Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee   will focus on only two broad areas of discrimination that we have been subject to. The first is the denial of access to education and my imprisonment related to that. The second is economic pressure. Like all other Iranian Baha'is, I was not allowed to enter any university in Iran. I

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for York Centre for his incredible work on this file. For me, it is very clear. Canada has to play a leadership role across the world in defending the people of Iran and making sure that human rights are upheld in Iran. That includes

Iran Accountability Week   and openly manifesting their faith. This not only deprives them of their religious freedoms, but is also a central component of their human dignity. This is especially true for the Baha'is, Christians, as well as Sufi and Sunni Muslims living in Iran. Their persecution remains

Business of Supply   we hear from our government? Nothing. Another issue, of course, is the persecution of the Baha'i in Iran. It is a good example of a place where the current government is silent one more time. The government has decided it wants to normalize relationships with the regime in Iran

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you, Chair. Distinguished honourable members, it's a great pleasure to be here at the committee to speak on Iran. Six weeks ago I made much discussion about the state of human rights in Iran. The UN Human Rights Council voted to renew my mandate for another year

Canadian Foreign Policy   to government members that they would do well to follow. I want to talk about our relations to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, Sri Lanka, Russia, and then the United Nations and gender equality, then trade, and then a number of other issues. First of all, with respect to Canada's

National Defence committee  It's interesting, because my concern has been the Baha'is in Iran and how they as a group are being oppressed and even facing genocidal actions. I have to stay to some of the ones that I'm at ease with, such as Myanmar, where a genocide is in motion and we are watching

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee   originally from Shiraz, so I know a lot about what happened after the revolution to many Baha'is. Before the Islamic revolution, there were different groups, anti-Baha'i groups, in Iran. Now many of the members of those anti-Baha'i groups are members of the regime. One of the groups

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Mr. Chair, thank you for the invitation to testify before the distinguished members of this subcommittee. As many of you already know, the Bahá'í faith originated in Persia, modern-day Iran. The Bahá'í community is the country's largest non-Muslim religious minority. Baha'is

Canadian Foreign Policy  , of international law, and of our fundamental regard for human rights: the rights of religious minorities in Iran, the significant issues facing the Baha'i community, the rights of gays and lesbians, and really, actually the rights of all people, even those who are members of majority

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, for decades the Baha'i community has been the most persecuted peoples in Iran, but in the past few weeks the ruling Mullahs have orchestrated an increasingly hostile and systematic attack on the Baha'i Iranians. The situation is surely grim for the Baha'i. The eyes

Iran  Mr. Speaker, the Baha'i faith was founded in Iran, but Baha'is in Iran today face significant persecution, which includes executions and the destruction of holy sites. We are well aware of Iran's belligerence, but the suppression of the Iranian people and efforts to crush

Iran Accountability Week  , a courageous challenge to the wanton executions in Iran. Accordingly, as I mentioned earlier, as part of the Iranian political prisoner global advocacy project, I am continuing my advocacy on behalf of the seven imprisoned leaders of the Baha'i community, known as the Yaran, and have also

Iran Accountability Week  Mr. Chair, I am pleased to rise today to speak to the human rights situation in Iran. It is extremely important that all members of the House send a very clear message that in Canada we support the aspirations of the Iranian people when they seek freedom, peace, and democracy

Iran Accountability Week  , like Canada, is a culturally and linguistically diverse country. Unfortunately, the Iranian regime views this rich diversity as a threat. Ethnic and religious minority communities in Iran face persistent marginalization, harassment, arbitrary arrests, and detention. Iran's Baha'i