6 August 1984: The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States

Dear Baha'i friends,

We are requested by the Universal House of Justice to thank you for your letter of 10 July 1984 recounting the electrifying events which took place at the closing session of your last National Convention. The House of Justice was deeply moved to learn of the enthusiastic response that the delegates and others present made to the inspiring talk given by the Hand of the Cause of God Dhikru'llah Khadem, and by their desire, expressed on the scroll which you have forwarded to the World Centre, for the Law of Huququ'llah to be applied to all believers in the United States.

In response to this petition the Universal House of Justice has decided that, although it is not yet timely to apply this mighty law in the West, it will send to the believers in the United States and other Western countries a translation into English of a compilation of texts so that they will be able to familiarize themselves with this subject. This translation is now being prepared and when it is complete an appropriate announcement will be made which will constitute the first step in the process of applying this law of God to the Western Baha'i communities.

Kindly share this letter with the friends in your area of jurisdiction.

With loving Baha'i greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

20 July 1984: To the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Benin

HEARTS UPLIFTED NEWS FIRST INTER-REGIONAL WOMEN'S CONFERENCE. OFFERING PRAYERS THANKSGIVING FOR BOUNTIFUL CONFIRMATIONS.  CONFIDENT SPIRIT GENERATED WILL BENEFIT BAHA'I WOMEN BENIN, INDEED ENTIRE REGION. PRAYING ADDED BLESSINGS BRILLIANT VICTORIES.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

5 July 1984: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

FURTHER OUR TELEX DATED 3 JULY WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED DISTRESSING NEWS OF EXECUTION IN TIHRAN ON 27 JUNE OF IHSANU'LLAH KATHIRI, 40 YEARS OLD, AFTER 11 MONTHS IMPRISONMENT HIS BODY UNCEREMONIOUSLY BURIED BY AUTHORITIES WITHOUT INFORMING FAMILY. ...

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

3 July 1984: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

FURTHER DISTRESSING NEWS RECEIVED FROM IRAN OF EXECUTION BY HANGING OF NUSRATU'LLAH VAHDAT IN MASHHAD 17 JUNE. AN ADDITIONAL 51 BELIEVERS NOW HELD IN PRISONS IRAN, MAKING TOTAL OF 751, SOME OF WHOM ARE SUBJECTED TO CRUEL TORTURE. A NUMBER OF FRIENDS ARE NOW IN PARTICULAR DANGER. ...

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

21 May 1984: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

FURTHER TO OUR MESSAGE OF 10 MAY REGARDING TORTURE BEING INFLICTED BAHA'IS IRAN WE SEND FOLLOWING SUMMARY OVERALL SITUATION THAT COUNTRY FROM MOST RECENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY RELIABLE SOURCES.

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION MORE THAN 300 RESIDENCES OF BAHA'IS HAVE BEEN PLUNDERED OR SET ON FIRE.

SOME 170 BAHA'IS, MOST OF THEM PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE BAHA'I COMMUNITY, HAVE BEEN KILLED BY A VARIETY OF METHODS, BUT PRINCIPALLY THROUGH EXECUTION BY FIRING SQUADS AND BY HANGING.

IN URBAN AREAS PROPERTIES BELONGING TO SEVERAL HUNDRED FAMILIES HAVE BEEN SEIZED, WHILE IN RURAL AREAS MANY ORCHARDS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED AND FARMS AND ARABLE LANDS CONFISCATED. PETITIONS TO THE AUTHORITIES FOR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES HAVE BEEN IGNORED.

THE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS FORMALLY INSTRUCTED INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL INSTITUTIONS NOT TO PAY THEIR BAHA'I STAFF.

MORE THAN 10,000 BAHA'IS EMPLOYED IN GOVERNMENT OFFICES OR IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAVE BEEN SUMMARILY DISCHARGED, THEIR RIGHTS TO PENSIONS AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS REVOKED. DEMANDS WERE MADE OF A NUMBER OF THEM TO REFUND THE SALARIES THEY HAD RECEIVED FOR THE DURATION OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT.

BAHA'I STUDENTS HAVE BEEN DISMISSED FROM ALL UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.

