Murder of a Baha’i in Iran

25 June 1992

To selected National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha’i Friends,

The Universal House of Justice deeply regrets to inform you that, following earlier reports received from members of the Ghedami family residing in Canada and the United States, the friends in Iran have now confirmed that Mr. Rúhu'lláh Ghedami, a staunch member of their community, has become the victim of a brutal murder at the hands of two members of the Iranian Disciplinary Forces.

The following details are reported by the friends in Iran:

Mr. Rúhu’lláh Ghedami was 65 years of age. He used to be employed by the Iranian Railway Company and was dismissed from work. He was a farmer in the village of Muzaffaríyyih near Islám-Shahr for about 20 years. His wife and five of his children are living outside of Iran.

Mr. Ghedami had a great love for the Faith and would often talk about it to non-Bahá’ís. Towards the end of 1370 (1991), he started associating with a member of the Disciplinary Forces of the Government of Iran and began talking to him about the Faith. These conversations continued for a while until he was officially asked, in that same year, to report to one of the police stations in the town of Rayy. He was then given a questionnaire with 40 items which were all answered by him. Mr. Ghedami later explained to one of his friends that all the questions related to Baha’i subjects.

Desecration of Baha’i Sites in Tehran

24 June 1992

To selected National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha’i Friends,

As you are already aware from previous communications, the Baha’i Holy Places and other properties and endowments belonging to the Baha’i community of Iran are still under government control. Many have been desecrated or demolished and the sites used for constructing roads or other buildings.

Among these confiscated properties was the once beautiful and well-kept Baha’i cemetery in Tehran. It has been desecrated and the headstones and marble coverings of the graves were removed and later sold in auctions. All identification marks on the graves were obliterated, and a school and playground are being built on this site.

The Baha’i community had owned a large piece of property to the south of Tehran which was intended for use as the future cemetery of the Tehran Bahá’í community. This was also confiscated and all petitions to regain it have been fruitless. Instead, a small, barren piece of land without any public service or utilities was assigned to the Baha’is of Tehran by the Iranian Government for use as a burial site for their dead. However, neither headstones nor any identification of the individual graves are permitted on that site. A Baha’i friend living in the United States, who visited Iran in October 1991, has described it as very depressing. The bodies of the dead have to be prepared for burial at home or water has to be fetched for that purpose from a Christian cemetery in the neighborhood...

It should be recalled that most of the Baha’i cemeteries in Iran have been desecrated or demolished and that thousands of Baha’is who wish to visit these cemeteries in order to pray for their departed relatives are either denied access, or they return with grieved hearts after witnessing the deplorable condition of the graves of their loved ones. Moreover, many of the Baha’i martyrs executed in prison have been buried in areas not even known to their relatives.

With loving Baha’i greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001’)

Passing of Isobel Sabri, Counselor Member of the International Teaching Center

18 June 1992

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

HEARTS PROFOUNDLY SADDENED LOSS GREATLY LOVED OUTSTANDING PROMOTER CAUSE GOD. MEMBER INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTER ISOBEL SABRI. HER STERLING INDEFATIGABLE PIONEERING AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES OVER SEVERAL DECADES FIRST BRITISH ISLES AND THEN AFRICA CROWNED BY UNFORGETTABLE HIGHLY VALUED CONTRIBUTIONS WORLD CENTER SINCE 1983. INTEGRITY HER EXEMPLARY LIFE POWERFULLY REINFORCED HER FEARLESS VALIANT UNFLAGGING EFFORTS CHAMPION TRUTHS AND DEFEND INTERESTS FAITH SHE DEARLY CHERISHED. PRAYING HOLY SHRINES CONTINUED PROGRESS HER LUMINOUS SOUL ABHÂ KINGDOM WHERE RICH REWARD ASSUREDLY AWAITS HER. ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL SERVICES HER HONOR HOUSES OF WORSHIP AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT BAHÄ’I WORLD.

The Universal House of Justice

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001’)

Release of a Compilation on Proclaiming the Faith through Mass Media

3 June 1992

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha’i Friends,

A few months ago, the World Congress Media Task Force, which is charged with organizing media activities in connection with the World Congress, requested the World Center to prepare a compilation of extracts from the Writings on proclaiming the Faith through mass media. When the Task Force received and studied the compilation that was prepared, they indicated that they had found it helpful and suggested that a copy be sent to National Spiritual Assemblies, as it might be equally useful to them.

The Universal House of Justice has approved this suggestion, and it is hoped that the enclosed copy will perhaps prove to be of assistance to you, or to the national committees appointed by you, in promoting your proclamation work through the mass media.

With loving Baha’i greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001’)

Confirmation of Execution of a Bahá’í in Tehran

8 April 1992

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

With sorrowful hearts we have received confirmation of the execution in Evin Prison in Tehran on 18 March 1992 of Mr. Bahman Samandarí, member of a distinguished Bahá’í family who had been active in the affairs of the Bahá’í community. No reason for his execution has been given by the judicial or prison authorities, nor have they disclosed the location of his grave.

This tragic surprise is the more shocking for the fact that the whole matter has been shrouded in secrecy. The execution was kept quiet for more than two weeks; no advance information was given to the family; no subsequent announcement about it was made; the news of it was broken to Mr. Samandarí’s widow only when she attempted to visit him on 5 April, the date given her by the authorities after they had denied her permission to see him despite her several previous attempts since his arrest on 17 March. The manner of informing her of his death was to hand her her husband’s will, which had been written on 18 March. No death certificate was issued, although inquiries by the Samandarí family at the office of the Tehran general cemetery brought the response that the name of Bahman Samandarí had been entered into its records.

No official charge or verdict was announced, assiduous inquiries by the family members producing only a vague indication that Mr. Samandarí’s execution had to do with his previous arrest four years ago when he and four other Bahá’ís were arrested for meeting in his home. At that time, 21 October 1987, charges were leveled against him because of his membership in the Bahá’í community. He and his fellow prisoners were released on 18 December 1987, after the title to Mr. Samandarí’s home had been turned over to the authorities along with a large sum of money as bail.

Execution of a Baha’i in Tehran

5 April 1992

To selected National Spiritual Assemblies

It is with deep distress that we inform you that news has reached us today of the execution of Mr. Bahman Samandari at Evin Prison in Tehran probably shortly before Naw-Rúz. He was among the four friends arrested for meeting in his home about four years ago but who were released from several months of imprisonment following a global campaign in protest. Details concerning the execution are being sought. . . .

Universal House of Justice

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001’)