Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you very much. Let me begin by thanking both the Subcommittee on International Human Rights and Reverend El Shafie for the invitation to contribute the experience of the Baha'i community to this inquiry into the treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan and elsewhere.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you for the opportunity you have given me to have this discussion with the committee today. I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to speak to you along with Professor Akhavan and to discuss the imminent threat to the lives of the Bahá'í leadership in Iran in the contex

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  In response to your question, Dr. Cotler, there has been an increase. In fact there's been such an increase in the defamatory articles about the Bahá'ís and their beliefs and practices that it's hard to remember them all, so I'm going to refer to a report and give you just an exa

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  According to Amnesty International's report, the charges against these Bahá'ís are capital offences, and the sentence could be execution.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes. Chancellor Merkel of Germany, made a statement. In the EU there was a declaration by the President of the European Parliament. The United Kingdom foreign office minister, Bill Rammell, made a statement. The U.S. State Department made a statement. In the U.S. Congress they'r

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We feel it's really important that there not be a lull, that continuous attention be paid to this. If there were a lull, we're really afraid that Iran would take advantage of that and act. So we're really happy about the statement made on the 11th that the trial scheduled for nex

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  One of the things that have stunned me about the Bahá'ís I've met from Iran who have suffered imprisonment or torture or confiscations is the complete lack of resentment in their hearts. The manner in which they've responded to their oppressors has been quite atypical from what w

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Mr. Chair and distinguished members, thank you for the invitation to comment on developments in the religious persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran since our testimony on the subject on February 26, 2009. As anticipated in your report, “Ahmadinejad's Iran”, and as documented by the

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I referred in my testimony to the Bahá'í Institute For Higher Education, which was established to provide university education to Bahá'í youth routinely denied access to Iranian universities. Much of that education has been put on the Internet. Much of it is through online course

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  If my measure were what's happening to the people in the Bahá'í community in Iran, I would have to say that their situation continues to deteriorate. But I don't know if that necessarily translates into the sanctions not working, because we don't know what the situation would be

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  No, she's out of the country. She's not in Iran, and one of her colleagues, Mr. Soltani, who was also part of that practice, is in prison.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The parliaments of the predictable partners, the U.S. and the U.K., are taking action, and their governments are continuing their action. Every year, in advance of the discussion of the resolution at the United Nations, Canada, through its missions, makes representations to gover

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I yield to Payam. Dr. Akhavan.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think dialogue is always a good thing. To consult together with other people to resolve differences is very important. If we look, however, to Iran's record when it has been engaged in dialogue—I am thinking in particular of its dialogue with Europeans some five or six years

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes, absolutely, I think it would be a wonderful thing to have a take note debate in the House. We understand that when those happen, when members of Parliament speak in the House, it's noted in Iran and it does have an impact. It not only cautions the Iranian government, but it