10 May 1984: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha'i friends,

ON THURSDAY, 10 MAY 1984, THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE INSTRUCTED THE BAHA'I INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN NEW YORK TO ISSUE THE FOLLOWING PRESS RELEASE AND TO KEEP THE APPROPRIATE UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES INFORMED OF THE CONTINUING PERSECUTION OF THE BAHA'IS IN IRAN.

THE PERSECUTION OF THE BAHA'IS OF IRAN HAS TAKEN AN EXTREMELY SEVERE AND CRITICAL TURN.

OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS ABDUCTIONS, EXECUTIONS, THE IMPRISONMENT OF HUNDREDS, DISMISSAL FROM JOBS, EXPULSION OF BAHA'I CHILDREN FROM SCHOOLS, DESTRUCTION OF HOMES HAVE BEEN THE COMMON LOT OF THIS OPPRESSED COMMUNITY. NOW, HOWEVER, THE AUTHORITIES IN IRAN SEEM TO HAVE DECIDED TO SUBJECT PROMINENT BAHA'IS TO BARBARIC METHODS OF TORTURE TO EXTRACT FROM THEM CONFESSIONS TO THE FALSE CHARGES LEVELLED AGAINST THEM.

TORTURE HAS BEEN USED ON BAHA'I PRISONERS BEFORE, BUT HITHERTO THE PURPOSE HAS BEEN TO FORCE THEM TO RECANT THEIR FAITH OR REVEAL INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR FELLOW BELIEVERS. ALL BUT A FEW OF THE BAHA'IS REMAINED FIRM AND PREFERRED IMPRISONMENT AND DEATH TO RECANTATION OF THEIR FAITH. RECENTLY AN ADDED OBJECTIVE SEEMS TO INSPIRE THE GOVERNMENT'S TORTURE-MONGERS.

13 April 1984: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

FURTHER OUR MESSAGE 10/11 APRIL JUST RECEIVED DISTRESSING NEWS EXECUTION BY FIRING SQUAD IN EVIN PRISON TIHRAN FOLLOWING BELIEVERS:

MR KAMRAN LUTFI, 32 YEAR OLD UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR, IMPRISONED 5 MAY 1983

MR RAHIM RAHIMIYAN, 52 YEAR OLD BUSINESSMAN, IMPRISONED 5 MAY 1983

MR YADU'LLAH SABIRIYAN, 60 YEAR OLD PRINTING PRESS MANAGER, IMPRISONED 9 FEBRUARY 1982

SINCE EXECUTIONS NOT ANNOUNCED AND BODIES UNCEREMONIOUSLY BURIED WITHOUT FAMILIES RELATIVES BEING INFORMED, EXACT DATE EXECUTIONS UNKNOWN.  FEARFUL OTHER BAHA'I PRISONERS RECEIVED SAME FATE.

NOW ESTABLISHED FACT THAT GHULAM-HUSAYN HASANZADIH-SHAKIRI WAS ALSO EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD INSTEAD OF DYING MYSTERIOUSLY IN PRISON AS REPORTED. ...

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

10 April 1984: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

PERSECUTION FRIENDS CRADLE FAITH PERSISTS, TAKING EVEN MORE INSIDIOUS TURN. IN MARCH AT LEAST THREE PRISONERS DIED UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, TWO IN TIHRAN AND ONE IN BAFT, KIRMAN, BODY OF MUHSIN RADAVI, 55 YEARS OLD, SHOWED EVIDENCE OF HANGING. OTHER TWO, GHULAM- HUSAYN HASANZADIH-SHAKIRI, 80, AND NUSRATU'LLAH DIYA'I, 61, WERE BURIED WITHOUT FRIENDS RELATIVES BEING INFORMED.

ARRESTS CONTINUE WITH LEAST AMOUNT PUBLICITY. SINCE LAST REPORT 17 JANUARY ALTHOUGH SOME BAHA'I PRISONERS RELEASED, 111 HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, MOST OF WHOM WERE MEMBERS OF SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES BEFORE THEIR DISSOLUTION LAST YEAR. NUMBER BAHA'IS KNOWN TO BE IN PRISONS IN IRAN TOTALS 704.

