Written question asked by Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour) on Tuesday, 19 March 2019, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 22 March 2019 (named day). It was answered by Alistair Burt (Conservative) on Friday, 22 March 2019 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Iran: Baha'i Faith

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made representations to the UN's Special Rapporteur on the human rights of the Baha'i in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Answer: We are particularly concerned by the continuing systematic discrimination, harassment and targeting of the Baha'i community in Iran. At the Human Rights Council in March 2019, the UK strongly supported the renewal of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran and supports the UN Special Rapporteur's assessment that discrimination against the Baha'i community in Iran is legally sanctioned by a lack of constitutional recognition and the absence of other legal protections for adherents of this faith. We have called on Iran to allow him access to the country so that he can carry out his mandate, and we encourage Iran to use this opportunity to engage with the international community.

Secondary information