Nasrin Sotoudeh demands the restitution of the rights of citizenship for religious minorities and Baha’is

[http://hra-news.org] Sunday 24 Shahrivar 1392 (15 September, 2013) – 15:01

Harana news – Nasrin Sotoudeh*, human rights lawyer and political prisoner, in a letter addressed to the President, has connected the murder of a Baha’i in Bandar Abbas to the “chain of murders“ , and has asked Mr Rouhani to respond to the question of
“what punishment is to be expected for the murderer of this Baha’i fellow-citizen, once he is identified?”

She continued further, asking: “You know the bitter answer to this question much better than I”.

In another part of her letter to the President, this member of the Defenders of Human Rights Center says: “Apart from the fact that no peace-loving Iranian would want to
pursue vengeance and fan the flames of mass anger, the creation of legal pathways and a change in political discourse and the public declaration of the rights of religious minorities is a public demand.”

The full text of the letter, arrived at Jaras News is as follows:

Dearly respected President Rouhani

The abduction and consequent murder of one of our Baha’i fellow citizens at the start of your term as President brings to mind the chain of murders; it is our expectation that you would put an end to such savage conduct before it continues.

The late Ataollah Rezvani and his family are well-known to many of us because of their many adversities and troubles. I have been in prison with his sister, and had the honour of serving as the lawyer for his relatives They are a family which has no desire other than service to the community; yet many members of the family have suffered long term periods of imprisonment or are still in prison.

We ask you to end the injustices against our Baha’i citizens, and we condemn the statements that lead to such harsh and offensive acts. We ask you to take appropriate steps in accordance with the provisions of Article 14 of the Constitution ̶ which binds the government of the Islamic Republic and Muslims to act with praiseworthy conduct and Islamic justice toward non-Muslims and to respect their human rights ̶ to guarantee the citizenship rights of religious minorities and Baha’i fellow-citizens.

I have a question for you as the highest political authority of the country: what punishment is to be expected for the murderer of this Baha’i fellow-citizen, once he is identified?

You know the bitter answer to this question much better than I.

Apart from the fact that no peace-loving Iranian would want to pursue vengeance and fan the flames of mass anger, the creation of legal pathways and a change in political discourse and the public declaration of religious minorities is a public demand.

Nasrin Sotoudeh
Barrister
and political prisoner

Evin, Shahrivar 1392

—
Translation by Iran Press Watch
Source: http://hra-news.org/685/1389-01-27-05-24-07/16574-1.html

* see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasrin_Sotoudeh