Following last week’s show trial of post-election protesters in Iran, seven Baha’i leaders face yet another failure of legal due process as they prepare to stand trial Aug. 18, 2009, on a series of false charges stemming from their membership with the Baha’i Faith. This despite the fact that the lead lawyers registered with the court to represent them are either in prison or outside the country.

Authorities recently sent to Mr. Abdolfattah Soltani, a key member of the legal team representing the seven Baha’is, who is himself currently detained in Evin prison, a notice dated July 15, 2009, indicating that the trial was scheduled for 9 a.m., Tuesday, August 18, in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. That is the same court that tried Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi.

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 Center, which was founded by Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi and has since last year undertaken to defend the seven Baha’is. To date, Mrs. Ebadi, the senior member of the legal team, remains outside the country.

Official Iranian news accounts have said the seven Baha’i leaders—Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm—are to be accused of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic republic,” charges that have been completely and categorically rejected by the Baha’i International Community.

Efforts to have the accused released on bail have not succeeded, nor have they been granted access to their legal counsel since they were arrested more than one year ago.

These circumstances are particularly alarming, because some 25 years ago members of Iran’s national-level Baha’i leadership were rounded up in a similar manner, and executed.

• Read more from Baha’i World News Service.
• Download a high resolution photo.