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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-11-18 Daily Xml
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BAHA'I COMMUNITY

The Hon. DAVID WINDERLICH (16:00): I move:

That this council—

1. Notes with serious concern that—

(a) Seven Baha'i community members in Iran have been charged with spying, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic, and that these charges could attract the death penalty.

(b) The Baha'i detainees have not been given any access to legal representation and have not been subject to due legal process;

2. Calls on Iran to respect rights to freedom of religion and the peaceful exercise of freedom of expression and association, in accordance with international human rights conventions; and

3. Calls on Iran to release the seven Baha'i detainees without delay.

The prosecutor's office in Iran publicly announced on 16 August 2009 that seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders would be tried on 18 August—just a few days' notice. This was despite the fact that the lead lawyers registered with the court to defend them were either in prison or outside the country. Following a request for postponement of the trial from the Defenders of Human Rights Centre the court has decided to delay the hearing.

The seven Baha'i leaders are: Mr Behrouz Tavakkoli, Mr Saeid Rezaie, Ms Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr Vahid Tizfahm, Mr Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr Afif Naeimi and Ms Mahvash Sabet. The arrest of these seven Baha'i leaders was grimly similar to episodes in the 1980s when scores of Iranian Baha'i leaders were rounded up and killed. Since their arrest, the seven have been subject to intensive interrogation, despite no evidence against them having been brought to light. They are being held in Teheran's notorious Evin prison, where they were kept in solitary confinement for five months after their arrest.

Efforts to have them released on bail have not succeeded. The investigation against them was concluded months ago but they remain incarcerated, without access to their legal counsel (a bit like criminal intelligence in South Australia), Nobel Laureate Shirin Edadi. The seven have only the barest minimum contact with their families.

Iranian authorities announced in early 2009 that accusations against the seven Baha'i leaders would include 'espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic republic'. More recently, families of the seven were told that a charge of 'spreading corruption of earth' may be added, but this has never been announced publicly. No charge has been formalised in any public record. Some of the crimes are punishable by death. Recently Ms Cherie Blair, the prominent human rights lawyer and wife of former British prime minister Tony Blair, wrote an article in The Times newspaper in London condemning the way the seven have been imprisoned on spurious charges.

Throughout my own refugee advocacy work, including the Circle of Friends, I have come to know members of the Baha'i community living in South Australia. Many of them have been born and raised in South Australia; others came here as refugees, fleeing persecution by the authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran. There has been a strong and active Baha'i community in South Australia since 1920.

Like Baha'i members around the world, those in South Australia are dedicated to creating a peaceful and prosperous world community that is based on justice and that provides every human being with scope to cultivate and express their abilities. While abstaining from involvement in partisan politics—Baha'i members are not allowed to join political parties, for example—the Baha'i community actively works for human rights, reconciliation, the equality of men and women, moral education, sustainable development, and interfaith movements.

Other honourable members of this parliament have dealt with representatives from the Baha'i communities in their electorates and have developed positive relations with them. For example, the Hon. Bob Such has been a staunch supporter of the annual teachers' appreciation events conducted by the Onkaparinga Baha'i community.

While the Baha'i community in South Australia has won my respect and that of a number of my honourable colleagues, the Islamic regime refers to the Baha'i faith as a heresy and conspiracy. The 300,000 members of the Iranian Baha'i community are not recognised as a religious minority by authorities. Despite constituting the largest religious minority in Iran, they are classified as 'unprotected infidels' who have no legal recourse.

For nearly 30 years the Iranian authorities have conducted a systematic campaign to destroy the Baha'i community in Iran. Since the early 1980s, over 200 Baha'i have been executed or killed, thousands imprisoned, and tens of thousands deprived of jobs, pensions and educational opportunities. The Iranian government banned the Baha'i institutions which perform the role of clergy in other religions. The community's holy places, cemeteries and property were confiscated, vandalised or destroyed. Teenage Baha'i girls have been hanged for conducting what we would refer to as Sunday school.

Due to international pressure during the 1980s and 1990s the worst aspects of persecution began to improve. However, over the past few years there has been a resurgence of the more extreme forms of persecution of Iranian Baha'is and ominous warning signs that often foreshadow widespread purges.

The trial of the seven Baha'is takes place in the context of a rapidly escalating campaign of attacks against the Baha'i community which have included the circulation of lists of Baha'is with instructions that members of the community be secretly monitored. There have been dawn raids on Baha'i homes and the confiscation of personal property, as well as a dramatic increase over the past six months in the number of Baha'is arrested.

The Iranian government has sponsored mass media campaigns against the Baha'i and the holding of anti-Baha'i symposia and seminars. These are often followed by orchestrated attacks and arson on Baha'i homes and properties in the cities and towns where such events are held. Baha'i children are denied access to higher education and are increasingly subjected to vilification of children in their classrooms by teachers.

Baha'i are barred from numerous occupations and businesses. They may be denied the issue of business licences and bank loans. There are circumstances of harassment by landlords of Baha'i business tenants to force their eviction, and the sealing of shops run by Baha'i.

One of the seven Baha'i leaders languishing in gaol without trial or access to a lawyer is Mr Behrouz Tavakoli. His brother, Amin Tavakoli, and his family have called South Australia home for more than 20 years. The past 12 months has been a harrowing time for Amin Tavakoli and his family here in Adelaide. Behrouz Tavakoli is one of three gaoled leaders who have close family members living in Australia.

The ongoing persecution of Iranian Baha'is is a clear breach of all international human rights laws. The United Nations has repeatedly called on Iran to abide by its international obligations to respect the human rights of the Baha'i. Dozens of governments, NGOs and prominent individuals have spoken out in past years urging the release of Baha'i prisoners or the guarantee of a fair trial. These include the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States Congress, the Canadian Senate, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch to name just a few.

In May this year the Australian House of Representatives passed a motion identical to the one before this chamber now. It is time for the South Australian parliament to take a stand and call for the immediate release of the seven Baha'i leaders in Iran. At the very least, these Baha'i should be released immediately on bail to await trial, and that trial should be conducted according to internationally recognised legal standards.

I also note that there are other persecuted religious minorities in Iran. I have raised this one because I have been approached by the Baha'i community and because of their South Australian connections. However, other members may wish to speak about some other issues of religious persecution in Iran. I commend this motion to the council.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. J.M. Gazzola.

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