<div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><b>What: Lecture on the history and current persecution of the Baha'i Faith in Iran<br>
<br>When: 7pm Wed, March 11, 2009.<br><br>Where: MIT 4-231<br><br>Description:</b><br><br>The Baha'i Faith (<a href="http://www.bahai.us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.bahai.us/</a>))
is the youngest of the world's independent monotheistic religions.
Founded in Iran in 1844, it now has more than five million adherents in
236 countries and territories.<br><br>One of the largest communities of
Baha'is in the world is still located in Iran. However, the Baha'i
faith in Iran has long been persecuted as a minority faith in the
Islamic Republic of Iran.<br><br>While the persecution of Baha'is is
longstanding in Iran, it recently (Feb 11) reached an unexpected new
peak with charges of espionage and insulting Islam laid against seven
members of the Iranian Baha'i leadership who have been imprisoned for
almost a year without any evidence supporting these accusations. The
charge of espionage in Iran carries with it a potential death sentence.<br><br>In
this talk we will discuss the history of the Baha'i persecution in Iran
with emphasis on the current political situation and jeopardy of the
Baha'i leadership. We will sign (optional) petitions calling for the
freedom of these leaders.<br><br>This event is hosted by MIT Amnesty, MIT Baha'i Student Association and funded by a GSC grant.<br><br> For more details:<br>Amnesties description of the events: <a href="http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/013/2009/en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/013/2009/en</a>.<br>
Dwight (from 'The Office') description: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/02/17/wilson.faith/index.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/02/17/wilson.faith/index.html</a><br>
<br><b>DINNER WILL BE SERVED.</b><br><br><br>
</blockquote></div><br>