Pew Forum Religious News Service, Aug.9, pewforum.org/Religion-News/RNS-Bahai-leaders-sentenced-to-20-years-in-Iran.aspx
Seven top leaders of the Baha’i faith who have been incarcerated in Iran since 2008 have each received jail sentences of 20 years after six months of court hearings that ended on June 14, according to the Baha’i World News Service.
Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations, said lawyers plan to appeal the verdict. “The allegations are pretty irrational and aren’t very reasonable,” she said.
Accusations against the seven include charges of espionage and propaganda activities against the Islamic state. “We really believe that they’re completely innocent,” Dugal said.