Current situation
Summary of the current situation of Baha’is in Iran
Last updated: August 2020
Following the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979, members of the Bahá’í Faith—the largest religious minority in the country—have been subjected to a relentless campaign of persecution. This persecution has impacted the lives of generations, from young infants to the frail elderly. In the words of the former-United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Heiner Bielefeldt, Iranian Bahá’ís experience persecution “from the cradle to the grave, and beyond.”
Since the mid-nineteenth century, early adherents of the Faith faced violent opposition from the ruling establishment in Iran, which responded to its growth with fierce opposition, inciting violence against followers of the new religion. The persecution continued intermittently thereafter with varying degrees of severity and the Bahá’ís were often being used as scapegoats.
From the early 1980s, Bahá’ís have suffered under a new wave of persecution, this time systematic and, clearly, state-sponsored. The campaign initially targeted many Bahá’ís of influence and those who served on Bahá’í administrative institutions at the local and national levels. In August 1980, for example, all nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly—an elected national council that forms part of the Bahá’í administrative structure in all countries—together with two individuals serving on other Bahá’í institutions, were abducted by a group of armed men from their meeting in a private home and taken to an unknown location. These individuals disappeared without a trace, presumably the victims of extrajudicial killings, although the government authorities have never admitted to this fact. In the years that immediately followed, members subsequently elected to this council, as well as scores of other Bahá’ís, were executed by the government without due process of law. On 29 August 1983, the Iranian Attorney General announced a legal ban on all Bahá’í administrative and community activities in Iran, making membership of Bahá’í administrative institutions a criminal offence.
In response to this announcement, in an open letter dated 3 September 1983, addressed to Iranian authorities, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iran detailed the abuses faced by the Bahá’ís in the Islamic Republic, and appealed to the Iranian people and the Islamic government to restore their rights as Iranian citizens and as human beings. This letter was the final act of the National Spiritual Assembly before it voluntarily dissolved itself and the rest of the administrative structures within the country as a demonstration of goodwill towards the government.
Since then, over 200 Iranian Bahá’ís have been executed or murdered, thousands have been arrested, detained and interrogated, and tens of thousands more have been deprived of jobs, pensions, and educational opportunities. The Bahá’í community’s holy places, cemeteries, and properties have been confiscated, vandalized, or destroyed, and many Bahá’ís have had their homes and other property seized or damaged.
The official policy of the Iranian government against their Bahá’í citizens is summarized in a government memorandum obtained in 1993 by the UN Special Representative on the Human Rights Situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Produced in 1991 by Iran’s Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council and approved by the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, this document, entitled ‘The Bahá’í Question’, sets forth specific guidelines for dealing with the Bahá’ís. It states that “[t]he government’s dealings with [Bahá’ís] must be in such a way that their progress and development are blocked”. It outlines a series of measures to restrict the educational, economic, and cultural life of Iranian Bahá’ís. This memorandum remains in effect today.
In 2008, all seven members of the Yárán, or “the Friends”—an ad hoc group tending to the social and spiritual needs of the Bahá’í community in Iran, created because of the ban on Bahá’í administration and with the knowledge and approval of the government—were arrested. They were each sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment and, in 2015, their sentences were belatedly reduced to 10 years, in compliance with amendments to the Iranian Penal Code. They were all released in 2018 after having completed their unjust sentences.
Iran has, to date, been reviewed three times under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), in February 2010, in October 2014, and more recently in November 2019. In 2010, Iran accepted a number of recommendations, while also claiming that some others had either already been implemented, or were in the process of implementation. In 2014, of the 10 recommendations that dealt specifically with the situation of the Bahá’ís, only two of them were partially accepted by the Iranian government. However, the Bahá’í International Community, in a recent analysis of the implementation of these recommendations, accepted by Iran in 2010 and 2014, confirmed that not a single one has yet been implemented. In effect, by failing to abide by the commitments and assurances it made to the international community, Iran has gravely undermined the entire UPR process. The sections that follow provide an overview of the current situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran in relation to the second cycle UPR and contain a sample of the latest reported and confirmed cases of persecution. The most recent UPR cycle is not being used because its report is still to be adopted in March 2020.
