Mr. President,

Unfortunately, since before the inception of the Human Rights Council, the Bahá’í International Community has been raising the violations inflicted upon the members of this religious community by the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This persecution is very well known to the International Community and was described by the former Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Mr. Heiner Bielefeldt, as being so severe and constant that it persisted from “cradle to grave”. As such, we would like to take this opportunity to pause for a moment and reflect on the fundamental reason behind this relentless targeting of the Baha’i community in Iran.

Mr. President,

Despite the claims of the authorities to the contrary, the sole reason for these human rights violations is that these Iranian believe in the Bahá’í Faith. Among these beliefs are the assertions that economic prosperity can only occur when concord and societal cohesion is strengthened, and that this cannot be achieved without allowing for the contribution of men and women alike. In addition, these individuals believe that the natural environment is part of God’s creation, and, as such, we must respect and protect it. Bahá’ís also believe that all our activities and interactions must be defined by our conviction that humanity is fundamentally one.These profound tenets have prompted the Bahá’ís to work shoulder to shoulder with Iranians of all walks of life, and to contribute to the betterment of society around them, in spite of their suffering.

Our question, Mr. President, is how blinding must the religious prejudice of a government be that they would seek to oppose such actions rather than welcoming them as a positive contribution to society?