Britain Condemns Iran's Planned Apostasy Bill   

ICC Note

Iran is close to adopting legislation that prescribes the death penalty for Muslims that convert to other religions. Britain expressed its opposition to the enactment of the legislation. Other nations, as well as international organizations, should put pressure on Iran so as to prevent the adoption of the legislation.

10/08/2008 Britain (BosNewsLife) -Britain has condemned Iran's plans to introduce a law which would legalize the death penalty for apostasy, BosNewsLife monitored Wednesday, October 7.

 British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, said a draft bill currently making its way through the Iranian Parliament "would set out a mandatory death sentence for the crime, quote unquote, of apostasy.”

The bill would especially target Christian converts, several of whom have been jailed, rights groups predicted. Christianity has been spreading in Iran, a mainly Muslim country, several church sources have said.   

Miliband said that "If adopted, [the legislation] would violate the right to freedom of religion, which is also an important basis of any civilised society." Miliband’s comments on apostasy came as part of a wide-ranging attack on Iran’s recent human rights record which he delivered to the House of Commons.

EXECUTION FIGURES

He also noted execution figures which he suggested were "horrific" and told law makers he would continue to raise Iran’s human rights violations with Iranian authorities.

Britain-based religious right group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) toldBosNewsLife it was pleaded with Miliband's comments.

CSW National Director Stuart Windsor said: "We welcome the Foreign Secretary’s strong stance on Iran’s recent human rights record and particularly his comment on the nature of the draft bill. Such legislation, if passed, will almost certainly hold grave consequences for Christians and Bahá’ís in Iran."