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Judicial officials in Iran have reportedly set next Tuesday as the trial date for seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders – despite the fact that their lawyers are either in prison or outside the country.

A notice saying that 18 August has been set as the trial date was recently sent to Abdolfattah Soltani – a key member of the legal team representing the seven Baha’is who is himself currently detained in Evin prison. The writ of notification was specifically addressed to Mr. Soltani, a well-known human rights lawyer and a principal of the Tehran-based Defenders of Human Rights Centre, which has since last year undertaken to defend the seven Baha’is. Meanwhile, Nobel Laureate Mrs. Shirin Ebadi, the senior member of the legal team, remains outside the country.

“The judiciary’s decision to schedule the trial under these circumstances is an effrontery and yet another tactic aimed at depriving the seven Baha’i leaders of competent legal counsel,” said Diane Ala’i, the Bahá’í International Community’s representative to the United Nations in Geneva. “The Iranian authorities know full well who is serving as legal counsel for the Baha’is. Indeed, authorities have several times tried to pressure the seven to change lawyers. It is the height of absurdity to issue a trial notice to a lawyer who has himself been unjustly imprisoned.”

Ms. Ala’i also said that the 18 August trial date could not be taken as firm, noting that the families of the seven had been told in June they were to be tried on 11 July, only to have that date come and go.

Official Iranian news accounts have said the seven Baha’i prisoners are to be accused of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic republic”, charges that are rejected completely and categorically.

For more information, go to Baha’i World News Service