Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 343: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the actions of the Iranian Government against the Baha'i community with regard to arbitrary arrests and imprisonment of same; and the action that has been taken in protesting such discriminatory measures with Iranian counterparts. [46608/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I share the concerns of the Deputy about the oppressive treatment of the Baha'i minority in Iran. In my reply to Written Question 42351/08 on 25 November, I set out these concerns in detail, as well as the action taken by the Government to impress these concerns on the Iranian authorities.

Further to that reply, I wrote last week directly to Foreign Minister Mottaki of Iran on a number of human rights issues. In that letter, I set out at length my deep concern about the treatment of the Baha'i in the strongest terms, including urging that detained Baha'i be released and that the Baha'i community be afforded the same protection and tolerance as all other Iranians.

My Department will continue to monitor actively the situation of the Baha'i community in Iran, and to convey my strong views to the Iranian authorities.