USA on persecution of minorities in Iran

This morning our editorial received the following message from the delegate of USA, Ms Urška Učakar:

UNITED STATES ON PERSECUTION OF MINORITIES IN IRAN

United States of America remain deeply concerned by the persecution of Iranian citizens at the hand of their government. It has been made clear to the world that Iran denies its citizens the same fundamental rights it continues to applaud elsewhere in the Middle East.

Security forces have beaten, detained, and - in at least three cases - killed peaceful protesters. Off the streets, the regime’s leaders have targeted human rights defenders and political activists, and authorities have recently rounded-up ex-government officials and their families; former members of parliament; clerics and their children; student leaders and their professors; as well as journalists and bloggers. They also continue to deny their citizens access to information by jamming satellite transmissions and blocking Internet sites.

Iran’s leaders also continue to persecute ethnic and religious minorities. We are troubled by reports that, of the dozens of prisoners executed in 2011 and 2012, most are ethnic minorities. At the same time, Baha’is, Kurds, ethnic Arabs and other religious minorities continue to be subjected to arbitrary arrests and prosecutions, harsh sentences, and unsafe prison conditions. We call on Iran to free all political prisoners and persecuted minorities.

The regime has banned the Azeri language in schools, harassed Azeri activists and unjustly jailed Azeris like Mr. Lisani for advocating for cultural and linguistic rights. Iranian Azeris who organized peaceful protests after the publication of an offensive cartoon in May 2006 were beaten, harassed and arrested. Iran does not have any respect for ethnic, cultural or linguistic identities of minorities.

Furthermore, their repression of religious minorities goes against our global human rights regime. We were dismayed over reports that the Iranian courts required Youcef Nadarkhani to recant his Christian faith or face the death penalty for apostasy – a charge based on his religious beliefs. And this is only one case of these horrific actions against Christians. He was later found guilty of evangelism and released in January 2013. United States will not give praise to the Iranian government for releasing this innocent man. We will not give thanks or support. We strongly deplore these actions and call upon the government of Iran to immediately stop with actions that contribute to provoke hatred among religious and ethnic communities.

He is just one of thousands who face persecution for their religious beliefs in Iran, including the seven leaders of the Baha’i community whose imprisonment was increased to 20 years for practicing their faith and hundreds of Sufis who have been flogged in public because of their beliefs. While Iran’s leaders hypocritically claim to promote tolerance, they continue to detain, imprison, harass, and abuse those who simply wish to worship the faith of their choosing.

The world will continue to watch and will hold accountable those responsible for these actions. The United States joins the international community in affirming the universal rights to which all men and women - in Iran and around the world - are entitled.

Urška Učakar

Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations