Commemoration of imprisoned Baha'i's

NSW Religions for Peace at Baha'i ceremony

Members of Religions for Peace NSW Branch attended a national forum in Sydney on 7 May which called for the release of seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders in Iran.

Each representative solemnly walked over to one of seven empty chairs on a stage in the NSW Parliament House and placed upon it a red rose in the name of one of the seven leaders. They then bowed their heads in respect.

The Baha’i leaders are now five years into a 20 year jail term. Their conviction and sentence has attracted worldwide condemnation including from the UN General Assembly, the Federal Parliament of Australia and counterparts worldwide, Amnesty International, and Nobel laureates.

The forum was preceded on 6 May by a call from Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr, for the immediate release of the seven, a message that was read out to the gathering.

Before the leaders placed the roses on the chairs, each of them offered prayers or readings from their religious tradition.

The Muslim representative, the Iman of the Zetland mosque, Dr Amin Hady, chanted from the Quran.

The Senior Rabbi of the Great Synagogue in Sydney, Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence, said : “We pray that Iran’s religious leaders will conduct themselves fittingly with morality, humanity and honesty.”

The chairman of the Hindu Council of Australia, Professor Nihal Agar, said that the whole Hindu community of Australia is in support of the leaders. Professor Agar then read a prayer from the Hindu scriptures.

The General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Australia, Reverend Tara Curlewis, prayed: “Holy God, our concern for the seven Baha’i leaders … has never faded… We pray for their families and the whole Baha’i community that you will keep them strong in their faith in the face of persecution and adversity.”

The secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia offered a prayer from the Baha’i writings calling on God to “strengthen and succour His servants”.

Roses were also placed by Professor Abd Malak on behalf of the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations, and by Mrs Josie Lacey representing Religions for Peace NSW.

Roses commemorate jailed Baha'i followers

Roses commemorate 5 years Baha’i leaders have been jailed in Iran

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