It has been over one week since the twelve-year old, Mahna Samandari has passed away but her parents have not been allowed to bury her. Mahna’s parents who suffer from physical handicaps are not only grieving the loss of their daughter but are devastated from regulations that deny them the right to burying their child in the local cemetery of Tabriz. Before the Islamic revolution the Bahai community in Tabriz had acquired a cemetery that was later confiscated by the government authorities. Until the 2011 the community was able to bury their dead in the cemetery until August of 2011 when the authorities announced that they no longer allow Baha’i interments. In the past three years at least twenty Baha’i individuals were denied burial in this cemetery. As an alternative, authorities are suggesting a burial ground in Urumia or the city of Mian-do-ab, located at least 60 minutes outside of the city. Common sense and religious laws prohibit remote burial grounds, especially for Samandaris who are physically disabled. Mahna suffered from a form of paralysis that impaired the use of her hands. Despite her handicap, she pursued her passion for art and painted with her mouth. A gifted artist with determination, Mahna obtained the first prize in art in a national competition. #Iran #humanrights #religiousfreedom #bahai #burialrights #religiousminorities #minorities #tabriz
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 23:16:48 +0000
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