It is not just democracy that is illegal in Iran
Submitted by Cherie Blair on Sat, 07/11/2009 - 07:30
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PDF versionWe must not allow our focus on the current protests to blind us to the state persecution of Iran’s religious minorities
Cherie Blair
There have been many heroes and heroines in Iran in recent weeks. We have seen thousands take to the streets, risking arrest or even worse, in support of democracy.
Women have been in the forefront of these peaceful protests, which have, shamefully, been met with violence. It is their rights and hopes that are most under threat.
It is a fight for freedom and justice that Shirin Ebadi, the remarkable Iranian lawyer and Nobel Peace laureate, has been leading for decades. Dr Ebadi, a heroine of mine and thousands more around the world, has been tireless in her efforts to represent those facing persecution.
It was typical of her bravery, and her belief in the importance of justice, that she announced she would defend the leaders of Iran’s Baha’i community who were arrested last year before the latest protests. The reaction of the authorities was also typical. Her offices were raided and shut down, angry mobs appeared outside her home and she, and her family, received renewed and serious threats to their safety.
This will have come as little surprise to Dr Ebadi. Not only is she regarded as a thorn in the side of the Iranian authorities, but the Baha’i community, the country’s largest religious minority, has also been the target for severe persecution for much of its history.
For more than 100 years, the followers of the Baha’i faith, a world religion that has its roots in Iran, have faced discrimination and persecution for having progressive ideals that place great emphasis on the unity of religion, the equality of the sexes and the right to education. Bahai’is have been prevented from following their faith, on penalty of imprisonment and even execution.
Their fundamental rights continue to be violated. Arrests remain widespread and arbitrary. Baha’i children are bullied by school officials. Followers of the Baha’i faith can be denied access to higher education and banned from civil service posts. Pensions have been revoked and inheritances refused on grounds of Baha’i belief. Holy sites and graves have been destroyed.
The campaign against the Baha’i community reached a new intensity last spring when its seven-strong national leadership was arrested in dawn raids. More than a year after detention without charge or access to a lawyer, the prisoners’ families have finally been told a court date has been set for this Saturday.
We don’t yet know the charges. But Iranian news reports have suggested that the national committee stands accused of everything from “espionage for Israel” to “propaganda against the Islamic Republic”. Such charges carry very serious penalties in Iran, including the death penalty.
What is also very worrying are reports that the case will be heard by the same Revolutionary Court that recently tried, in secret, the US journalist Roxana Saberi. After proceedings lasting only one day, she was sentenced to eight years in jail.
It was only after the international outcry at this parody of justice and the severity of the sentence that she received another trial. This reduced her sentence to a two-year term that was suspended on appeal.
We need the same international pressure now, before the court case, to ensure the seven men and women receive a fair trial and a chance of justice. They must be given full access to their lawyers, who must have time to prepare their defence. The court proceedings must be open to independent observation.
Indeed, we must step up the pressure to ensure that Iran lives up to its international obligations not just on fair trials but on religious freedom. The Iranian constitution supposedly protects the rights of the country’s religious minorities. The reality, as many following other faiths in Iran can attest, is very different. And the 300,000 strong Baha’i community is deliberately excluded from even this nominal protection. Not only do they have no right to practice their faith, they are regarded as heretics who have abandoned Islam.
This gives the Iranian state an open invitation to mistreat and persecute followers of a religion which has a shared belief in the fundamental tenets of all the world’s leading religions and prophets. Far from posing a threat to the Government, its followers are expected to avoid political partisanship as an article of faith.
There is nothing secret about Iran’s systematic ill treatment of the Baha’i — a campaign that has worsened under President Ahmadinejad. The UK, European Union, US Congress, Canadian Senate, Australian Parliament and a range of leading non-governmental organisations have all monitored and condemned their mistreatment. The European Parliament condemned earlier this year the harassment of Dr Ebadi and the closure of her offices, and urged the release of the seven Baha’i leaders, who, it is believed, were imprisoned “solely on the basis of their belief’.
From within Iran, too, students and academics, artists and poets, political and social progressives have also bravely spoken up for the beleaguered Baha’i community. They, in turn, are now feeling the brunt of the state’s anger.
