Lawyer Cherie Blair commended for her stance on ‘faith, life and death in Iran’

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Thames Valley’s Bahá’i community has commended lawyer Cherie Blair for her stance on ‘faith, life and death in Iran’ in an article in the Guardian newspaper, the same day the trial of seven Bahá’is started (the seven are currently being held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison).

Cherie stated that the Iranian government must be shamed into holding the trial of the Bahá’is in open court and added that pressure needs to be stepped up for the intimidation and harassment of other religious minorities to be stopped.

Shawn Khorassani, a Thames Valley based Bahá’i, said: “Every element of support from high profile sources is essential. So it is heartening to see someone like Cherie Blair add her voice to the plight of the seven Bahá’is in Iran, particularly in view of her legal standing.

“Cherie stated that the trial of the Bahá’i leaders should matter to all who care about human rights. In Iran, for the Bahá’i community among others, the fight for human rights has become a matter of life and death.”

Support for UN resolution’s powerful message to Iran

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Thames Valley’s Bahá’í Community has welcomed a strongly worded resolution from the United Nations to Iran on human rights.

The resolution expresses “deep concern at serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran.” The list of violations included oppressive measures taken after the June 2009 presidential election and “increasing discrimination” again minority groups, including Bahá’ís.

Thames Valley Community Bahá’í , Shawn Khorassani, said: “It is good to know that the plight of Bahá’ís in Iran has not been forgotten. This year’s UN resolution sends a potent message to the Iranian government, stating vigorously that the international community will not turn a blind eye to human rights violations.”

The resolution makes extensive mention of the persecution of Bahá’ís, expressing concern over “attacks on Bahá’ís and their faith in State-sponsored media, preventing members of the Bahá’í Faith from attending university and from sustaining themselves economically.”