Heidi Alexander: “I rise today to discuss an issue that some constituents of mine brought to my attention when I was in Nashville this…”

“I rise today to discuss an issue that some constituents of mine brought to my attention when I was in Nashville this summer. We met to discuss the plight of the Baha'i in Iran. The Baha'i faith was founded in Persia in 1844 and is one of the fastest growing religions in the world, with more than five million followers in more than 200 countries and territories. It is the largest non-Muslim religious community in Iran today. Baha'i followers have been persecuted for their faith by the Iranian Government since their religion was established, but the frequency and severity of the persecutions has increased under the Presidency of Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad. More than two years ago, a group of seven Baha'i leaders, often referred to as the 'Yaran' or 'friends,' were arrested. They were charged with pursuing propaganda activities against Islam and for spying on behalf of Israel. After more than two years of 'temporary' confinement, the seven were tried in a closed court proceeding that did not meet even the minimum international standards for proper criminal procedure and protection of civil rights. The six men and one woman were each sentenced to 20 years in prison on August 8. This is yet another example of the Iranian Government striking out against its own people.”