I will defer to Dr. Shaheed on that but my observation is that the persecution of the Baha'i religious minority is a very long-standing policy in Iran. It is very deeply held. It's almost obsessive. I don't think that the local incidents are unconnected with centralized policy and design. At the same time, as I explained, the fact that the daughter of the former president is now consorting with Baha'i prisoners or the fact that a Shiite ayatollah is expressing sympathy is deeply disturbing for the regime. It's a sign of how much they're losing their grip on power. That's why I think that the release of the seven Baha'is is not just about the seven Baha'i leaders but it's about forcing the hand of Iran to end its wider campaign of incitement to hatred and violence. I think they will listen very carefully if a government like Canada demands the release of these prisoners.
On May 17th, 2016. See this statement in context.