PERSECUTION OF THE BAHA'IS IN IRAN

EDM number 1611 in 2002-03, proposed by Sydney Chapman on 17/07/2003.

That this House notes that the re-arrest of Mr Manuchehr Khulusi, a member of the Baha'i faith, in Iran on 27th March of this year; observes with dismay that he has been incarcerated on the basis of his religious affiliation; recalls his previous imprisonment and the threat of capital punishment against him purely on grounds of his beliefs; is mindful that Human Rights Watch has recently recorded active levels of persecution against the Baha'i, and that the Baha'i International Community claims that human rights violations against the Iranian Baha'is are increasing; calls upon Her Majesty's Government to continue to defend this minority; and in the absence of the United Nations mechanisms that previously scrutinised Iran, urges the Government to make plain to the Iranian authorities that acts of persecution of the Baha'is remain unacceptable, and that Mr Khulusi should be released immediately.

This motion has been signed by a total of 47 MPs.