CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Ms BELL (Moncrieff) (17:17): I rise today to speak about the people of Iran, particularly those who continue to suffer under a regime that denies fundamental human rights and freedoms—I don't want the spotlight to come off this issue in this place—and I do so with a focus on the people of the Baha'i faith. It's very important to be clear that Australia's criticism is directed at the Iranian regime and its institutions, not at the Iranian people.
The Iranian people are entitled to live in freedom, to practice their faith, to express their views and to determine their own future. I recently met with representatives from the Gold Coast Baha'i faith community. We talked about the contribution their community is making to the Gold Coast and, sadly, about what their family and friends are currently experiencing in Iran.
The treatment of people in Iran, particularly those of the Baha'i faith, is disturbing. The Baha'i community in Iran has endured decades of systematic persecution because of their faith. Baha'is have faced arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, restrictions on education and employment, the confiscation of property, raids on their homes and businesses, and even interference with their ability to receive dignified burials.
Human Rights Watch has reported that this systematic persecution is considered crimes against humanity, and the persecution continues today. The United Nations has received allegations in 2026 concerning the arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, torture and mistreatment of members of Iran's Baha'i religious minority. The UN has also received information concerning the systematic targeting of Baha'i women through arrests, interrogations, raids and confiscation of property.
These are not simply abstract questions of foreign policy. They concern people who want to educate themselves and their children, people who want to work to build a better life, people who want to practice their religion wherever and however they wish, women who want to control their own lives, play some part in their own destiny, and families and citizens who want to live without fear of their own government.
Australia has a proud tradition of standing up for human rights and religious freedoms. We should continue to use our diplomatic voice to call out crimes and abuse, support international accountability and work with like-minded countries to ensure those responsible for serious human rights violations cannot act with impunity. We should make clear that religious freedom is universal.
It cannot depend on whether a person follows Islam, Christianity, Judaism, the Baha'i faith, another religion or no religion at all. The Baha'i community deserves the right to live openly and peacefully according to their faith, including in Iran. I'm proud to be part of the Gold Coast community here in Australia that supports the Persians in this country.