In the Australian Senate, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bob Carr responded to a question about steps that Australia is taking to promote and protect human rights, including minority rights in Iran. “On 23 October 2011, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief described the treatment of the 300,000 Baha'is as among the most extreme manifestation of religious intolerance and persecution in the world,” said Senator Carr. “Both in Australia and in Iran we have called for the protection and promotion of rights to freedom of assembly and expression, respect for gender equality, the repeal of the death penalty and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities to be upheld.”