I. Home Raids, Unlawful Arrests, Arbitrary Detentions, and Violations of Due Process
In violation of UPR recommendations Rec #138.25: Strengthen its national legislation in accordance with the international treaties that it has ratified. (Burkina Faso)
In violation of UPR recommendations Rec #138.28: Make all efforts to guarantee and to protect the rights and freedoms enshrined in the international instruments the country is a party to. (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)
Bahá’ís are not free to practice their religion without harassment. Arbitrary detentions and
interrogations are continually carried out against adherents of the Bahá’í Faith throughout the country, and the charges they are accused of reflect the absence of freedom of religion or belief for Bahá’ís in Iran. Sadly, the situation has not improved since the election of President Hassan Rouhani in August 2013. Since he came to power, we have documented at least 498 arrests of Bahá’ís and 95 summons to prison. In the last year, there have been 66 arrests.
Those who are arrested suffer ill-treatment at the hands of governmental officials. In nearly all cases, their homes and/or workplaces are searched and the usual items, such as personal belongings, are confiscated, particularly books, photographs, computers, copying machines, and other supplies, as well as items related to the Bahá’í Faith. Many have been kept in solitary confinement for long periods and are often detained for weeks or months before being released on bail. The bail demands are exorbitantly high, requiring families to hand over deeds to their properties or business licenses.
Since the start of the year, there has been an increase in the number of lengthy prison sentences handed down by the courts. This comes at a time of grave concern owing to the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) through the prison system and in the country. The unjust conditions under which these innocent individuals were being held is now further compounded by the risk of being unnecessarily exposed to the virus in Iran’s overcrowded prison system.
The following cases are some examples:
On 10 May 2020, seven Bahá’ís from Shiraz were put on trial, which was held in the presence of four of their lawyers. They were each issued with heavy sentences by the court:
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Mr. Navid Bazmandegan and his wife, Mrs. Bahareh Ghaderi, who were arrested in connection with their environmental activities, were each sentenced to five years of imprisonment for the charge of formation of a group in opposition to the regime and to one year of imprisonment under tazir law for the charge of propaganda against the regime;
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Mr. Ehsan Mahboube-Rahe-Fada was sentenced to 1 year of imprisonment under tazir law for the charge of propaganda against the regime;
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Ms. Soudabeh Haghighat was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment, charged with formation of a group in opposition to the regime and to 1 year of imprisonment under tazir law for propaganda against the regime totalling a prison sentence of 6 years.
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Mrs. Elaheh Samizadeh was sentenced to six years in prison by Branch 1 of Shiraz Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Mahmoud Sadati, on charges of “propaganda against the regime and membership in opposition groups” Ms. Samizadeh is the mother of a toddler boy, and charges brought up against her for “propaganda against the regime” and “collaborating” with “dissident “groups” are because she worked as an arts instructor for children. The charge of “forging a university degree” was brought up against her in July 2019 and caused her bail to be increased by 60 million toman (approximately $14,000 USD).
On 22 May 2020, Mrs. Samizadeh was sentenced by Branch 105 of Shiraz Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Fakharzadeh to a further 1 year of imprisonment under tazir law and two years’ ban from public service, i.e. holding of any government, and public job. The Court communicated to her that “usage of scientific titles”, which refers to her studies at the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE), is the underlying reason for her sentence. Given the restrictions in the country barring Bahá’í students from obtaining higher education, Mrs. Samizadeh completed her studies through the BIHE. However, the court considered her diploma received from the BIHE as illegitimate. After posting bail, she was repeatedly summoned and interrogated regarding these issues. The latest verdict increases her total sentence to 7 years.
