حزب مردم بلوچستان  Balochistan People’s Party  بلوچستانءِ اُستمانءِ گــَل

HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP OF

THE PARLIAMENT OF FINLAND

  President of the Islamic Republic of Iran,

Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Appeal for the respect of human rights in Iran

Mr President,

 The Human Rights Group of the Finnish Parliament wants to emphasize every state's responsibility to protect its citizens and to work for a widespread respect for human rights. The Human Rights Group of the Finnish parliament underlines as well that Human Rights are universal and that the President and the Government of Iran should respect its international obligations, notably to the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and to end its harassment and persecution of lawyers and human rights defenders. Practices such as children's death sentences, torture and ill-treatment of detainees and imprisonment without trial or access to lawyers should come to an end.

 Several minorities such as the Baháí community in Iran have envisaged discrimination and threat for decades. Members of the community get easily arrested. The Human Rights Group of the Finnish Parliament expresses its concern about the current developments, especially concerning the treatment of the Baháí community members in Iran. Every human being should have a right to chose his religion and express it in a peaceful manner. The special Rapporteur of the UN has been deeply concerned about the increasing persecution of the Baháí community in Iran.

 Although one of the leading human rights defenders, lawyer Mr. Abdolfattah Soltani was released on bail on 5^th of March this year, he and many other human rights lawyers including Madame Shirin Ebadi live under constant threat. Mr. Soltani served 219 days in prison without formal charge or trial and he and his lawyer have not been allowed to study the case raised against him. Kurdish human rights defenders in Iran are also at risk and receiving death threats.

The Human Rights Group of the Finnish Parliament strongly urges You, Mr President, and the Iranian government to take urgent and concrete measures to ensure that the fundamental human rights of all persons in Iran are protected irrespective of their gender, ethnicity and religion.

Helsinki, 11 April 2006

The Human Rights Group of the Parliament of Finland

Ulla Anttila

Member of Parliament

Chairman of the Human Rights Group