The Persistent Call to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran

for the Immediate Release of the Seven Former Bahá'í Leaders

W
Tehran.
e raise our voices once again in consort with the vast numbers of individuals, agencies and
governments throughout the world in defense of the seven innocent Iranian Bahá'í leaders
who are serving the unjust verdict of ten years’ imprisonment in Gohardasht prison near

We have heard with great concern that the seven have been transferred to more brutal sections of
the Gohardasht prison complex. In the case of the two Baha'i women, the circumstances are even
more worrisom.

We have learned that one of them – Fariba Kamalabadi – has already been physically threatened by
inmates since being sent to the notorious Section 200 of Gohardasht Prison. For what reason do
these harsh conditions continue to progress?
The Baha’i women have been a constant source of comfort and hope to their fellow inmates.
Throughout their entire imprisonment, the two women have conducted themselves in a spirit of
service to others. In early 2009, for example, they shared a cell at Evin prison with Iranian-Japanese-
American journalist Roxana Saberi, who later wrote that they had helped her through her ordeal,
and yet you fear so much the spread of their love that you seek to banish them to further corners of
“darkness” as though their light will cease to shine.
As citizens of India, a country that has rightfully prided itself in exemplifying for the world the spirit
of coexistence and tolerance, we express our deep concern for the imprisoned Bahá’ís and their
families.

We call upon all those who are committed to peace and justice in India to join us in petitioning the
Iranian government to immediately and unconditionally release these and other Bahá’ís who have
been unjustly imprisoned in Iran.
The historic ties of language, poetry, architecture, music and religion have held India and Iran
together. In the name of these ancient ties, we call on the Government of Iran to act according to
the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights which it has ratified. These provisions mandate the upholding of the principles of
justice and freedom-principles cherished by all great religions of the world and all nations.
We remind the Government and leadership of Iran that they must honour their own historic action
of 1948 in supporting and adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Both Iran and India
were prominent among the countries that voted for this landmark declaration -- which confers upon
all its signatories the obligation – and the privilege -- to uphold, honour and defend human rights
without distinction of any kind.
We continue to call upon our government and people of good-will throughout India to take
whatever action they can to impress upon the Iranian government that its actions are being
watched, and that it will be held responsible for the safety of these and the more than 50 other
Baha'is who are imprisoned throughout Iran.

