Your prayers are invited for Bahá’ís in Yemen

The Bahá’í community are known to be peaceful, non-political and law-abiding. Yet there has been a severe escalation in the pattern of persecution of the small population of Bahá’ís in the Houthi-controlled northern region of Yemen. 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

On 15 September 2018, a court hearing was held to initiate legal proceedings against more than 20 members of the Bahá'í community in Yemen. The accused include all of the community’s national-level leaders, five of whom are already imprisoned, women, and a teenage girl. They have been falsely accused of espionage and apostasy under various pretexts.

In January 2018 a Bahá’í man, Mr Hamed bin Haydara, was sentenced to death, a sentence which is yet to be carried out. The leader of the de facto Houthi authorities in Sana’a has publicly denounced the Bahá’í Faith as “satanic” and incited his followers against Bahá’ís. Reports now indicate that the Houthis are monitoring and seeking to identify the Bahá’ís throughout the areas under their control.

The next hearing is scheduled for 29 September in Sana'a. The accused individuals, none of whom were notified officially or verbally before the first court session, have been summoned to attend. The international community is monitoring this case and will hold them accountable for their treatment of religious minorities. Our hope is that the Houthis will drop the charges against these innocent individuals, who have been targeted solely due to their religion. 

A press release from the Baha'i community providing further details can be found at https://news.bahai.org/story/1285/

A statement by Amnesty International is available at https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/09/yemen-24-bahai-people-including-a-child-facing-possible-death-penalty/

We encourage you and your church communities to keep the Baha'i community in your prayers during this difficult time. Pray for a just and peaceful outcome. 

If you require any further information please contact Dr Natalie Mobini, Director, Office of External Affairs, Australian Bahá'í Community
Telephone: (02) 6287 2019
Mobile: 0414 603 145