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 the Yárán, the long-detained ad hoc coordinating group for the Baha’i community in Iran, are brought to trial early next week:
I come from the perspective of the problems faced by Iran’s Baha’i community, but I note also the plight of many other Iranian minority communities and the treatment of Iranian women. And who can ignore the Iranian state’s use of capital punishment? Few nations on earth execute people as often or for as many different reasons.
Nevertheless, I want to make it clear to this House and to the Iranian authorities that my objective is not to pillory that great nation. I do not conduct politics through confrontation or simplistic condemnation of individuals or Governments. Rather, my two goals are to resolve the pressing human rights issues facing the Baha’is in Iran and to prevent a dreadful miscarriage of justice in the days ahead.
Mr Opik called for a fair trial:
Naturally, the Baha’i international community is calling on the international community at large to request that the Iranian authorities ensure that the seven are either released or receive a fair and open public trial that will be held according to international standards.
Ministerial response
The debate ranged widely over the oppressive measures that Iran takes against religious and other minorities as well as against children and women.
As always in these debates, a government minister, in this case Ivan Lewis MP – Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office – responded on behalf of the government:
I congratulate the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire (Lembit Öpik) on securing this Adjournment debate. I know that it is often said that he champions minority causes, but the House is a place in which such voices should be heard. The issue under debate is of particular importance. The hon. Gentleman specifically drew our attention to the plight of the Baha’i community in Iran. Its seven leaders go on trial this weekend. It is probably appropriate that all we do at this stage is demand maximum transparency and openness in the way in which that trial is conducted. The judicial process should be conducted along the lines of international best practice, and international observers should be allowed to witness every conceivable stage of those court proceedings. For reasons that I hope the hon. Gentleman will understand, it is probably best that I leave it at that. We will be keeping a close eye on proceedings to ensure that the leaders of the Baha’i community are treated appropriately and properly.
You can read the Hansard record of the debate here.
Prime Minister’s Questions
Earlier, on 1 July, Mr Opik had raised the situation of the former Baha’i leadership group in Prime Minister’s Questions:
Q7. [283125] Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire) (LD): As chair of the all-party Baha’i group, I have become deeply concerned about the seven Baha’i leaders in Iran facing trial by the revolutionary court on 11 July on serious but unsubstantiated charges, with no evidence being offered against them. Will the Prime Minister be willing to meet me and representatives of the Baha’i faith in Britain to underline his and, I hope, our collective support for the fundamental principles of fairness and tolerance in the treatment of these and all Baha’i in Iran?
The Prime Minister: The hon. Gentleman raises very difficult issues. I am sure that the whole House will share my deep disappointment at the recent behaviour of the Iranian regime: disappointment at the manner in which legitimate demonstrations have been suppressed; disappointment at the restrictions that he has mentioned on the freedoms of the Iranian people, with people due to stand before a closed court on 11 July; and disappointment that the Iranian Government have expelled two of our diplomats and detained several of our embassy staff. This action is unjustified and unacceptable. Some people in Iran are seeking to use Britain as an explanation for the legitimate Iranian voices calling for greater openness and democracy. However, we will continue, with our international partners, to raise our concerns with Iran, including on the issue that the hon. Gentleman raised.
*Westminster Hall debates
The following explanation of Westminster Hall debates comes from TheyWorkForYou.com.
In December 1999, a new meeting place was opened up for debates – Westminster Hall.
Westminster Hall sits alongside the main Chamber, and is aimed at fostering a new style of debate. Sessions are open to all MPs, who sit in a horseshoe arrangement which is meant to encourage constructive rather than confrontational debate
The meetings are presided over by a Deputy Speaker and there are no votes.
Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, Iran, human rights, UK, House of Commons, Westminster Hall, Lembit Opik, Ivan Lewis
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From the answer of the Prime Minister you can see that the lives of the seven Baha’is is is not the main concern. It never was actually.
The whole Baha’i issue is now being blurred with the recent events and confusion in Iran and that makes it easier for the regime to fulfill it’s intentions… which are obvious
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