However, we must make sure that our understandable focus on the pro-democracy protests and their bloody suppression does not cause us to overlook the threat to the country’s largest non-Muslim religious minority. It is at times such as these that the Iranian authorities historically have heaped blame on the Baha’i population.
A fortnight ago, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, accused the British Government of supporting the “wayward Baha’i sect”. Banners have been paraded through Tehran’s streets displaying the words “BBC = Baha’i Broadcasting Company”. Today Iran’s Baha’is face a very uncertain, dangerous future.
We must urge the Iranian Government to give the leaders of the Baha’i community a fair trial and allow independent observers access to ensure this happens. We must also call on Iran to live up to its international obligations to protect all its citizens and allow them to hold and practise their religious beliefs without discrimination or fear.
Shirin Ebadi is a courageous woman and a brilliant advocate. But we cannot let her carry this burden on her own.
Cherie Blair is a barrister at Matrix Chambers. She is the wife of the former prime minister of UK. 
The Iranians who demonstrated
The Iranians who demonstrated on the streets should know better....that there is no freedom and equality in a Islamic regime. It is like a believer, have no right at all to question or argue with your beloved prophet. You have no right to complain. The message is so clear in Islam - full submission. International pressure? in order to recieve a fair trial? Would you believe that Mr Ahmadinejad? Will you give in to international pressure? Did you remember your prophet Mohammad giving-in to such things during his "head hunting" years in Mecca?
In The Name of Allah, The
In The Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.
None to be worshipped but Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet.
When you read this kind of article you are simply marvelled by the kind of ignorance displayed by the writer.You talk of mass protests in Iran in support of democracy.My friend can you understand that different people have different ideals.What democracy are you talking about?American democracy? Why didn't uncle sam recognise Hamas when they were democratically elected by the Palestinian people.Now Ahmedinejad won the election and you are up...democracy democracy.
The persecution of the so called the largest minority is the making of little minded writers like this dick head.Nobody persecutes Baha'i and if they are on the wrong side of the law they will be dealt with just like any other Iranian.
Iran is a great nation.Thriving democracy.Nuclear power.Americans have no room for their failed policies.
Long live Iran.Long live Ahmedinejad.
As per muslims , minorities
As per muslims , minorities can be killed,bullied. The muslims all around the world infact support the persecution and the more cruel the person like this rabbid 'ahmedinejad' more the better.
One point by 'Jack Eliud' a muslim, is correct that muslims are still not mature for a democracy, infact Islam has crippled there thinking so low that they cant think correctly and positively. During the time of 'ataturk' concept of democracy, secularism etc were young. He had a firesight, to see that Islam is a mental disease and did some very bold and correct steps like abolishing the caliphate and kicking Islam out of politics and restricting Islam. As the army is the custodian of constitition, so they preserved the 'kemalism', otherwise turkey would look like somalia, afghanistan.
Infact, for the world and especially Iran the best would have been if Reza Shah and monarchy should have continued for atleast 20-30 more years and then it should have faded away like England and Japan's monarcy.
Islam is like drugs. As the drug addict has to be forced into rehabilitation camp and take some time to treat him , so as muslims has to be forced to a alternate better life and made to read. Currently muslims, even while studying science and technology, will praise 'Allah' and 'Mo'.
It is Jack Eliud, not Ms.
It is Jack Eliud, not Ms. Blair who is ignorant. If Iran has a thriving democracy why have so many well-to-do Iranians left the country? The population of renouned Beverly Hills is 25% "Persian" and its mayor is "Persian." Most of those people have arrived since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. If the Baha'i are on the "wrong side of the law" then Iran's laws must forbid such universal human rights as religious freedom, equality of sexes, and a right to education and employment regardless of religious belief. Democracy works only where there is transparency, secret and uncoerced voting, and freedom of speech for all points of view. Yes, voters can sometimes make mistakes -- as in post-WW I Germany and in Gaza -- but true democracies enable voters to correct those mistakes in subsequent polls, something which was not possible this year in Iran.
Jack: are you talking
Jack:
are you talking about?American democracy? Why didn’t uncle sam recognise Hamas when they were democratically elected by the Palestinian people.Now Ahmedinejad won the election and you are up…democracy democracy.
I say:
We don't recognize Hamas because it is a terrorist organization.
If the people wanted Ahmedinejad as president they would not have rioted in the first place.
