Members of the Baha'i faith community and others have held a special prayer service to call for an end to escalating violence against Baha'is in Iran.

In addition to limitations on civil liberties such as the right to higher education, the recognition of marriages and the opportunity of government employment, Baha'is face arrest, imprisonment and the confiscation of property.

A few months ago The Royal Gazette spoke with local Baha'i Neysan Sobhani about seven leaders in the Baha'i committee who had been arrested in May 2008 and taken to Iran's notorious Evin prison on charges of "espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the system".

The prayer session yesterday had special significance for Mr. Sobhani as his own family has been effected by a surge in violence against Baha'is.

Mr. Sobhani's parents were born in Iran. He grew up in Canada, and only spent a couple of years in Iran as a child. He is now married to a Bermudian and has two sons.

"My father's cousin's house was firebombed last week," he said. "The day after the bombing notes were left for them to leave the country that said 'Baha'is have no place in this country (Iran)'.

"The house is still (barely) inhabitable with one room being totally destroyed so they have not had to move.

"A Molotov cocktail was also thrown into their daughter's room (she is physically disabled) but thankfully it was contained and she was unharmed.

"They, like virtually all the other Baha'is in Iran refuse to be intimidated or recant their faith."

In most instances the authorities will state they will not be targeted if they change their religion to Islam.

"I have many relatives remaining in Iran who along with thousands of other Baha'is are subjected to daily attacks," said Mr. Sobhani.

But he said many people were deeply concerned about what was happening in Iran whether or not they had any direct connection to people there.

"The interesting thing is that Baha'is all over the world, regardless of background or ethnicity, feel a special bond with their Baha'i brothers and sisters in Iran and so it has become a personal issue for so many of us here in Bermuda and overseas."

For many Baha'is the arrest of the seven leaders, and many others, has brought back memories of the executions and brutal attacks on Baha'is after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

Because of the danger of returning to Iran, Mr. Sobhani has never had the chance to meet many of his relatives.

"I am unable to travel to Iran as it would be very unsafe but of course if there is a change in regime and it is declared safe for Baha'is to travel by human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, then I might one day travel and see these relatives," he said.