Multi-faith prayer vigil calls for release of Baha’i prisoners
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| Dr. Rolando L. Maddela, Chair of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i of Grand Prairie, speaks to members of various faiths that gathered Saturday afternoon for a prayer vigil for seven Baha'i members held in an Iran prison. ©2010-Bob Fitch/Grand Prairie Reporter |
Followers of the Baha’i faith along with members of various other faiths from across the metroplex came together at Grand Prairie’s Our Redeemer Lutheran Church Saturday afternoon to pray for seven Baha’i members recently sentenced in Iran to twenty years in prison, accused of “propaganda activities against the Islamic order.”
Dr. Rolando L. Maddela, Chair of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i of Grand Prairie, said the seven were arrested in 2008 and held until recently without being formally charged. He called the arrests and prison sentence Iran’s continued persecution of the country’s 300,000 Baha’i members.
Maddela called on members of all faiths to continue praying for the prisoners and all others around the world held in prisons because of their religious beliefs.
He added that Iran does pay attention to international opinion and asked everyone to contact their elected officials about the plight of Baha’i prisoners.
The prayer vigil was co-sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Baha’i of Grand Prairie and the Grand Prairie Unity Coalition and hosted by Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.