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Mrs. Niloufar Hakimi has been sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment for the charge of formation of a group in opposition to the regime, one year of imprisonment under tazir law for the charge of propaganda against the regime, 5 years for the charge of insulting the sanctities of Islam, and 2 years for the charge of insulting the imams, totalling 13 years of imprisonment under tazir law; and lastly,
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Mrs. Noura Pourmoradian has been sentenced to 5 years for the charge of formation of a group in opposition to the regime and to one year of imprisonment under tazir law for propaganda against the regime.
It is important to note that Ms. Haghighat, Mrs. Hakimi, Mrs. Pourmoradian, and Ms. Samizadeh were arrested by the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Shiraz for working in preschools and daycares as teachers, educators, and child counsellors. They were specifically accused and punished for the crime of teaching and counseling children.
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It was learnt in January 2020 that Mrs. Hengameh Ahmadzadeh was sentenced to
6 months imprisonment by Branch 104 of the Criminal Court in Ghaemshahr. The case is being appealed.
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On 16 November 2019, the Court of Appeal of Bushehr, without providing any reasoning or ensuring due process, confirmed the sentences of Mrs. Farrokh Faramarzi (Ansari), Mr. Asadollah Jaberi, Mr. Emad Jaberi (son of Asad and Ehteram), Mrs. Farideh Jaberi (Asad’s sister), Ms. Pouneh Nasheri (daughter-in-law of Mrs. Faramarzi), Mrs. Minou Riazati (Zarei), and Mrs. Ehteram Shaikhi (wife of Asadollah), each to 3 years of imprisonment under tazir law—as per the initial ruling of the preliminary court. It was learnt in February 2020 that Mr. Asadollah Jaberi, Mrs. Farideh Jaberi, Mrs. Riazati, and Mrs. Shaikhi had been sent to prison to start their sentences. These individuals were all initially arrested on 13 February 2018 after their homes were raided and computers, mobile phones, and photographs, and personal items associated with the Bahá’í Faith, were confiscated.
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It was learnt in January 2020 that the Court of Appeals of Semnan Province sentenced Mr. Behnam Eskandarian to three and a half years imprisonment, Mr. Ardeshir Fanaian to six years imprisonment, and Mrs. Yalda Firouzian to two and a half years of imprisonment under tazir law. These individuals were initially arrested on 30 April 2019.
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It was learnt in January 2020 that Mr. Kamran Shahidi has been sentenced by Justice Moghiseh at Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran to 5 years of imprisonment. Mr. Shahidi, who is a jeweller, had about two kilograms of gold and a substantial amount of coins and dollars to the value of 300 million tuman (approximately $72,000 USD), which were confiscated by the authorities at the time of his arrest. The court subsequently ordered the confiscation of the rest of his belongings and assets kept at his workplace. Was initially arrested on 25 September 2017.
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On 20 April 2020, Branch 2 of the Birjand Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Hojjat Nabavi, sentenced Ms. Farzaneh Daymi, Ms. Nasrin Ghadiri (Navazi), Mr. Ataollah Melaki, Mr. Saied Melaki, Ms. Roya Milaki, Ms. Arezou Mohammadi (Rouzi), Ms. Banafsheh Mokhtari (Zamani), and Atieh Salehi (Hajipour) to 6 years in prison each. Mr. Rahmatollah Daymi was sentenced to 3 years and 8 months in prison, due to his advanced age. The charges against these citizens are “membership in the illegal and anti-security deviant Baha’i sect, and propaganda in favor of the Baha’i group as an organization opposed to the sacred Islamic Republic.”
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On 22 April 2020, Mr. Farough Izadinia was sentenced by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Ahmad Zargar, to ten years’ imprisonment under tazir law for acting against national security through management of Bahá’í administration. He was notified of the court decision on 19 June 2020.
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It was learnt in May 2020 that Mr. Farzan Masoumi and Mr. Farham Sabet, two Baha’is living in Shiraz, were sentenced—by the First Branch of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court presided over by Judge Seyyed Mahmoud Sadati—to 6 years in prison each on charges of “propaganda activity against the regime” and “membership in anti-regime groups.”
