HC Deb 03 March 1982 vol 19 cc184-5W
44. Mr.Race

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has any plans to meet representatives of the Iranian Government to express concern at the number of executions in Iran.

Mr. Hurd

The Iranian Government are already well aware of our concern at the number of executions in Iran. On 20 October the United Kingdom permanent representative at the United Nations made a statement on behalf of the Ten expressing their concern at the reports of summary executions in Iran. We have also drawn the Iranian Government's attention to our concern about the execution of the Baha'is in Iran on a number of occasions the United Kingdom expert at the United Nations sub-commission on the prevention of discrimination and protection of minorities co-sponsored the resolution which was passed on 9 September expressing profound concern at the situation facing the Baha'is: our permanent representative referred specifically to the Baha'is in a statement in support of the draft declaration calling for the elimination of religious intolerance, which was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly on 25 November; on 31 January the representatives of the Ten in Tehran made a démarche to the Iranian authorities about the persecution of the Baha'is.

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