The Australian Baha’i Community has welcomed the decision by the human rights committee of the UN General Assembly to express “deep concern” at the “ongoing, systematic violations of human rights in Iran”, including attacks on the Baha’i community.
“We are pleased that the General Assembly has upheld its responsibility to protect human rights and freedoms as expressed in the UN Charter,” said Natalie Mobini-Kesheh, a spokesperson for the Australian Baha’i Community.
“We are grateful that Australia joined Canada and 40 other countries to co-sponsor the resolution,” Dr Mobini-Kesheh said.
Australia also joined 78 other countries to defeat a “no-action” motion put forward by Iran in an attempt to avoid any discussion of the human rights situation in that country.
The text of the resolution passed yesterday mentioned “increased evidence of efforts by the [Iranian] state to identify and monitor Baha’is and to prevent Baha’is attending university and sustaining themselves economically.”
It also referred to attacks on the Baha’i community by the state-sponsored media.
The resolution noted increasing discrimination and human rights violations against many minorities including Arabs, Azeris, Baha’is, Baluchis, Christians, Jews, Kurds, Sufis and Sunni Muslims.
It also took note of repression aimed by the Iranian Government at women’s groups, the media and labour organisations.
Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations, said such resolutions are the most important source of protection for Iranian Baha’is and other persecuted groups and individuals in Iran.
The 300,000-strong Baha’i community is Iran’s biggest religious minority and has been subject to systematic persecution since the Islamic revolution in 1979.
Thousands of Iranian Baha’is have found refuge in Australia where they have gained recognition for the positive contributions they have made in many sectors.