Olya's Story: A Survivor's Personal and Dramatic Account of the Persecution of Baha'is in Revolutionary Iran

by Olya Roohizadegan

Book Overview

A moving story of one woman's experiences at the hands of Iranian revolutionaries. A triumphant example of faith, humor, courage and love. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 185168073X
• ISBN13: 9781851680733
• Release Date: November 1994
• Publisher: Oneworld Publications
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.3" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Olya's Story

This is the BEST book I have ever read! So emotional! So touching! So truly courageous! Every time I open the book, no matter what page I begin on, I want to keep going! A wonderful work expressing the suffering of such amazing individuals!

A survivor's account of religious persecution

This book is a survivor's shocking account of the persecution of the 350 000 strong Bahai faith in Iran. Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, which saw the destruction of Bahai's holiest site in Iran, the House of Bab in Shiraz, there has been violent and sytematic persecution of the Bahais by Iran's radical revolutionary regime. The Bahais are being persecuted soley for reasons of religious prejudices. Thousands of Bahai holy sites, community centres, homes and businesses have been destoyed by Iran's revolutionary guards and over 200 Bahais have been murdered and executed. Olya Roohizadegan was imprisoned for her faith, and subjected to intense physical and mental torture, to try to force her to renounce her religion. She remained loyal to her faith and survived. In prison, she formed friendships with ten women and girls who had been arrested for teaching Bahai faith clases to children. They were all executed. Olya and her family were released and escaped to the USA were she countinues to try to alert the world of the plight of Iran's Bahais. But is anybody listening? The persecution of the Bahais continues in Iran, and few in the world have taken up their cause or protested the abuses by Iran's Islamo-Nazi regime.

A very moving story

Earlier in 1978 a religious march in the city of Qum protested a newspaper article critical of the exiled Islamic leader, Ayatu'llah Khomeini, at which the police opened fire, seventeen seminary students were killed, and the government was denounced as anti-Islamic. As religious fundamentalism swept the country, Iran's largest religious minority, the Baha'is, became vulnerable; their houses were looted, livestock stolen, shops attacked and many were taken to mosques to be forced to accept Islam by those who considered the Baha'i faith to be a heretical sect. Although Baha'is were obedient to the government and their religion does not allow them to take part in politics, they were considered a threat; burning and looting spread and Olya's house was filled with refugees. There had been phases of intense persecutions previous to this, in the 1950s, the 1920s and in the last century when 20,000 early believers were massacred.When the Pahlavis left Iran, the streets exploded in jubilation and two weeks later Ayatu'llah Khomeini proclaimed the birth of a new state where all were to be free: "Interrogating people about their beliefs is forbidden. No one can be persecuted or punished purely for holding certain beliefs." Official recognition and freedom to practice their religion, educate their children in their faith and be represented in parliament was extended to Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians but not to Baha'is, although recognized as a separate religion by the United Nations. The belief that a new messenger of God had come to herald the long-awaited regeneration of humanity was considered a wicked heresy just as Christ's proclamation had been 2,000 years earlier. When interviewed for US television the head of Public Prosecution in the Revolutionary Court of Iran said: "We have never killed anyone because of their religion. The Baha'is we have executed were either leaders of this political sect or they were spies for Israel. We are going to continue our efforts to eliminate all their leaders, and so far we have been very successful. Then we will put pressure on the other Baha'is, and no doubt they will all come back to Islam in time."The pogrom began in earnest; the House of the Bab, one of the most holy places for Baha'is, was destroyed; Baha'i houses were demolished and families forced to live together; many were killed or executed, often after prolonged torture; Baha'is were banned from jobs in teaching and in government; children were suspended from schools and universities; eleven prominent Baha'is were kidnapped by the Revolutionary Guards, disappearing without trace. On April 30, 1981 three Baha'is were executed. A Muslim whose car broke down close by, secretly witnessed the scene and recounted what he saw: "They were only a few steps away from death when the guards tried for the last time to get them to recant their faith. They were told that if they denied being Baha'is they would be allowed to go back to their families at once. Their rea

Inside view of Iranian govt's treatment of Baha'is

Olya spent time in prison with the 10 Baha'i women (including one who was only 17) who were hanged June 18, 1983 for teaching Baha'i children's classes. As such she's in a unique position to tell their story.

Olya's Story is a piece of history that touches your soul.

Olya's Story is a factual account of the experience of Baha'is in Iran after the revolution. It is significant historically, as well as in depicting true spirituality, faith, and sacrifice. Easily read, it grips your soul and envelopes your heart.