Human Rights Violations

October 7, 2011 -- Mr Speaker -- The tyrannous Iranian regime continues its unrelenting attack on human rights against its own citizens.

While 7 leaders of the Bahá'í community remain in prison in Iran on trumped up charges dating back over 3 years we have another case before us where an Iranian citizen is jailed because of their religious beliefs. The most recent victim, Mr. Speaker, is Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani whose only crime is staying true to his Christian faith and refusing to recant. For that, he has been sentenced to death.

Mr. Speaker, Iran not only breaches its international obligations regarding religious freedom but in actions like this, that are all too common in Iran under this present regime, they are guilty of crimes under their own constitution.
Mr. Speaker, in the recent speech from the Throne, our government renewed our pledge to create an Office of Religious Freedom to monitor and combat exactly this kind of human rights violations and religious intolerance around the globe.

I ask all members of the House of Commons and all Canadians to raise their voices in unison to pressure the Iranian authorities to abide by their own constitution, fulfill their international obligations and release Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani and the 7 Bahá'í leaders now.

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