Source: Baha'i World News Service

http://news.bahai.org/story.cfm?storyid=413

On December 17, 2005 the Baha'i World News Service reported, "For the 18th time since 1985, the United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution expressing 'serious concern' over the human rights situation in Iran, also making specific mention of the ongoing persecution of the Baha'i community there. The resolution, which had been put forward by Canada and co-sponsored by 46 countries including Australia, the European Union, and the United States, passed by a vote of 75 to 50 on 16 December 2005. Among other things, it called on Iran to 'eliminate, in law or in practice, all forms of discrimination based on religious, ethnic or linguistic grounds, and other human rights violations against minorities, including Arabs, Kurds, Baluchi, Christians, Jews, Sunni Muslims and the Baha'i.... The resolution quite specifically takes note of the upsurge in persecution against Iran's 300,000-member Baha'i community, noting the 'escalation and increased frequency of discrimination and other human rights violations against the Baha'i, including cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, the denial of freedom of religion or of publicly carrying out communal affairs, the disregard of property rights, the destruction of sites of religious importance, the suspension of social, educational and community-related activities and the denial of access to higher education, employment, pensions, adequate housing and other benefits.'"