Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr, has issued a call for the immediate release of seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders in Iran.
On the eve of a national forum in Sydney calling for the release of the leaders, Senator Carr said the fifth anniversary of the detention of the leaders was one “we commemorate with regret”.
“We call for the immediate release of prisoners of conscience including the seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders: Afif Naeimi, Behrouz Tavakkoli, Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mahvash Sabet, Saeid Rezaie, and Vahid Tizfahm,” said Senator Carr, in a statement posted on his official web site.
Senator Carr’s statement will be read on Tuesday 7 May 2013 to a national forum at the NSW Parliament House on Tuesday where leaders of major faith communities in Australia will offer prayers and then place red roses on seven empty chairs to symbolise the five men and two women imprisoned for their faith.
The seven leaders have served five years of a 20 year sentence and remain in prison.
Four Australian relatives of the leaders will address the public forum, to be held 12:30 -2:00 pm.
The forum is part of the international “Five Years Too Many” campaign.
In his statement, Senator Carr said the Australian Government reiterates its concerns at continuing human rights abuses in Iran including those affecting the Baha’i community.
“These concerns were most recently voiced in March this year, in a statement to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
“In that statement, Australia expressed its concern at the use of the death penalty, intimidation and arbitrary arrest of human rights and political activists, suppression of personal freedoms and the treatment of ethnic and religious minorities, including Baha’is.
“We also supported renewal of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran.”
Senator Carr said Australia welcomed some recent positive developments, including the release of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.
“Australia calls on Iran to respect the rights to freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and freedom of association,” he said.
“Australia also regularly raises human rights concerns directly with the Government of Iran.”
Read about the event at NSW Parliament House to be hosted on Tuesday 7 May, 2013.