Mr. Speaker, tomorrow will mark eight years of imprisonment for seven innocent Baha’i religious leaders. Their only crime is freely practising their faith in Iran and serving the needs of their fellow believers.
On May 14, 2008, morning raids tore these innocent men and women from their homes and families and began a long eight-year charade of false charges, legal delay, and blatant disregard for Iran's own penal code. In fact, these innocent men and women are now well overdue for conditional release, but the regime continues to ignore international voices as it pursues its long-standing cradle-to-grave persecution of the Baha’i minority.
Tomorrow's day of outcry is an attempt to change that. The case of the Baha’i seven is just one more example of Iran's total disregard for the rule of law and the fundamental rights of its own people. I encourage all members to add their voices to mine and countless others around the world when we declare that enough is enough. It is time for the Iranian regime to adhere to its own laws and release the innocent Baha’i seven immediately.