Group fears Iran crackdown

By Callan Date
THE local Baha’i community in Cardinia is praying for the safety of fellow Baha’is living in Iran after they said a recent United Nations report revealed that the religious group was under intense scrutiny from ruling authorities.
Members from the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Cardinia Shire said they had previously left Iran after various types of persecution and were now deeply concerned about the safety of their family and friends in the country.
Pakenham resident Hamid Sobhani fled the country in 1984 after continued harassment from the government made any attempts at further education impossible.
“The Baha’i faith I follow ensured that the Iranian government did everything it could to make life difficult for me and after I left they imprisoned my father for three months,” Mr Sobhani said.
After fleeing the country Mr Sobhani made his way to the US, where he lived for 16 years, and then moved to Australia and settled in Pakenham.
“I really enjoy living here and the local Baha’i group is really supportive of each other.”
The Cardinia Baha’i community has around 25 members and spokesman Barry Johnston said they were all concerned about the latest reports out of Iran.
“We are shocked and fearful at this latest development, which suggests the Iranian authorities are preparing to unleash a new wave of persecution against our Baha’i brothers and sisters in Iran,” Mr Johnston said.
He said that the Baha’i community in Cardinia would continue to pray for those in Iran and hoped that others would empathise with their cause.
“Australian Baha’is are appealing urgently to all people not to allow our peaceloving and lawabiding counterparts in Iran to be sacrificed to the grave danger they clearly face.”