LISTEN TO YARAN SAMPLE TRACK: 

Dedicated to the many thousands of friends who have suffered systematic persecution, hardship, and even death, at the hands of the current Iranian regime, simply due to the fact that they are Baha'i's. 

This song was inspired by the seven Baha'i leaders currently facing 20 years in prison without trial. They were charged with, among other things, espionage, propaganda against the Islamic republic, the establishment of an illegal administration - charges that were all rejected completely and categorically by the defendants. 

Their crime, though, is nothing more than being members of the Baha’i Faith, a religion which has been the focus of a systematic, government-sponsored persecution in Iran since the 1979 revolution. 

The charges against the seven reflects the kinds of false accusations and campaign of misinformation that Iran’s regime has used to vilify and defame Baha’is for decades. 

Their names: 
Mahvash Sabet
Fariba Kamalabadi
Jamaloddin Khanjani
Afif Naeimi
Saeid Rezaie
Behrouz Tavakkoli
Vahid Tizfahm

These five men and two women are all members of a national-level group known as the “Yaran-i-Iran” – or “Friends in Iran”. 

To learn more read Shadi's Blog: shadi-tolouiwallace.squarespace.com/blog/2014/12/7/yaran-shadi-toloui-wallace

YARAN LYRICS: 

I sing of justice
Of prisoners of conscience
Victims of blind hate
and false accusation

Yearning to serve
Without recognition
Their humble voices heard
From such a distance

I close my eyes and I see your faces
Oh Yaran, can we trade places

They stopped you working
Closed your schools to stop you learning
They'll hurl hate and slander
Create false propaganda

Relentlessly day and night
They deny your human rights
Helpless you’re not
For this life you've rightly chosen

I close my eyes and I see your faces
Oh Yaran, can we trade places

“The best beloved
of all things
In my sight
is justice

Verily Justice
is my gift to thee
And the sign of
My loving kindness

Oh Yaran this gift will come
Oh the joy, and sweet victory

Lonely years in cells of glory
Has left me here, to tell their story
Oh Yaran

Released December 23, 2014

CREDITS:

Composed and Performed by Shadi Toloui-Wallace

Poem Written by Paul Toloui-Wallace

Produced by Josh Toloui-Wallace & Jon Rezin

Mixed and Mastered by Jon Rezin

Guitar by JB Eckl & Josh Toloui-Wallace

Additional programming by Jon Rezin, JB Eckl, and Josh Toloui-Wallace

With thanks to Louie Shelton & Arthur Smith

Cover art collage created by Mona Forghani #madebypo