Jack:
Iran is a great nation.Thriving democracy.Nuclear power.Americans have no room for their failed policies.
Long live Iran.Long live Ahmedinejad.
I say:
Hey traitor why don't you pack your bags and move to Iran? Us freedom loving Americans don't want you here.
Excellent article.
Excellent article.
Well, if the people in Iran
Well, if the people in Iran want freedom - it is the Mullahs that they need to direct their frenzy at, and the Achman too.
It is the clerics running the show even in our country. I usually say their largest exports are oil and jihadists, but it is also wahabbi trained clerics.
I call them the 'officers' in the army of the umma. And way too often we have read about the mosques being their weapon's storage facilities. but, if not stockpiling weapons they certainly do their brainwashing of the umma there.
Undercover Mosque, The Return Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPEpTJJUZoU
- this one goes over a Muslima telling followers that apostates should be killed
- lashes for adultry
- lashes to homosexuals and transvestites
- a Muslim must hate
Undercover Mosque, The Return Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQH-TKjODQU&feature=related
- telling muslims to not associate with non-Muslims
As for international pressure on Iran - what a joke - we have a Europe in total appeasement mode and if they can make a buck making WMDs or whatever they will, a USA that is trying to 'hug thugs' including the worst of the Iranians, and a Russia and China that I have no idea what is going through their thick skulls. India has their own Muslim problems and with the USA handing over $1billion to the Pakistanis, I would guess India's problem might worsen thanks to Obama.
And who knows where any Latino nation is at - all worrying how push drugs, and get more of our money. Disgusting considering that Mexico has the 8th largest military and they sit at our borders shooting at our border patrol and just recently started doing something about their druggies because their tourism is suffering. Venezuela has allowed the Iranian guards into their country to train.
I just read this article on
I just read this article on jihadwatch: This is not a joke: Iran condemns "Italy's use of force to repress demonstrations against G8" http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/026895.php
You can't make this stuff up.
And this little tidbit should scare us all considering that Jordan didn't want Palestinians, when lebanon took Palestinians all they got was the start of torture against Christians and snipers, bombings and living in bomb shelters because of these morons:
http://www.newmediajournal.us/usa.htm
The State Department confirmed today that as many as 1,350 Iraqi Palestinians – once the well-treated guests of Saddam Hussein and now at outs with much of Iraqi society – will be resettled in the US, mostly in southern California, starting this fall.
Jack E...don't hide in a
Jack E...don't hide in a democratic nation..if you love your religion so much..take Ms Marie's advise.."pack ur bags and move to Iran with ur idol Ahmadinejad"..then enjoy islam's kind of freedom, a faked one.
#7 Jack and his ilk are not
#7 Jack and his ilk are not strong enuff to move Islamic. He cannot live the Islamic life so he stays in Democracy for freedom.(smile) and degrade people like Muhammad the Messiah of Satan. The Bahai were made wear blue and Jews yellow once upon a time. Bahai tried to rise in Islam like the Sunni rose from Shia. Iran was great under Cyrus, etc, not Arabs. Iranians and Arab Muslims invaded India and now the Taj Mahal is Arabic instead of Hindu. How low can allah go.
I thought Cherie Blair was
I thought Cherie Blair was Tony Blair's wife.
R-not, thanks for your good information. I like reading your posts.
I don't like America giving so much money to Pakistan, Egypt, Palestinians either. But I suppose America does often have stringent good conditions for it, and it aims in part at education of the children, especially girls, and at fostering some prosperity there. Even Israels new policy is like that; allow and stimulate people in the West Bank and Gaza to get prosperous and well educated. Such people have something to lose, tend to think more rationally. Educated girls with careerpossibilities also are a great gift to mankind. We want more autonomous and less subservient women.
no, the money is going to the
no, the money is going to the Pakistani military not for girls to be schooled.
Jackass Elewd boasted: "The
Jackass Elewd boasted:
"The persecution of the so called the largest minority is the making of little minded writers like this dick head.Nobody persecutes Baha’i and if they are on the wrong side of the law they will be dealt with just like any other Iranian."
Before you made that stupid statement about persecution of another faiths, why don't you check the facts, racist? Dick head like you is nothing new, i've seen a lot of dick heads muslim defending muslim's crimes. Mouth is useless, do you understand, racist?