ACCURATE INFORMATION IN HAND DESCRIBES TORTURES PERPETRATED AGAINST SOME VERY PROMINENT BAHA'IS. FOR EXAMPLE ONE BAHA'I SEVERELY TORTURED UNDER EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES FORCED CONFESS TO FALSE CHARGES. OTHERS SIMILARLY TORTURED RESISTED PRESSURES EXERTED ON THEM TO MAKE FALSE PUBLIC CONFESSIONS FOR BENEFIT RADIO TELEVISION. ...

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

2 April 1984: To the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Bolivia

NEWS INITIAL BROADCAST RADIO BAHA'I CARACOLLO MARKED BY FAVOURABLE LOCAL RECOGNITION SIGNIFICANCE EVENT ENTIRE REGION. ASSURE PRAYERS AMPLE REWARDS YOUR LONG EFFORTS. ARDUOUS DAYS DEVELOPMENT FULL POTENTIALS POWERFUL INSTRUMENT TEACHING DEEPENING UPLIFTMENT PEOPLES ALTIPLANO NOW BEFORE YOU. MAY GUIDANCE BLESSED BEAUTY BE YOURS WIN LAURELS IN SERVICE BELOVED FAITH.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

29 March 1984: To National Spiritual Assemblies

FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS HAVE OCCURRED RE MOROCCAN SITUATION:

1 .COURT OF APPEAL CASABLANCA POSTPONED HEARING UNTIL 12 APRIL.

2. INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, A NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION BASED IN PARIS WHICH HAD SENT ITS REPRESENTATIVE TO MOROCCO FOR FIRST HAND COVERAGE DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING BAHA'I CASES, HAS JUST ISSUED PRESS RELEASE IN PARIS OPENLY REPORTING SENTENCES, DECLARING THESE INCOMPATIBLE WITH STANDARD TOLERANCE PRACTISED IN MOROCCO AS WELL AS INCORPORATED ITS CONSTITUTION, AND WARNING THAT IF JUSTICE IS NOT DONE, FEDERATION IS PREPARED CALL ON OTHER INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES TAKE ACTION BEHALF BAHA'IS.

3. IF YOU ARE APPROACHED BY MEDIA YOU SHOULD STATE THAT ACTION TAKEN BY FEDERATION ARISES FROM FINDINGS ITS OWN REPRESENTATIVE; HOWEVER BAHA'IS THEMSELVES HAVE SO FAR REFRAINED FROM PUBLICITY AS THEY HOPE HEARINGS COURTS OF APPEAL WILL REDRESS WRONGS AND UPHOLD JUSTICE.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’) 

9 February 1984: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

DEEPLY GRIEVED ANNOUNCE PASSING ETHEL REVELL SAINTLY STEADFAST SELF-SACRIFICING PROMOTER CAUSE GOD. BLESSED BY ASSOCIATION 'ABDU'L-BAHA COURSE HIS VISIT AMERICA AND RECEIPT TABLETS FROM HIM. HER TIRELESS LABOURS STERLING QUALITIES EARNED ADMIRATION SHOGHI EFFENDI WHO APPOINTED HER INTERNATIONAL BAHA'I COUNCIL AS ITS WESTERN ASSISTANT SECRETARY. THIS CROWN HER SERVICES CONTINUED MEMBERSHIP ELECTED COUNCIL SUBSEQUENT SERVICES MANY CAPACITIES WORLD CENTRE INCLUDING SECRETARY HANDS HOLY LAND. URGE NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERINGS HER HONOUR IN ALL MASHRIQU'L-ADHKARS OTHER CENTRES. PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HER RADIANT SOUL ABHA KINGDOM.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

13 December 1983: To the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Baha'is of Alaska, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Hawaiian Islands, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States

Dear Baha'i friends,

The Universal House of Justice has been consulting upon aspects of youth service in pioneering throughout the Baha'i world, and has requested that we convey its views on service in other lands undertaken by Baha'i youth with voluntary non-sectarian organizations.

In the past, the policy adopted by some National Assemblies was to discourage young Baha'is from enrolling to serve in activities sponsored by non-Baha'i voluntary organizations, as the Assemblies were under the impression that these young people would not be able to engage in direct teaching, nor participate, for the most part, in Baha'i activities while serving abroad in such programmes.  Perhaps in some instances the Baha'is involved were not sure how to function as members of the Baha'i community in order to give each aspect of their lives its proper due.

