[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 152 (Friday, November 19, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S8121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CONVICTION OF BAHA'I LEADERS

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today I wish to express my concern 
about the detention of seven leading members of the Baha'i community in 
Iran: Mahvash Sabet, Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif 
Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm.
  The seven leaders were arrested in 2008 and accused of espionage and 
propaganda against the state. In June, the Iranian Government sentenced 
them to 20 years in prison, a sentence which was subsequently reduced 
to 10 years.
  The State Department, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and 
leading human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human 
Rights Watch have all expressed concern about the harsh sentence and 
the lack of due process in these cases.
  The seven Baha'i leaders were held for 2 years without formal charges 
and access to legal representation and they were convicted behind 
closed doors.
  The Senate added its voice to this case by passing a resolution 
introduced by Senator Wyden, S. Res. 71, calling on the Government of 
Iran to release the seven leaders and respect the freedom of religion 
of the Baha'i community.
  These convictions are yet another example of the abuses suffered by 
the Baha'i community, the largest religious minority in Iran with more 
than 300,000 members.
  The Baha'i are denied official recognition of their faith by the 
state and are barred from establishing places of worship and schools. 
According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, 
Baha'is cannot serve in the military and are barred from government 
jobs and benefits.
  In condemning the sentences as a violation of Iran's obligations 
under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated: ``Freedom of religion is the 
birthright of people of all faiths.'' I could not agree more.
  As a U.S. Senator representing approximately 30,000 Baha'i Americans 
in California, I urge the Iranian Government to release these seven 
leaders and allow the Baha'i community in Iran to practice their 
religion freely and without fear of persecution.

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