Washington, D.C., Feb. 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Senate Decision 74 (S.Res.74), condemning the latest surge in state-sponsored persecution of the Baha’i group of Iran, was introduced on February sixteenth in the USA Senate. It displays a severe rise in a variety of human rights abuses towards the Baha’is during the last half of 2022, a lot of which occurred throughout the broader context of the federal government’s huge crackdown on protesters and the broader society.
The decision condemns the Authorities of Iran’s sharply elevated state-sponsored persecution of the Baha’i minority in Iran and the continued violation of the Common Declaration of Human Rights and the Worldwide Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and calls on the Iranian authorities to right away launch the imprisoned or detained Baha’is and all different prisoners held solely on account of their faith; to finish its state-sponsored marketing campaign of hate propaganda towards the Baha’is; and to reverse state-imposed insurance policies denying Baha’is and members of different non secular minorities equal alternatives to greater training, incomes a livelihood, due course of underneath the regulation, and the free train of non secular practices.
Moreover, S. Res 74 calls on the President and the Secretary of State to right away condemn the Authorities of Iran’s continued violation of human rights and demand the instant launch of prisoners held solely on account of their faith. It additionally requires sanctions on officers of the Authorities of Iran and different people straight answerable for severe human rights abuses, together with abuses towards the Baha’i group of Iran.
The decision, launched by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), was supported by the co-sponsorship of Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), Sen. Shelley Capito (R-WV), and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
The American Baha’i group expressed its assist for the decision.
“We thank members of the Senate for his or her efforts to defend the rights of Baha’is in Iran at this particularly vital time,” mentioned Mr. Anthony Vance, Director of the U.S. Baha’i Workplace of Public Affairs.
“And, with the remainder of the world, we’re watching the present occasions in Iran with nice misery in our hearts,” he added. “Towards the backdrop of widespread oppression, resolutions like these grow to be important to guarantee that most focus is drawn to such an appalling scenario.”
“The human rights of susceptible minorities, such because the Baha’is, are sometimes the primary to be discarded underneath such circumstances. Members of the Senate are taking a stand and we hope that the remainder of the Senate and the present Administration will shortly observe their lead,” mentioned Mr. Vance.
CONTACT: James Samimi Farr U.S. Baha'i Workplace of Public Affairs 202.833.8990 [email protected]
