Andrew Lewer MEP condemns religious persecution in Iran

NCRI - Andrew Lewer, a Member of the European Parliament from the United Kingdom, has spoken out against religious persecution in Iran.

Mr. Lewer said the people of Iran should be free to practice whatever religion they choose.

He added that European lawmakers share the vision of Iranian opposition leader Mrs. Maryam Rajavi for a democratic Iran respectful of religious freedom and without the death penalty.

Text of Andrew Lewer MEP’s Nowrouz message to the people of Iran:

Happy New Year to you all. Happy Nowrouz. I'd like to take this opportunity to pass on my best wishes to the people of Iran.

It was a great pleasure for several of my colleagues to welcome the Iranian opposition leader Mrs. Maryam Rajavi to the European Parliament a few weeks ago.

Mrs. Rajavi's vision of a democratic Iran respectful of religious freedom and turning away from the death penalty which is such a stain upon the current regime is a vision many of us share and hope for.

I recently organized a conference about religious freedoms in Iran, during which we heard some harrowing accounts of the treatment of Iranian Baha’is and Christians and their experience of persecution by the current regime.

I believe freedom of religion to be a fundamental human right, irrespective of which religion an individual chooses to practice. And this is certainly not a freedom extended to the Iranian people at present.

I feel it is hugely important to highlight instances where religious freedoms are being or have been infringed upon regardless of where in the world they occur. But Iran is a country of grave concern in this respect.

Whether one agrees that there has been progress in nuclear talks or not shouldn't lead us to turn a blind eye to the executions and abuses that go on apparently unabated in Iran.

So once again I wish you all well in the New Year and share with you hopes for a free and peaceful Iran. Thank you.