Statement made on 16 February 2012 by Senator Maria Chaput
Hon. Maria Chaput:
Honourable senators, I want to sincerely thank Senator Frum for using an inquiry to raise the subject of human rights in Iran. This is a very good example of the purpose of the Senate of Canada, in other words, to protect minorities and the most vulnerable.
Today I want to commend the resilience of the Baha'i community in Iran and to denounce the way they are treated in their country. The Baha'i community has no political allegiance and is not linked in any way to any opposition movement. The very principles of their faith call for them to obey the laws of their country and to abstain from any political involvement. The community is simply asking for the right to life, liberty and security of the person, and the right to education and employment.
This peaceful community has been persecuted since its earliest days in Iran; lately, however, the persecution looks more like an official state-orchestrated policy. In fact, a government memorandum, which dates back to 1993 and is still in effect today, sets out the key elements of this persecution policy. The memorandum provides explicit instructions designed to impede the progress and development of the Baha'i community. This includes officially prohibiting all members of this community from accessing higher education and certain types of employment. People are therefore being denied admission to university simply because they belong to a specific community. This discriminatory policy is systematically applied by the Iranian authorities.
Honourable senators, standing up for Canada's official language minority communities is the foundation of my political commitment, and I fully understand the importance of working to promote the growth and development of one's community and trying to gain access to high-quality education for the young members of that community.
The Baha'i community is caught in circumstances where any effort it makes could lead to imprisonment or violent attacks orchestrated by the government — the very government that is responsible for protecting these people.
Honourable senators, I would like to once again recognize the courage of this community and speak out against the deliberate violation of their fundamental rights.