UN — Press Release — Department of Public Information — UN, New York

          
          Unfted Naflons Department of Public Information
          _______________ Press Section
          Press Release United Nations, New York
          Thirty—sixth General Assembly CA/SHC/2451
          Third Committee 28 October 1981
          33rd Meeting (PM)
          SOCIAL COMMITTEE_CONTINUES CONSIDERATION OF FIVE HUMAN_RIGHTS ITEMS
          The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) this afternoon
          continued its consideration of five human rights items by hearing six more
          statements.
          Statements were made by Jordan, the Federal Republic of Germany, the
          United Kingdom, Bulgaria, the Philippines and Tunisia.
          In his statement escribed the case of Ziad
          Abu Ei ng to be extradited from the United
          tates interrupted the statement, calling this a
          at did not fall within the agenda items under consideration.
          Sir ANTHONY PARSONS (United Kingdom), speaking on behalf of the European
          Cctraiunity, said that the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
          was one of the most fundamental human rights. The need to adopt a draft
          declaration on the subject was clear and urgent, he stated. In several areas
          of the world, people continued to be discriminated against, harassed,
          persecuted and even executed because of their religion or belief.
          A disturbing example, he said, was the plight of the Bahai's in Iran, who
          had suffered persecution tor generations; recently their situation had sharply
          and cruelly deteriorated. Lie urged the Government of Iran to grant the
          hai's and their religion the protection to which they were entitled under
          the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran was a
          party.
          Situations such as that, he said, illustrated the urgent need to
          establish more specific international standards to protect the right of
          freedom of religion and belief. He called on the Assembly to adopt the
          relevant draft Declaration at this session.
          BP000436
          For information media — not an official record