their Muslim neighbours, show that the Iranian government’s invocation of Islamic law is a thin veil covering its persecution of the Bahá'ís.
Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra Chair of the Virtues Ethics Foundation and one of the leading Islamic scholars in the United Kingdom; specifically called upon Iran’s Chief Justice, Ebrahim Raisi, “to address this injustice”, adding that “Islam does not permit a government to confiscate land from citizens just because they follow a different religion”.
The UK Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon; The UK is deeply concerned by reports of expropriation & repossession of land owned by Bahá'í communities in Ivel. This follows a worrying escalation in long-standing persecution against religious minorities in Iran. We will always stand up for people of all faiths & beliefs.
The Canadian Council of Imams writes “We are deeply concerned by the ruling issued by an Iranian Court to confiscate the properties of 27 Bahá'ís in the farming village of Ivel.”
The fresh support comes after a former Canadian prime minister and more than 50 others in Canada’s legal community signed an open letter to the head of Iran’s judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi, expressing “deep concern” over the confiscations
The Islamic Council of Victoria (IVC) in Australia called for the rights of the Bahá'ís in Iran to be safeguarded, in the statement signed by President of the IVC: Mohamed Mohideen, OAM, JP. The statement is in support for the human rights of the Bahá'ís in Iran.
American Islamic Congress; “We are calling for the Higher court in Mazandaran and all responsible personnel to take action and to help the Bahá'í community in Ivel get back their properties,” reads the statement from the American Islamic Congress.
The All India Tanzeem Falahul Muslemin and The All India Saifi Association have all issued statements in support of the Bahá'ís in Ivel, expressing grave concern about the confiscation of the properties.
The Canadian Foreign Minister, Marc Garneau, says his government is concerned by the ruling, urging Iran to “eliminate all forms of discrimination based on religion or belief.”
The German Federal Government Commissioner for Global Freedom of Religion, Markus Grübel, also called for Iran to recognize the Bahá'ís as a religious community in the country and to end the “discrimination and persecution of Bahá'í communities.”
Support in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Brazil, the United States, the European Parliament and the United Nations.
South Africa’s Legal Resources Centre, an organisation known for its human rights work during the apartheid, has also issued a statement condemning the property confiscations.
Jos Douma, the Netherlands’ Special Envoy for Religion or Belief: "Stop confiscating Baha'i properties in the village of Ivel,” “And—at last—recognize Baha'i[s] as a religious community.
Join the Twitter Storm to support them | 23rd & 24th February 17:00-18:00 GMT
