Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make it his policy to raise the issue of Baha’I persecution in Iran at the United Nations General Assembly.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Baha'i community in Iran is systematically persecuted by the authorities. Reports this year indicate Iran has redoubled this repression, with expropriation and repossession of land, destruction of homes, and increasing detention of members of the community. As the Minister with responsibility for the Middle East and Human Rights Lord (Tariq) Ahmad said on 5 August: persecution of religious minorities is a serious human rights violation and cannot be tolerated in 2022.
We reiterated our commitment to holding Iran to account for its persecution of the Baha'i at the UN General Assembly Third Committee on Wednesday 26 October. We raise Iran's dire human rights record at all appropriate opportunities, both directly with Iranian authorities and in multilateral fora.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on the persecution of the Baha’I community in Iran.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Baha'i community in Iran is systematically persecuted by the authorities. Reports this year indicate Iran has redoubled this repression, with expropriation and repossession of land, destruction of homes, and increasing detention of members of the community. As the Minister with responsibility for the Middle East and Human Rights Lord (Tariq) Ahmad said on 5 August: persecution of religious minorities is a serious human rights violation and cannot be tolerated in 2022.
We reiterated our commitment to holding Iran to account for its persecution of the Baha'i at the UN General Assembly Third Committee on Wednesday 26 October. We raise Iran's dire human rights record at all appropriate opportunities, both directly with Iranian authorities and in multilateral fora.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the escalation of attacks on the Baha’i community in Iran.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Baha'i community in Iran is systematically persecuted by the authorities. Reports this year indicate Iran has redoubled this repression, with expropriation and repossession of land, destruction of homes, and increasing detention of members of the community. As the Minister with responsibility for the Middle East and Human Rights Lord (Tariq) Ahmad said on 5 August: persecution of religious minorities is a serious human rights violation and cannot be tolerated in 2022.
We reiterated our commitment to holding Iran to account for its persecution of the Baha'i at the UN General Assembly Third Committee on Wednesday 26 October. We raise Iran's dire human rights record at all appropriate opportunities, both directly with Iranian authorities and in multilateral fora.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage the government of Iran to release Baha’is who have been detained on grounds of their religious convictions.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Baha'i community in Iran is systematically discriminated against, harassed and targeted by the authorities. Reports indicate that the Iranian Government has this year redoubled repressive efforts against the Baha'i community, with expropriation and repossession of land, destruction of homes and increasing detention of members of the community. As the FCDO Minister responsible for Human Rights, I [Lord Ahmad] said on 5 August: persecution of religious minorities is a serious human rights violation and cannot be tolerated in 2022. We reiterated our commitment to holding Iran to account at a Westminster Hall debate on 11 October. We continue to raise human rights with the Iranian Government at all appropriate opportunities.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the detention and arrest of members of the Baha’i community in Iran this year; and what information they have, if any, about the rates of arrest of Baha’is in that country from July to September this year.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Baha'i community in Iran is systematically discriminated against, harassed and targeted by the authorities. Reports indicate that the Iranian Government has this year redoubled repressive efforts against the Baha'i community, with expropriation and repossession of land, destruction of homes and increasing detention of members of the community. As the FCDO Minister responsible for Human Rights, I [Lord Ahmad] said on 5 August: persecution of religious minorities is a serious human rights violation and cannot be tolerated in 2022. We reiterated our commitment to holding Iran to account at a Westminster Hall debate on 11 October. We continue to raise human rights with the Iranian Government at all appropriate opportunities.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of recent reports of the arrest of Baha’is in the Republic of Iran and the destruction of Baha’i homes in the village of Roushankouh.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The Baha'i community in Iran is systematically discriminated against, harassed, and is targeted by authorities. Credible reports in July of widespread raids of Baha'i homes, forced demolitions, and property seizures, particular in the village of Roushankouh in Mazandaran province, indicate that the Iranian government has this year redoubled repressive efforts against the Baha'i community. As the FCDO Minister responsible for Human Rights and Freedom of Religion and Belief, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, said on 5 August: persecution of religious minorities is a serious human rights violation and cannot be tolerated in 2022. I reiterated our commitment to holding Iran to account at a Westminster Hall debate on 11 October.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the veracity of reports on the seizure of Baha’i properties by authorities in Iran; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
Promoting the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. Reports indicate that the Iranian government has this year redoubled its repressive efforts against the Baha'i community, with expropriation and repossession of land, destruction of homes, and increasing detention of members of the community. On 5 August 2022 the FCDO Minister responsible for Human Rights and Freedom of Religion and Belief, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon issued a statement calling on Iran to end its unlawful repression of the Baha'i community. I reiterated our commitment to holding Iran to account for its targeting of the Baha'i community at a Westminster Hall debate on 11 October.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications of the Special Court of Iran acting under Article 49 of the Iranian Constitution to authorise the expropriation of the properties and lands of members of the Baha’i community; and if will he make a statement.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
Promoting the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. Reports indicate that the Iranian government has this year redoubled its repressive efforts against the Baha'i community, with expropriation and repossession of land, destruction of homes, and increasing detention of members of the community. On 5 August 2022 the FCDO Minister responsible for Human Rights and Freedom of Religion and Belief, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon issued a statement calling on Iran to end its unlawful repression of the Baha'i community. I reiterated our commitment to holding Iran to account for its targeting of the Baha'i community at a Westminster Hall debate on 11 October.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential threat of human rights violations against the Bahai community in Iran.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The Baha'i community in Iran is systematically discriminated against, harassed, and is targeted by the authorities. Reports indicate that the Iranian government has this year redoubled repressive efforts against the Baha'i community, with expropriation and repossession of land, destruction of homes, and increasing detention of members of the community. As the FCDO Minister responsible for Human Rights and Freedom of Religion and Belief, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, said on 5 August: persecution of religious minorities is a serious human rights violation and cannot be tolerated in 2022. I reiterated our commitment to holding Iran to account at a Westminster Hall debate on 11 October.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the persecution of followers of the Baha'i faith in Iran; and what steps they are taking in response.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Promoting the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. We have previously expressed our deep concern at reports of expropriation and repossession of land owned by Baha'i communities in Ivel. The Baha'i community in Iran continue to be systematically discriminated against, harassed, and targeted.
On 5 August 2022 I said; "The persecution of religious minorities cannot be tolerated in 2022." We strongly condemn the increasing detention of members of the Baha'i community in Iran, as well as reports of forced closures of their businesses and land seizures. The persecution of religious minorities is a serious violation of international human rights law. We are working closely with our international partners to hold Iran to account and continue to raise human rights concerns regularly with the Iranian government.