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[ 14 Articles ] |
• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 4 April A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
In late 2004 or early 2005 the
government of Egypt introduces a computerized identity card system that
locks out all religious classifications except Islam, Christianity, and
Judaism. Baha'is are unable to get ID cards and other documents
essential to day-to-day life. Thus begins an epic struggle for Bahá'í
appellants to win the right to have their religious affiliation properly
identified on goverment documents.
The issuance of birth certificates is at the heart of the first case,
which concerns 14-year-old twins Imad and Nancy Rauf Hindi. Their
father, Rauf Hindi, obtained birth certificates that recognized their
Baha'i affiliation when they were born but new policies require computer
generated certificates and the computer system locks out any religious
affiliation but the three officially recognized religions. Without birth
certificates, the children are unable to enroll in school in Egypt.
A lower administrative court rules that the couple should be identified
as Baha'is on official documents, a decision that, if upheld, will
essentially overturn the government's policy of forcing citizen to
choose from only the three officially recognized religions -- Islam,
Christianity and Judaism -- on state documents. The lower court's ruling
provokes an outcry among the fundamentalist elements in Egyptian
society, particularly Al Azhar University and the Muslim Brotherhood who
object to any kind of recognition of the Baha'i Faith as a religious
belief. The case gains international attention in the news media and
from human rights groups and sparks a wholesale debate in newspapers and
blogs throughout the Arab world over the right to freedom of religion
and belief. [BWNS454, Minority Right website] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• Ridvan A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
The launch of the Second Five Year Plan (2006-2011). |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 2 May A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
Letter, from the Trades,
Production, and Technical Services Society of Kermanshah to the Iranian
Union of Battery Manufacturers, asked the Union to provide a list of
members of the Bahá'í sect in their membership. [BWNS488] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 15 May A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
The government appeals the lower
court's ruling to the Supreme Administrative Court and the hearing
focuses on procedural issues concerning the case. The emotions stirred
by the case are evident at the initial hearing. Lawyers and other
individuals seated in the courthouse interrupt and heckle defense
counsel each time they try to address the court. They yell insults at
them, calling them 'infidels' and threatening them with physical
violence during the hearing. Because the Court is unable to impose
order in the courtroom, the Court briefly adjourns the hearing before
resuming the proceedings in camera. When the hearing is adjourned
courthouse security officers refuse to protect lawyers who are
surrounded by members of the crowd, verbally threatening, pushing,
shoving and not allowing them to walk away from the area.
After the government's appeal of the lower court's ruling a court
hearing is set for 19 June, however, the Court commissioner's advisory
report is not submitted in time for the hearing and the hearing is
further postponed until the 16th of September. [BWNS454, BWNS456] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 19 May A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
Iranian security officials arrested
54 Bahá'ís in the city of S̲h̲íráz who were involved in a community
service project, many of them in their teens and early 20's. They were
not charged and all but three were released within six days. It was the
largest mass arrest of Bahá'ís since the 1980's. [New York Times 1 June, 2006] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 15 July A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
The Bahá'í Academy has entered into
a formal agreement with one of India's top-ranked universities to offer
specialized training in education for moral development to its
students, faculty, and staff. [BWNS470] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 31 July A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
The announcement of the publication of The Tabernacle of Unity. This publication of the Bahá'í World Centre contains five tablets -
letters - written by Bahá'u'lláh to individuals of Zoroastrian
background in the 1800s. As such, these tablets provide important
insights into the interrelatedness of religion. [BWNS466] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 19 August A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
Iran's Ministry of Interior orders
officials throughout the country to step up the surveillance of Iranian
Baha'is focusing in particular on their community activities.
In a letter the Ministry requests provincial officials to complete a
detailed questionnaire about the circumstances and activities of local
Baha'is, including their "financial status," "social interactions," and
"association with foreign assemblies," among other things.
[BWNS488] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 16 September A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
The Supreme Administrative Court
again postpones its hearing on the government appeal of a lower court's
ruling upholding the right of a Baha'i couple to have their religion
properly identified on government documents. In a brief hearing the
Court continues the case until 20 November in order to await the
completion of an advisory report from the State Commissioner's Authority
on the case. [BWNS480] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 20 November A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
Lawyers representing a Baha'i
couple seeking to have their religious affiliation properly identified
on state documents present arguments at a full hearing before the
Supreme Administrative Court. The hearing is short and the court
adjourns until 16 December when a judgment in the case is expected. [BWNS492] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 16 December A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
Egypt's Supreme Administrative
Court rules against the right of Baha'is to be properly identified on
government documents. There are now two cases related to this issue; the
first involves a lawsuit by the father of twin children, who is seeking
to obtain proper birth certificates for them and the second concerns a
college student who needs a national identity card to re-enroll in
university.
The decision upholds current government policy, a policy which forces
the Baha'is either to lie about their religious beliefs or give up their
state identification cards. The policy effectively deprives Egyptian
Baha'is and others of access to most rights of citizenship, including
education, financial services, and even medical care.
[BWNS492] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 21 December A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
A message is sent from the
Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of Egypt regarding the recent
Supreme Administrative Court decision with respect to their right to
hold identification cards. [BWNS499]
- For a the full text of the message from the Universal House of Justice 21DEC2006 in English.
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 21 December A.D. 2006
• A.M. |
The Education Department Management
Security Office in S̲h̲íráz circulated a form to be completed for all
students who belong to religious minorities and the perverse Bahaist
sect. The form requires not only detailed information about the student
and his or her parents, but also detailed information on all the
student's siblings. [Provisional Translation of the text of the letter] |
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• 163 B.E.
• A.H.
• 5 March A.D. 2007
• A.M. |
The start of Bahaikipedia - The Bahá'í collaborative encyclopedia. The name Bahaikipedia is a portmanteau of Bahá'í, wiki and encyclopedia. [Bahaikipedia] |
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