March 2011
INDIAN VOICES OF SUPPORT
Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, Former Judge, Supreme Court of India
Justice J.S. Verma, Former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India – Former Chairperson, National
Human Rights Commission
Prof. Tahir Mahmood, Former Member, Law Commission of India – Former Chairperson National
Commission for Minorities
Prof. Amitabh Kundu, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, JNU – Former Member,
National Statistical Commission
V. Raghunathan, Former Professor IIM Ahmedabad – Author
Miloon Kothari, Coordinator Housing and Land Rights Network – Former UN Special Rapporteur on
adequate housing
Archbishop Vincent Concesso, Archbishop of Delhi, Sacred Hearts Cathedral
Fr. Dominic Emmanuel SVD, Director and Spokesperson, Delhi Catholic Archdiocese
B. K. Durgesh Nandini, Sister in-charge, Brahmakumari, Bhubaneswar, Orissa
Dr. Mohini Giri, Founder, Guild of Service India – Former Chairperson, National Commission for
Women
R. B. Singh, Distinguished Professor IFFCO Foundation, Ex Assistant Director General of FAO
Dr. Ashok Khosla, President, Development Alternatives
Ajay Mehta, Director, National Foundation for India
Mira Shiva, Coordinator, Initiative for Health & Equity in Society - Member, Diverse Women for
Diversity
Bina Jain, President, All India Women’s Conference
Ravi Narayan, Secretary General, Indian Committee of Youth Organizations
Satish K. Jain, Professor of Economics, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, JNU
Kamla Bhasin, Founder, Advisor, Sangat, South Asian Organization for Peace and Equality, Gender &
Human Rights
Madhu Kishwar, Founder, Manushi – Senior Fellow, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies
(CSDS)
Harsh Jaitli, Chief Executive Officer, Voluntary Action Network India (VANI)
Aarti Saxena, General Secretary, Stree Shakti
Ashok Agarwal, Advisor, Social Jurist, A Civil Rights Group
Ashwini Malhotra, Director, Weikfield Foods, Pune
Nita S. Kothekar, President & Founder of Janiv Family Counselling and Assistance Society.
Kunal A. Ajbani , Nashik City President- All India Human Rights Association, Delhi
Zuber Firoz Hasmi, President, Nagrik Seva Samiti, Nashik, S.E.O.Government of Maharashtra
Balasaheb M. Gujrathi, President, Tidke Colony Social Group- Member, Peace Committee, Nashik
Dnyaneshwar R. Gaikwad, Special Executive officer, Nashik, President, Ganesha Social Group, Nashik
S. K. Sharma, President, Society for the Protection of Human Rights in Uttarakhand
Murtuza T. Kanchwala, District Vice President, All India Anti-Corruption Committee
Hukumat D. Valecha, Director- United Social Service Association Nashik, Maharashtra
Bharat Bhatia, Ex-Director-: H.A.B. Sindhi High School, Nashik
Sheela Suryawanshi, Shaskiya Zilhastariya Mahila Dhoran and Hunda Nirmulan Dakshata Samiti
Nashik.
Hira S. Shirke, Vice President, Adarsh Mhila Vikas Margadarshan Sanstha
Tarla Dalal, Celebrated Cookery Author and Recipient of the 2007 Padma Shri award
Aruna Katara, President, I Square It Trust, and Managing Trustee of the I2IT college of Information
Technology, Pune
S.M. Sonawane, Principal, New College of Education Nashik
Prin Sanjay S. Shinde, Principal Samarth College of Education, Satpur, Nashik
Prin V.N. Suryawanshi, Principal HPT Arts & RYK Science College Sharanpur Road, Nashik
M. A. Kulkarni, Prog. Co-ordinator, Dr. Moonje institute, B.M.College, Campus Nashik
Mamta S. Lal, Lecturer MVPS College Nashik
Sayyed Mursalin Sikander, RTC, “RAHNUMA” Urdu Primary School Wadala Road, Nashik
Swapnil B. Nirmal, Principal Motiwala College of Education Science Nashik
P. P. Sasindran, Vice-Chairman of Kerala Press Academy, Ernakulam
Raj Kishore Mishra, Secretary, Institute of Orissa of Orissa culture
P. C. Mohapatra, Former President, Board of Secondary Education, Orissa
K. Bharat Chandra, Vice-principal, Jupiter Science College, Bhubaneswar, Orissa
Jaydeep Mohanty, HOD, Botany, Jupiter Science College, Bhubaneswar, Orissa
B. R. Dev, Principal, Jupiter Science College, Bhubaneswar, Orissa
Bajan N. Desai, Eminent Educationist of India, Nashik
Fr. Diego, Principal, Don Bosco School, Nashik
Dr. Kavita Kasat, Professor/HOD OBG, Nashik
Shubh Swanan, Professor, Nashik
Tawal Sen, C. A. BOSCH, Nashik
B. Dasgupta, V. C. India Value, Nashik
Dr. Sachin Bhalerao, Lecturer, Department of Medicine, Nashik
Dr. Sohail Shaikh, Professor/HOD Repertory, Nashik
Dr. Mitra Gharte, Lecturer, Department of Forensic Medicine, Nashik
Dr. K. P Bagmar, Lecture , Department of Surgery , Nashik
Mhd Zakir Raga, Sub-Editor – Mantralaya Varta Mumbai
Vishwas Deokar, Editor, Sakal Newspaper North Maharashtra Edition Nashik
Vaishali Pawar, Abivati Media Centre Nashik
Prof. Shiv Visvanathan, Author and Journalist
Prof. Tridip Suhrud, Author
Sasindran, Author and Special Correspondent of Mathrubhumi
Vandan Arvind Potnis, Editor Daily Gavakari, Nashik
E. M. Hashim, Owner, Miltan Trans Middle East
Narasingh Jena, President, NCCA, Nayapalli
Nishigandha Mogal, Physiotherapist& Social Worker, Ex. MLC
Pharande D. Devyani Suha, Deputy Mayor, Nashik
Nitin Kute, Consulting Architect, Nashik
Sugit Mitra, V.C. Mahindra & Mahindra, Nashik
Ajay S. Sharma, Podar International Nashik
Jaiprakash Pawar, Repoutor Loksatta, Nashik
Tapas Kumar Kundu, Professor & HOD Medicine, Nashik
Dr. Patel Sunil Raghunath, Professor & Physician, Nashik
Dr. Subhash Yadav, Professor & Physician, Nashik
Dr. R. Kundu, Professor & HOD Physiology, Nashik
P.S. Datta, Sup. Glikmarg, Nashik
Dr. Swanand Shukhla, Professor/HOD Community Medicine, Nashik
Jivan A. Vaisherpayan, Jude from M.S.E.B, Court as Visiti level President M.L.G.P.N
Vijaymala S. Joshi, Advocate, Maharashtra Shasansanchalit Mahila Madat Kendrea Legal Avisor
S. S. Muli, C.O.C Industrial Court Nashik
G. S. Zore, Assistant Registrar, Industrial Court Nashik
D. S. Kamre , Labour Court Nashik
S. G. Dholi, Labour Court Nashik
Q. A. Bidave, Labour Court Nashik
P.G.Andewad, Labour Court Nashik
D.P.Mali, Advocate, Nashik
D.R. Kesharwani, Advocate, Nashik
V.R. Mahajan, Advocate, Nashik and Adv. Sanjay V. Joshi, Advocate Nasik