Tuesday 10 November 2009

Scottish Parliament: to debate trial of Baha'is

S3M-05083 Christopher Harvie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish National Party): Imprisonment of Baha'i Leaders in Iran— That the Parliament condemns the continued imprisonment in Iran of Baha'i leaders Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naemi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm, six of whom were arrested on 14 May 2008 and one detained since 5 March 2008, reportedly because of their Baha'i faith, and later charged with insulting religious sanctities, propaganda against the Islamic Republic, spying for Israel and spreading corruption on earth, the latter two charges carrying the death penalty; deplores that their trial has been postponed three times since their arrest, most recently on 18 October 2009 without a new date being set, and that internationally recognised protocols with regard to proper legal representation do not appear to have been followed nor any evidence brought forward to support the allegations, and urges the government in Tehran to facilitate the immediate release of the imprisoned Baha'i leaders and all co-religionists currently detained solely on the grounds of their religious beliefs and to end its active persecution and discrimination of adherents to the Baha'i faith, in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which it ratified in 1975.

Supported by: Stewart Maxwell, Mike Pringle, Gil Paterson, Brian Adam, Dr Bill Wilson, Robin Harper, Ken Macintosh, John Wilson, Bill Kidd

Lodged on Thursday, October 29, 2009; Current

Posted via web from sunwalking's posterous

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