Written answers

Thursday, 20 January 2011

Department of Foreign Affairs

Human Rights Issues

5:00 am

Photo of Ciarán LynchCiarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will respond to the most recent reports regarding the Baha'i community of Iran. [2864/11]

Photo of Brian CowenBrian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to previous replies on this matter including Question 268 of 16 December 2010 and Question 626 of 12 January 2011. The Government is very conscious of the discriminatory treatment of the Baha'i community in Iran and of the particular case of the seven former Baha'i community leaders (known collectively as the Yaran), who have been in detention since 2008 and were sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in August 2010, with this sentence subsequently being reduced to ten years. Minister Martin raised the case of the seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders, and matters relating to human rights and religious freedom generally, directly with the Iranian authorities at the highest levels, including with the Iranian Foreign Minister in June last year. In addition, my Department frequently conveys our concerns on such matters to the Iranian Ambassador here. Officials of my Department also meet regularly with members of the Baha'i community in Ireland.

The EU has also been active in raising the discriminatory treatment of the Baha'i community in Iran with the Iranian authorities. The EU High Representative issued a strong declaration on 12 August, which Ireland fully supported, following the sentencing of the seven Baha'i leaders, expressing the EU's serious concern, calling for their immediate release and calling on Iran to put an end to the persecution of the Baha'i community.

The Government is extremely concerned about the sentencing of the Baha'i leaders and other signs of the continued and indeed worsening oppression of the Baha'i minority, including reports of the detention of other Baha'i community members, the denial of education and the violation of property rights. It would appear that the Iranian authorities are persecuting a minority for their religious beliefs and that they are actively trying to suppress that faith. Ireland will continue to call strongly for the immediate release of the seven Baha'i leaders and the end to the persecution of members of this faith in Iran, including through bilateral contacts, with our EU partners and at the UN.

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on recent reports of further persecutions of members of the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan. [2873/11]

Photo of Brian CowenBrian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As stated in response to previous Parliamentary Questions regarding the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan, most recently on 7 December, the promotion of religious tolerance is a key objective in our bilateral and European Union relations with Pakistan. The Government condemns in the strongest terms all attacks on and persecution of the Ahmadiyya community, a particularly vulnerable minority in Pakistan.

The attacks which took place in Lahore on the 28 May last year were especially heinous. A group of seven Islamic militants attacked two Mosques with machine guns, grenades and suicide bombs, resulting in the deaths of ninety four innocent people with many more left maimed and wounded. Three days later, a further attack was made on the hospital in Lahore where victims and one of the alleged attackers were under treatment. This led to a shoot-out in which at least a further 12 people, mostly police officers and hospital staff, were killed. In our bilateral contacts with Pakistan, we have emphasised the importance of maintaining adequate protection for minorities in Pakistan. A senior official of the Department of Foreign Affairs raised our concerns in this regard with the Pakistani Ambassador recently. Minority and human rights issues were also discussed at political consultations held with Pakistan in Islamabad during February last year.

At the European Union level we are actively working to ensure that the wide range of fundamental human rights and more specifically, the promotion of religious tolerance, are on the agenda for our discussions with Pakistan. Human rights were also discussed during the European Union-Pakistan Summit held in Brussels in June last year.

For its part, the Pakistani Government has given clear commitments to protect religious minorities and to promote religious tolerance. The activities of the independent national Human Rights Commission of Pakistan are to be welcomed, including their public position on the obligation of the State to protect the lives of all citizens in Pakistan, including members of the minority Ahmadiyya community.

Ireland will continue to work closely with our EU and international partners to secure respect for the human rights of all minorities in Pakistan. The recent assassination of the Governor of Punjab province, Mr. Salman Taseer, serves to highlight the difficulties faced by those working to secure progress on these issues in Pakistan.

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