Personal diary of John Barnabas (aka Barney) Leith
From the monthly archives:
The Last Word: Unspeakable Cruelty
Author:Jeremy Jones28/07/2009
Jeremy Jones
When speaking with a leader of the Baha’i community in Australia recently, our conversation inevitably turned to events in Iran.
In May 2008, seven leaders of this community were seized from their families, imprisoned and faced allegations of grave seriousness.
For 15 months, there have been regular indications that trials [...]
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PM underlines concern for Iran’s Bahá’ís at historic meeting with Bahá’í delegation
Filed Under Human Rights, Iran, Parliamentary | Leave a Comment
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown has underlined the UK government’s concern over the seven Bahá’í leaders being detained in Iran.
Mr Brown’s remarks were made at a meeting which took place this afternoon at the [...]
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L to R: Kishan Manocha, Lembit Opik MP, Bahar Tahzib, Barney Leith
I had the honour of being one of a four-person delegation who met with the UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown MP, in his House of Commons office this afternoon. The meeting had been set up by Lembit Opik MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Friends of the Baha’is to [...]
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On July 8, G8 summit participants issued a statement expressing “serious concern” about the Iranian government’s postelection actions; U.S. president Barack Obama characterized the situation as “appalling.” Further, both Obama and French president Nicolas Sarkozy emphasized that Tehran will face serious consequences if Iran has not begun to cooperate on its nuclear program by September. [...]
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via timesonline.co.uk
Next week I’m flying R***air to Northern Ireland for the Baha’i summer school. This particular airline, in addition to charging extra for everything, only allows 15kg of checked baggage. So I’m shall be glad to have this advice by the head butler of London’s Lanesborough Hotel to hand when I pack.
Posted via web [...]
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via news.bbc.co.uk
And didn’t we all know that cats exploit humans shamelessly? Apparently, research now confirms this.
Cat owners may have suspected as much, but it seems our feline friends have found a way to manipulate us humans.
Researchers at the University of Sussex have discovered that cats use a “soliciting purr” to overpower their owners and garner [...]
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We call on the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to release these seven innocent Baha’is immediately.
They face trial in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Iran. Why? Just because they are Baha’is. This is part of a concerted campaign by the Iranian regime to extirpate the Baha’i community from Iran altogether.
If the [...]
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Just a week ago, my father-in-law David Lewis’s funeral took place. He had been an NCO and sapper during the Second World War, spending time in North Africa and Italy. After the war he married, had two children, worked as an architect for Glamorgan County Council and subsequently for Hampshire County Council and lived an [...]
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A well-focused debate on human rights in Iran took place in the UK Parliament’s Westminster Hall* yesterday morning.
The 90-minute debate, initiated by Lembit Opik MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Friends of the Baha’is, opened the debate with a call to Iran to avoid a miscarriage of justice when the seven former members of [...]
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Cherie Blair Pictures
Cherie Blair has published an excellent article in today’s Times about the persecution of the Baha’is and other religious minorities in Iran.
Shirin Ebadi defends the Baha’is
Cherie Blair praises the courage of Dr Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and, like Mrs Blair herself, a renowned human rights lawyer for taking on the defence [...]
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