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On 17 May 2020 Ms. Soheila Haghighat and Ms. Shahnaz Sabet, residents of Shiraz, were each sentenced to 6 years in prison by the First Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz on charges of “propaganda against the regime and membership in anti-regime groups”.
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On 30 May 2020, Mrs. Mitra Bandi and Mrs. Hiva Yazdan residents of Yazd, were arrested by the authorities. Their homes were searched and usual items were taken.
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On 1 June 2020, the home of Mrs. Mahboubeh Missaghian in Yazd was searched by the security forces and, after confiscation of the usual items, she was arrested. Mrs. Missaghian was subsequently released on bail on 16 June 2020.
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It was learnt in June 2020 that Mr. Tooraj Amini, whose home in Karaj had been searched on 4 August 2019, was sentenced by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Karaj to one year of imprisonment under tazir law and two years’ exile. The decision has been appealed to the Court of Appeal.
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It was reported in June 2020 that Mr. Sahba Farnoush was sentenced by Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, presided over by Justice Iman Afshari, to 16 years’ imprisonment under tazir law.
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It was reported in June 2020 that Mr. Farid Ziraki Moghaddam was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Birjand for membership in illegal Bahá’í organization and propaganda against the regime to a total of six years’ imprisonment under tazir law.
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It was learnt in June 2020 that Mrs. Vida Haghighi Najafabadi (Parvini), resident of Vilashahr, Isfahan—who had been arrested nine years ago in Vilashahr and who had after three years been sentenced by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Yazd to one year of imprisonment under tazir law and one year of suspended sentence—was summoned to the police station in Vilashahr where she was arrested and transferred, at the instruction of the prosecutor’s office, to Dolatabad Prison in Isfahan for the enforcement of her order, six years after receiving her sentence.
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It was learnt in June 2020 that Ms. Fariba Ashtari was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Yazd for membership in groups against the regime, and propaganda against the regime and in the interest of groups against the regime, to five and one years’ respectively, to a total of six years’ imprisonment under tazir law. Mrs. Ashtari completed her three-year term of imprisonment for propaganda against the Islamic Republic and adherence to the Bahá’í Faith in Yazd in January/February 2017. It was further reported that she was recently arrested again in Yazd and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment under the charges of deception of the complainant in luring [her] towards Baha’ism, propaganda against the Islamic Republic and participation in groups in opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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On the morning of Monday, 7 June 2020, three Bahá’í women—Ms. Nahid Naimi (Missaghian), Ms. Bushra Mostafavi (Naimi), and Ms. Didar Ahmadi (Naimi)—were arrested by the agents of the Intelligence Office in Rafsanjan. The agents, who identified themselves as the officers of the municipality, entered one of the homes invasively by climbing the wall. The officers confiscated all Bahá’í materials, such as books, portraits, prayer books, etc., as well as a mobile phone and laptop. The warrant had been issued by the judicial authority of Kerman for Rafsanjan, and most likely the arrestees were transferred to Kerman. The three women were released on bail on 16 June 2020.
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On 10 June 2020 Mr. Mehrdad Mousavi Kholenjani, resident of Shahinshar, was sentenced by the Court of Appeal in Isfahan Province, presided over by Justice Seyed Javad Mansouri, and court advisor Mohammad Mohammadi Kamalabadi, for propaganda activities against the regime to six months’ imprisonment under tazir law.
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On 18 June 2020 Mr. Shahriar Atrian was sentenced in absentia and without the presence of a lawyer by the Court of Appeal of Fars Province for propaganda activities against the regime and in groups against the regime to six years’ imprisonment under tazir law.
II. Economic Persecution
In violation of UPR recommendation Rec. #138.88: Continue its national policy to promote equal opportunities and treatment with respect to employment. (Sri Lanka)
Following the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the government commenced a systematic campaign to deny Bahá’ís the right to work and employment in violation of Article 23.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Part III and Article 6 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. In hundreds of cases, the authorities have taken measures to make it nearly impossible for Bahá’ís to earn a living. Incidents include arbitrary shop closures, unjust dismissals, the actual or threatened revocation of business licenses, and other actions to suppress the economic activity of Bahá’ís.
