US Senate Condemns Iran's Discrimination Against Bahais [View all]
Source: Arutz Sheva Staff and AFP
The US Senate has urged Iran to free jailed members of the Bahai faith, raising human rights concerns as President Barack Obama pursues diplomacy to curtail Tehran's nuclear program.
In a resolution approved unanimously Friday amid a flurry of activity before a holiday break, the Senate called on Iran to free seven Bahai leaders among other detained members of the religion, including 12 educators.
The Senate "condemns the government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Bahai minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights," said the resolution, the latest in a series of similar appeals from the US Congress.
Iran's clerical regime allows relative religious freedom for several minorities but targets the Bahai faith among others. Bahais consider Bahaullah, an Iranian born in 1817, to be the latest prophet sent by God, a major divergence from Islamic orthodoxy. Despite their pacifistic beliefs, Bahais are regularly persecuted and face systematic discrimination, including a blanket ban on attending Iranian universities.
Read more: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/175387#.UrY2OZG9XOE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1'%C3%AD_Faith
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