US Senate Condemns Iran's Discrimination Against Bahais

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: Arutz Sheva Staff and AFP

The US Senate has urged Iran to free jailed members of the Bahai faith, raising human rights concerns as President Barack Obama pursues diplomacy to curtail Tehran's nuclear program.

In a resolution approved unanimously Friday amid a flurry of activity before a holiday break, the Senate called on Iran to free seven Bahai leaders among other detained members of the religion, including 12 educators.

The Senate "condemns the government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Bahai minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights," said the resolution, the latest in a series of similar appeals from the US Congress.

Iran's clerical regime allows relative religious freedom for several minorities but targets the Bahai faith among others. Bahais consider Bahaullah, an Iranian born in 1817, to be the latest prophet sent by God, a major divergence from Islamic orthodoxy. Despite their pacifistic beliefs, Bahais are regularly persecuted and face systematic discrimination, including a blanket ban on attending Iranian universities.


Read more: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/175387#.UrY2OZG9XOE

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1'%C3%AD_Faith

[Scootaloo]

1. Just to check...

This is the same senate that is trying to put up a bill that will demand the US join in a pre-emptive war against Iran, if an apartheid nation that jails nine year-olds without charge decides Iran suddenly needs a bomb up its ass?

Very interested in whether this senate that wants to defend human rights is the same senate that came up with that idea.

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. Now they condemn it, now?

Hell' that's as worthy of condemnation as many other deplorable things happening in the world, but the timing reeks of efforts underway by some in this country to poison the atmosphere between our nations RIGHT NOW to help scuttle the negotiations with Iran. I've known about persecution of the Bahai faith in Iran for decades now, yes it is terrible but this is nothing new. It kind of reminds me of the persecution of the Christian faith in Saudi Arabia now that I think of it. Where is the U.S. Senate resolution on that?

[marble falls]

3. Because discrimination is our balliwick.

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. A cynical exercise. n/t