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 ask the Prime Minister to ensure that the British Government continues to press the Iranian authorities to release the seven former members of the Yárán (the Baha’i leadership group) in Iran or, at the very least, to ensure that they receive a fair trial.
In addition to Mr Opik, the delegation comprised Kishan Manocha, the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the UK (the UK Baha’i community’s national governing council), Bahar Tahzib, an Iranian Baha’i resident in the UK, whose father was murdered by the Iranian regime many years ago and whose uncle, Mr Jamaloddin Khanjani, is one of the group of seven currently in Evin Prison and awaiting trial, and, of course, Barnabas.
First formal meeting
This was the first time that a serving UK Prime Minister had met with an official Baha’i delegation. Although the meeting was brief and to the point and did not allow much opportunity to consider at length the perilous situation facing the Baha’is in Iran, it has nevertheless opened a channel of direct communication with the Head of the United Kingdom Government.
Although the delegation numbered four, others in the Baha’i office and Mr Opik’s office had worked hard behind the scenes to bring this excellent meeting to fruition.
Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, Iran, human rights, UK, government, Prime Minister, Gordon Brown
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Bravissimo !!!
Well done Barney (and delegates), this is a really positive step.
Thanks, Tess. We’re still holding our breath about the trial of the 7 the former leaders of the Baha’i community in Iran.
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