A letter from Senator Diane Feinstein

Senator Diane Feinstein with 60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl.

I received a letter from Senator Diane Feinstein about the persecution of Baha'is in Iran. Here's what she said:

Dear Ms. Shortt:

Thank you for writing to express your concerns about the persecution of the Baha'i people in Iran. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on this topic with me and welcome the opportunity to respond.

As you may know, the Iranian Government has recently stated its intention to try seven leading members of the Baha'i community in Iran who are accused of spying for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic Republic. If convicted, these individuals could receive the death penalty.

Like you, I am concerned about the safety and welfare of these individuals. During my tenure in the Senate I have often expressed my support for the rights of the Baha'i community to practice their faith freely without fear of persecution. As a strong supporter of human rights, I am committed to working to protect the rights and equality of the Baha'i people both in Iran and elsewhere around the world.

House Resolution 175, introduced by Representative Mark Kirk (R-IL), would condemn the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution and continued human rights violations of the Baha'i people in Iran. Currently, this legislation is pending consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives, and at this time there is not a similar resolution pending in the Senate. Please know that I will continue to monitor the legal proceedings against the accused and keep your thoughts in mind as the Senate Debate U.S. foreign policy.

Again, thank you for writing. I hope you will continue to write on matters of importance to you. If you have any other comments or questions, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841. Best regards.

Sincerely yours,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator


You can read more about the persecution of Baha'is in Iran here:
Persecution of Baha'is in Iran

Phillipe Copeland, who writes the blog "Baha'i Thought", wrote about an event that the Boston community of Baha'is is hosting on Sunday, June 7:
Baha'i Thought

Comments

Anne said…
Hi Angela,
There actually is a similar resolution in the Senate, Senate Resolution 71 http://iran.bahai.us/s-res-71-on-the-bahais-in-iran/
Perhaps you can write or email Senator Feinstein, it appears from her response she is not aware of it yet.
Thanks for this post!
8:04 PM
Ms Angela said…
Thank you for that information! I will follow up with another letter to Senator Feinstein.
6:18 PM
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