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Jun
16
Oxford students’ call to Iran – “Allow Bahá’ís into higher education”
Filed Under Education, Human Rights, Iran | Leave a Comment
One of the United Kingdom’s oldest student newspapers has published a call to Iran to allow Bahá’ís there access to higher education.
Under the title, “A threatening agenda”, the independent Cherwell newspaper, first published in 1920, has printed a comment article by Geoff Cameron, detailing the background to Iran’s current clampdown on Bahá’ís.
“Over the past year, many Oxford students have voiced their concern about the denial of higher education to thousands of our peers in Iran. Resolutions have been passed through JCRs, MCRs and the OUSU General Council,” writes Mr Cameron, “We have asked our MPs to urgently call upon the Iranian government to comply with the international agreements it has signed, which uphold right of access to education regardless of religious affiliation. Members of this University have spoken out in support of the Bahá’í students of Iran because we believe that the right to study should not be denied because of one’s religion.”
Mr Cameron points out that, while the world is distracted by Iran’s nuclear posturing, government hardliners are promoting a coordinated and threatening agenda aimed at suffocating the Baha’i community.
“Let Oxford make its position clear to Iran and to the world on this matter,” Mr Cameron concludes, “access to higher education is a right that should be enjoyed on the basis of merit, not religion.”
Read the full article, here
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