Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee   human and citizen rights of Iranians, including the journalism is not a crime campaign and the education is not a crime campaign, to support the rights of the Baha'i religious minority to teach and study in universities in Iran. The other “is not a crime“ web names, which I've

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee   again heard testimony today from Mr. Bahari and Mr. Shaheed that nobody is really out of the purview of persecution, whether it's women, youth, Sunni Muslims, Christians, or Baha'is. It just continues to go on, promise after promise after promise. With that in mind, I hope I can get

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee   at interfering with shortwave radios, shutting down newspapers, and jailing people, but when it comes to social media, to Internet digital technology, the people of Iran are always one step ahead of them. In our initiatives, which are mostly online initiatives, we are trying to provide

Yaran  Mr. Speaker, today, six of the seven members of the Baha'i faith leadership group will be entering their eighth year of incarceration in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mrs. Kamalabadi, Mr. Khanjani, Mr. Naemi, Mr. Rezaie, Mr. Tavakkoli, and Mr. Tizfahm joined Mrs. Mahvash Sabet

Public Safety   torture; mass killings; rape in prisons; the murder of thousands of political prisoners, both in its prison system and around the world; for the stoning to death of women and the execution of gay men; and, for the murder of thousands of Baha'is and Zoroastrians and members of other

Business of Supply   is the fact that the office, specifically in Iran, focused mainly on the Baha'i community. I have absolutely no problem with defending that community. I have met with representatives of Baha'i groups. I think it is extremely important. They are in a very difficult situation in Iran, which

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

Baha'i Community in Iran  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

Religious Freedom  Mr. Speaker, this May 14th marked eight years of incarceration for Iran's seven Baha'i leaders. They have been imprisoned for practising their faith, a fundamental right guaranteed under international and Iranian law. They are among hundreds of prisoners of conscience held

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee   for Saeed's release, I can't see the Iranian authorities releasing him. What a powerful message it would send to Iran if Canada demanded the release of Mr. Malekpour. I would also like to mention here the case of the Baha'i religious minority. This community is the canary in the mine

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Let me just quickly add to what Dr. Shaheed has said. I think that we have to see the questions of improvements in a broader context of what is happening in Iran today. The Iranian political elites are under pressure both from above and below. They need to re-engage

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee   to acknowledge that the Baha'i actually have any rights in terms of being citizens of the country. If they proclaim to be Baha'i, then they lose a whole range of rights. This is one issue that I think we really need to be very, very adamant about, in ensuring that we demand that Iran change

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  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

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee   in effect. As I explained, the arrest of dual nationals, or simply people with foreign ties, is by deliberate design. I think that Canada should demand the release of Saeed Malekpour and the release of the seven Baha'i leaders. That is one concrete step that Canada can make. Secondly

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Sadly, the persecution is ongoing and escalating. As I explained briefly in my presentation, recently there have been about 50 arrests of Baha'i in various provinces in Iran. Many Baha'i shops have been burnt down and ransacked. Baha'i children are being terrorized in school