Lower Saxony’s Economics Minister expected in Teheran (October 2nd)

Lower Saxony’s Economics Minister Olaf Lies (SPD) should champion the release of political prisoners in Iran, as urgently requested by the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) in Göttingen on Thursday. The human rights organization appealed to Lies to use every available opportunity, even as an economic politician, to get involved with the plight of the Bahá’i, imprisoned on grounds of their religion, and other political prisoners such as the non-violent Kurdish human rights activist Mohammad Sadiy Kabudvand. ‘These political prisoners must endure unspeakable things in Iranian prisons. Please help them to regain their freedom!’ the STP appealed. On Friday, Lies is expected in Teheran as the head of a large economic delegation from Lower Saxony.

The seven members of the former informal leadership committee of the Iranian Baha’i faith group, Ms Mahvash Sabet, Ms Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr Afif Naeimi, Mr Saeid Rezaie, Mr Behrouz Tavakkoli and Mr Vahid Tizfahm have been held since May 14th 2008. The two women and five men were sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment solely because of their religious beliefs. The roughly 300,000 Bahá’í make up the largest non-Islamic minority in Iran, but have practically no rights. Their religion has its roots in Iran and is an independent revelation religion with around seven million members worldwide.

In their appeal, the STP reminds Lies that the situation of these oppressed and discriminated minorities has not improved since the Iranian President, Hassan Rohani, took office two years ago. Now it is time for Rohani to follow up on his election promises and make a statement: political prisoners must be released immediately!

In the multi-ethnic state of Iran, the Azeris, Kurds, Arabs, Baluchis, Turkmens, Assyrians and other smaller ethnic minorities are not recognized as independent peoples with their own languages and cultures. They all suffer under oppression and discrimination. Groups and individuals with beliefs that differ from the state religion, such as Bahá’í, Sufi dervishes, Sunnis and New Christians, are repeatedly and arbitrarily accused of being spies for foreign powers and declared enemies of the state, a crime punishable by death under Iranian law. ‘The courts are not expected to make an independent judgement,’ stated the STP. ‘But international attention can prevent more aggressive action against these groups.’

Header Foto: Babak Farrokhi via Flickr