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Germany has joined the international outcry at the detention and reported forthcoming trial of seven Bahá’í leaders in Iran.

A government spokesperson has reported that Iran’s chargé d’affaires in Germany had been called in and told that Iran should immediately open a procedure according to international standards, or free the prisoners. “Holding on with the current situation or the continuation of the trial under unsettled legal conditions, which do not comply with international standards, would stress the relationships between the community of states and Iran,” it was reported.

Germany’s concern follows a demand by the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering on Wednesday that the Iranian authorities “urgently respect human rights and the rights of religious minorities and to rethink its charges against the seven leaders…These people were arrested only because of their Faith and should be immediately released.”

In Brazil, the president of the Human Rights Commission of the Federal Chamber of Deputies sent an open letter to Iran, calling for the release of the Baha’i prisoners.

“The peace-loving, humanistic principles and practices for which the Baha’is are known in Brazil have earned this community respect and credibility among the country’s human rights supporters,” said Deputy Pompeo de Mattos. “There is therefore no reason to doubt the credibility of their claims.”

The Australian Government has also expressed its concern at news that the seven Baha’i leaders have been charged with spying for Israel, insulting Islam and distributing anti-Iran propaganda. A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said the lack of due legal process ”makes it hard to believe there is any basis to the charges or that they will receive a fair trial”.

The seven Baha’i leaders have been imprisoned in Tehran for more than eight months, during which time no formal evidence has been brought against them and they have not been given access to their legal counsel, Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi. Another 30 Baha’is are imprisoned in Iran, while 80 other prisoners have been released on collateral.