In the light of experience, however, it is now clear that we should have no misgivings in encouraging young Baha'is to enrol in such voluntary service organization programmes as the United Nations Volunteers, United States Peace Corps, Canadian University Services Overseas (CUSO) and similar Canadian agencies, the British Volunteer Program (BVP) of the United Kingdom, and other voluntary service organizations. Other countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, and the Scandinavian lands are understood to have similar service organizations which are compatible with Baha'i development goals as now tentatively envisaged.

17 January 1984: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

PRESSURES AGAINST BELEAGUERED BRETHREN CRADLE FAITH UNCEASING. THREE MORE STALWART SUPPORTERS GREATEST NAME JOINED RANKS MARTYRS, AS FOLLOWS:

- MR 'ABDU'L-MAJID MUTAHHAR IMPRISONED ISFAHAN 4 SEPTEMBER 1983 DIED SHORTLY AFTER CONFINEMENT.

- MR RAHMATU'LLAH HAKIMAN MYSTERIOUSLY PASSED AWAY IN PRISON IN KIRMAN EARLY JANUARY 1984 FEW DAYS AFTER BEING IMPRISONED.

- ON 19 NOVEMBER IN VILLAGE OF MUHAMMADIYYIH NEAR ISFAHAN, MR BAHMAN DIHQANI, WELL KNOWN AND RESPECTED BAHA'I, DIED AS RESULT OF MOB ATTACK. SINCE BURIAL NOT ALLOWED HIS VILLAGE, BAHA'IS CARRIED BODY TO NAJAFABAD AND BURIED HIM THERE.

- FULL DETAILS CIRCUMSTANCES ALL THREE DEATHS UNKNOWN.

SINCE LAST REPORT 7 NOVEMBER OVER 250 BAHA'IS INCLUDING INFANTS AND CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN ALL PARTS COUNTRY. NEARLY 70 OF THESE WERE DETAINED BETWEEN 31 DECEMBER 1983 AND 3 JANUARY 1984.

OTHER DESPICABLE ACTS AGAINST BAHA'IS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS PERMITTED ENTER BAHA'I HOMES WITHOUT WARRANTS, CONFISCATE VALUABLE PERSONAL POSSESSIONS. COMPLAINTS TO AUTHORITIES UNAVAILING. SOME IMPRISONED BAHA'IS WHO WERE EXPELLED FROM THEIR JOBS HAVE BEEN PROMISED RELEASE IF THEY REPAY ALL SALARIES PAID TO THEM FROM BEGINNING THEIR EMPLOYMENT, SOMETIMES UP TO 30 YEARS. ...

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

7 December 1983: The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States

Dear Baha'i friends,

In recent months the Universal House of Justice has received comments from individual American believers expressing their distress over the continuing persecution of their beloved co-workers in Iran, and proposing such ways of registering their protest as public demonstrations and the wearing of armbands and ribbons. Consideration of these comments has prompted the instruction of the House of Justice that we write you thus.

It is indeed difficult, given the heartbreaking disabilities imposed upon the Iranian Baha'i Community and the seeming impotence of the American Community directly to effect a positive change, for the friends to be at case.[1] But that the situation in Iran, grave as it is, should lead to feelings of depression and alienation on the part of the American believers, as has been reported, or that it should be allowed to hamper their success in teaching on the home-front, suggests the need for a proper perspective. You will sense in the comments and appeals of the beloved Guardian addressed to the American Community during 1955-56 a striking resemblance between the reactions and attitudes of the friends towards the crisis then and now.  A rereading of his letter of 20 August 1955 describing the situation then and the opportunities it created for the proclamation of the Faith, and his cables of 5 January, 2 February and 22 June 1956 (Citadel of Faith, pages 133-42) urging action is most instructive. The American Community has displayed in the past a tendency towards periodic immobility, a condition the Guardian commented upon from time to time and that was the main concern of his last letter to the America dated 21 September 1957 (Citadel of Faith, pages 151-58). While the House of Justice does not now have the impression that the American believers as a whole are depressed, it feels it might be helpful to all concerned to make the following comments on the basis of that assumption, as conveyed in the correspondence received.