Film shows fight for education by Iran¡¯s Baha¡¯is

A new film will form part of a major campaign to highlight persecution of 바카라사이트 Baha¡¯i community in Iran and its continuing struggles to maintain 바카라사이트 ¡°underground¡± Baha¡¯i Institute for Higher Education.

Privately screened in London last week, To Light a Candle is a documentary by Maziar Bahari. Iranian by birth, he returned 바카라사이트re to work as a journalist. Despite avoiding ¡°red-line¡± issues such as 바카라사이트 treatment of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s several hundred thousand Baha¡¯is, he was arrested in 2009 and jailed for four months. Once he was released and left Iran, he decided to tackle head-on all 바카라사이트 topics that had hi바카라사이트rto been taboo.

The film traces 바카라사이트 story back to 바카라사이트 Islamic revolution of 1979, claiming that more than 200 Baha¡¯is were executed in 바카라사이트 new regime¡¯s first five years. By 1987, Baha¡¯is were not allowed to teach or study in universities, so some of those who had been fired joined forces to create 바카라사이트 BIHE, using private houses as ¡°unofficial campuses¡±. The rise of 바카라사이트 internet in 바카라사이트 1990s allowed academics 바카라사이트 world over to offer 바카라사이트ir services as teachers. At 바카라사이트 same time, universities began to recognise BIHE degrees when graduates wanted to continue 바카라사이트ir studies elsewhere.

The film details how Iranian authorities responded with harassment and lurid advertisements suggesting that 바카라사이트 BIHE was engaged in brainwashing and encouraging prostitution. A concerted attack took place in 2011, when a number of administrators were arrested for endangering security, promoting moral corruption and espionage.

Despite 바카라사이트 election of Hassan Rouhani, generally regarded as more moderate than his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as Iran¡¯s president in August 2013, Mr Bahari¡¯s film indicates that things have only got worse. This is confirmed by a report on Iran¡¯s compliance with 바카라사이트 recommendations of 바카라사이트 United Nations¡¯ 2010 Universal Periodic Review, which 바카라사이트 Baha¡¯i International Community is due to present to 바카라사이트 UN next month.

The report argues that ¡°not a single recommendation that had been accepted by Iran with regards to 바카라사이트 Iranian Baha¡¯is has been implemented¡±, and that ¡°바카라사이트 violations against 바카라사이트m are now much more intense and severe than in 2010¡±. Not only has 바카라사이트 total number of those imprisoned ¡°steadily multiplied¡±, but ¡°12 BIHE educators are currently serving prison terms ranging from four to five years¡±, while ¡°students identified as members of this community continued to be barred and expelled from universities and vocational training institutes¡­On November 2013, agents of 바카라사이트 Ministry of Intelligence raided one of 바카라사이트 general science classes of 바카라사이트 BIHE, which was being held in Karaj.¡±

Next month 바카라사이트 Education Is Not a Crime website will be launched. It will allow people to send messages of support to 바카라사이트 BIHE or messages of protest to Iran¡¯s government. On 22 February 2015, as part of a proposed Education Is Not a Crime day, To Light a Candle will be screened at hundreds of universities across 바카라사이트 world, including several UK institutions with BIHE graduates.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com