On 21 February, Haddad, vice chair of Tehran prosecutors office announced that 7 Bahis , known to be leaders, have been charged for Insulting ” sacred values of Islam”, propagating against the State and spying for Israel.

According to Haddad, the seven were charged by the First prosecutors’ office in Tehran and would be followed in Tehran’s revolution court later.

All seven arrested are part of the known “Iranian Bahai Assembly” and had been arrested on 14 May 2008 during an attack by security forces on their homes.

Mahvash, Fariba kamal Abadi, Jamal Aldin Khanjani, Afif Naiimi, Saiid Rezaii, Behrooz Tavakoli and Vahid Tiz Fahm are the arrested members’ concerned.

Prior to this Bani Dogal, Bahai community representative in the UN, had condemned the attack saying : ” Their only crime is their faith “.

The arrested individuals are known to be part of a group called:”Friendship group” whose mandate was to take care of difficulties faced by the Bahai community.

Priro to this case, Ali Ashtari who was charged with spying for Israel has been hanged. According to the Bahai community spokesman, they suffer a great deal of prejudice in Iran for their religious belief.