Sam Brownback: Iran’s Regime Has the Worst Record of Persecution of Religious Minorities

The U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom told Voice of America that Iran, among countries engaged in persecuting religious minorities, has the worst record at the U.S. State Department, and this regime persecutes any religious minority it deems inappropriate.

“Sam Brownback” said on Wednesday, June 21st, during a meeting on religious freedom and human rights in Iran held at one of the U.S. Congress buildings in Washington, D.C., to a Voice of America correspondent: The Iranian regime only accepts its own interpretation of Shia Islam, and if you fall outside that circle, you face persecution. That means you get imprisoned and even sentenced to death. They isolate the individual, meaning they deny them the right to participate in cultural affairs and even education. This frightening behavior has existed from the beginning and continues against the Iranian people.

Mr. Brownback explained: Baha’is in Iran face severe persecution; they are not even allowed access to basic services, have been imprisoned, and some have been executed. Converted Christians also face very poor treatment and are imprisoned or sentenced to death. Even Sunni Muslims face inappropriate treatment. If you are a Shia who is not acceptable to the government, you become a target of persecution.

The U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom said: We ask the Iranian authorities to allow their citizens to freely practice the religion they believe in. We also have a question for the Tehran authorities: what are they afraid of regarding religious freedom? What do they fear that prevents them from allowing citizens to freely practice their religious rites?

Source: Voice of America