The Universal House of Justice

19 September 1985

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

AFTER FEW MONTHS’ CESSATION OF EXECUTIONS OF BAHÁ’ÍS IN IRAN, GRIEVED ANNOUNCE TWO FURTHER EXECUTIONS. VALIANT SOULS ARE MR. ‘ABBÁS AYDILKHÁNÍ AND MR. RAḤMATU’LLÁH VUJDÁNÍ. FORMER WAS EXECUTED ON 1 AUGUST IN PRISON WITHOUT ANY NOTIFICATION HIS FAMILY. HIS GRAVE WAS ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERED NEAR TEHRAN. HE HAD BEEN IMPRISONED ON 26 APRIL 1982 IN ZANJÁN WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL APRIL 1985 WHEN HE WAS TAKEN TO TEHRAN. HE WAS 45 YEARS OLD AND WAS AN AIR-CONDITIONING TECHNICIAN. MANNER HIS EXECUTION STILL UNKNOWN. HIS WIFE IS ALSO IN PRISON IN ZANJÁN.

MR. RAḤMATU’LLÁH VUJDÁNÍ WAS ARRESTED IN JULY 1984 IN BANDAR-‘ABBÁS, WHERE HE WAS EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD ON 28 AUGUST 1985. HE WAS 57 YEARS OLD. HIS BODY WAS DELIVERED, AND HIS FUNERAL TOOK PLACE IN PRESENCE HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. HE WAS A TEACHER BY PROFESSION.

FROM THE END JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER 1985, 63 BAHÁ’ÍS WERE ARRESTED AND 39 RELEASED. TOTAL NUMBER PRISONERS NOW 741. THIS FIGURE INCLUDES 39 PRISONERS RELEASED DURING PERIOD. BAHÁ’Í STUDENTS OF ALL LEVELS HAVE TO COMPLETE ADMISSION FORMS WHICH INCLUDE SPACE FOR ONLY FOUR OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED RELIGIONS. BAHÁ’Í STUDENTS WHO STATE THEY ARE BAHÁ’ÍS ARE DENIED SCHOOLING OR IF ADMITTED FACE TREMENDOUS PRESSURE AND HARASSMENT. OTHER FORMS PERSECUTION INNOCENT BAHÁ’ÍS PERSIST.…

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE