United Religions Initiative in Brazil

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By Sam Cyrous

The United Religions Initiative (URI) based in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, has sent two open letters asking for the immediate release of the Baha’is in Iran, one to the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the other to the Iranian Ambassador to Brazil.

They request the Minister they to “issue a public statement on these arrests, and to urge the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to promptly see the equivocal and illegality of these acts that must be repaired, first of all with the release of the prisoners.”

They summon the Ambassador to apply the Quranic principles: “In the Holy Quran, Justice and Mercy are values which are always reminded to all the believers. Thus even if we are to consider the total independence of the Iranian State, we cannot understand such attitudes, and even less accept them, as we hereby respectfully express. (…) We also feel impelled to request from those responsible for these human rights violations, and particularly the Iranian Government, good sense and real practice of justice, through the release of these prisoners and the full reestablishment of their rights, since the Christians and Jews among Iranian citizens do not suffer – or they should not – any such violations – facts that yet again cannot justify the mentioned acts.”

Cautioning that by acting otherwise, they are the ones endangering Islam:

“Dearest Mr. Ambassador, to conclude I would like to express that I understand that, at the eventuality of the continuity of this situation, we shall see it as a setback on the world’s view on human rights in Iran, as well as on the very image of the country, which certainly will give room to those heralds of untruthfulness against Islam and their specific arguments to work solidly in their propaganda.”

Moreover, there is no doubt that if this situation that we now repudiate comes to occur, all of us, who work for the social and organizational awareness on the theological and cultural, legal and scientific richness that Islam brought to all humankind through the centuries, will be in a difficult position to argument in defense.

Download: Letter to the Iranian Ambassador | Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

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2 Responses

  1. Irani

    March 14, 2009 12:46 pm

    The Mullahs in Iran should be prosecuted for damaging the reputation of Islam and Iran. Under their rule, Iran has lost all credibility in the world stage, Iranian society has become full of drug addicts, prostitution has soared and lying has become a way of life. They are not Muslims they belong to the same line of people who were enemies Islam and Muslims at the time of Mohammad (PBUH). They MUST be brought to justice.

    Reply
  2. Mark Obenauer

    April 13, 2009 1:21 am

    I don’t wish for damnation for anyone. I definitely wish for justice, but also mercy. If a mullah sincerely repents of his actions, I hope that he encounters forgiveness from some he has wronged and ideally he would be let alone to get on with his life. He has to answer for his own actions. Maybe his future actions will show the behavior of a transformed individual who truly shows acts of human kindness. There is a chance that in his contrition he will be reformed and will try to right his wrongs.

    I hope that a criminal repents of his wrongdoings in this earthly plane, or perhaps he will truly realize how much he erred in the eternity beyond. And in either outcome there is the opportunity for redemption. I just hope redemption comes earlier rather than later. We will see what is their fate and our own fate, but all are ultimately answerable to the ultimate Judge in accordance with His Will. We have no idea what the future holds, but He knows. One of His countless names (I have heard He has 99 names) is the Omniscient.

    One more point of view: We can blame the mullahs, but maybe we should also look at the person in the mirror. I am speaking as a human being for myself more than I am speaking for you.

    Now I have heard about mullah involvement in prostitution and the drug trade. But someone is paying for the prostitutes and the drugs. Do they not have any responsibility?

    Reply

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