Baha’i arrests in Iran - more coverage
The media are picking up on the story of the arrest of six members of the Bahá’í leadership in Iran and the longer detention of the seventh member. Here are some further links:
Bilo’s blog, Bahá’í Faith in Egypt and Iran, has started a series on the systematic oppression of the Bahá’ís of Iran. You can read the first episode here. This promises to be a very informative and educational series.
And an Early Day Motion (don’t ask) has been tabled in the UK’s House of Commons by Lembit Opik MP. Early Day Motions (EDMs) are never debated, but MPs can signify their support by signing the motion. Ours is EDM 1608.
EDM 1608 ARREST OF MEMBERS OF THE BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY IN IRAN19.05.2008
Opik, Lembit
That this House expresses grave alarm at the news of the arrest of six prominent Bahá’ís in Iran on 14th May 2008; notes that Mrs Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr Jamaloddin Khanjai, Mr Afif Naeimi, Mr Saeid Rezaie, Mr Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr Vahid Tizfah are members of the informal group known as the Friends in Iran that co-ordinate the activities of the Bahá’í community in Iran; further notes that another member of the Friends in Iran, Mrs Mahvash Sabet, has been held in custody since 5th March 2008; registers deepest concern at the mounting threats and persecution of the Iranian Bahá’í community; urges the Government to seek from the Iranian government guarantees for the safety of these individuals; and calls for their immediate unconditional release.
More and more activity - let’s hope it has its desired effect of securing the early and unconditional release of the seven named in the EDM.
Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, Iran, media coverage, human rights, religious freedom, persecution, House of Commons, Early Day Motion
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French magazine LeFigaro published an article:
Téhéran décapite la direction baha’ie
French Catholic newspaper LaCroix also published:
L’Iran confirme la détention d’Iraniens de religion bahaï
I note (with pleasure) that among the first signatories to the EDM was my own MP, Mark Durkan, who is leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Prty here in Northern Ireland. He succeeded John Hume in the post. Northern Ireland has a reputation as a sectarian sort of place but support for the Baha’is of Iran has come from right across the political and religious spectrum.
Thanks for keeping this issue before the eyes of your readers Barney.
Marco, many thanks for your two links.
Iain, glad to see you’ve chosen some good online reading material in the shape of Barnabas Quotidianus. And really very glad that your MP is amongst the first signatories on the EDM. Northern Ireland, for all its reputation, has been a good source of support for the Bahá’ís of Iran.
Phillipe, many thanks for your thanks. I’m afraid there’s going to be more of this before things get better.
Dear Barney, You might like to include this one: EU presidency on Iran Bahais:
http://www.eu2008.si/en/News_and_Documents/CFSP_Statements/May/0521MZZ_Iran.html
Neysan Zoelzer was faster than me
Hi, Neysan and Tomaz, many thanks for the tip and the link. You both quite right and I would certainly have included it before now if I’d had time! As you can imagine, I have been fairly busy over the past week or so.
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