Since 2014, Iranian authorities have intensified their discriminatory policies and practices towards members of the Bahá’í Faith through different measures of economic disruption. In many cities, for example, the authorities systematically seal Bahá’í-owned shops, giving spurious reasons for doing so. Official documents prove that these abuses are not isolated cases but are, in fact, a matter of established government policy. In particular, a letter from Tehran’s Amaken (Public Places Supervision Office) dated 9 April 2007 confirms orders to the commanders of police and heads of intelligence and security throughout its province that members of the “perverse Bahaist sect” must be prevented from engaging in certain occupations. The letter stipulates that Bahá’ís must be denied work permits and licenses for over 25 kinds of specifically-listed businesses and are barred from any other “high-earning businesses”.
Furthermore, with the adoption of this governmental policy, applicants applying for business licenses are required to fill out and sign a form asking them to declare their religion. The authorities attempt to actively and pre-emptively deny legal recourse to those already subject to mistreatment under discriminatory regulations. Moreover, since 2006, various trade associations, unions, and business organisations have been instructed to compile lists of Bahá’ís in every type of employment under their purview.
Since President Rouhani came to power, there have been at least 1080 documented incidents of economic persecution or discrimination with 31 incidents in the last year. It is important to note that the above figure includes shops that have been forcibly closed and sealed for spurious reasons, approximately 739 since 2013, many of which have not been allowed to reopen. The following case represents an example of economic persecution:
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On 4 November 2019, the Special Court for Article 49 of the Constitution decided to confiscate all of the properties belonging to Bahá’ís in the Village of Ivel. It is worth noting that these properties were in the possession of the Bahá’ís since the mid-1800s. Appendix 1 contains a provisional translation of the court verdict.
III. Denial of the Right to Education
A. Access to higher education
In violation of UPR recommendation Rec #138.111: Adopt provisions to prevent all forms of discrimination against women and girls and, in particular, promote access to higher education for members of the Bahá’í community and other religious minorities. (Chile)
Iranian Bahá’ís have long been denied access to higher education. It is an official policy of the government to expel individuals from universities and vocational training institutions as soon as they are identified as members of the Bahá’í community. The 1991 government memorandum concerning “The Bahá’í Question”, produced by Iran’s Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council, specifically called for Iran’s Bahá’ís to be treated such “that their progress and development shall be blocked.” The document indicated, for example, that the government aims to keep the Bahá’ís illiterate and uneducated, living only at a subsistence level. The section that defined the “educational and cultural status” of adherents to the Bahá’í Faith includes the instruction that “[t]hey must be expelled from universities, either in the admissions process or during the course of their studies, once it becomes known that they are Bahá’ís.”
In addition, other government documents have been identified that indicate that this discriminatory treatment represents formal and settled official state policy. Chief among these is a communication sent in 2006 by the Central Security Office of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, and addressed to 81 Iranian universities, the names of which were listed. The letter instructed these universities to expel any student that was found to be a Bahá’í at the time of enrolment or during their studies. Even during the academic year, university authorities have summoned students and demanded that they identify their religion. Whenever a student has identified as a Bahá’í, they have been expelled.
The authorities are well aware that Bahá’ís, as a matter of principle, will not deny or lie about their religious affiliation. Every year, hundreds of Bahá’í students are denied enrolment to universities and other institutions of higher education such as vocational training schools under the pretext of having an “incomplete file”. These young Bahá’ís participate in the national examination and receive high scores making them eligible for entry into university, and yet, they are denied the right to education only because they are Bahá’ís.
IV. Denial of Cultural Rights, including Desecration and Destruction of Bahá’í Cemeteries and Violations of Burial Rights
In violation of UPR recommendation Rec #138.221: Ensure the freedom of religion and belief for all citizens of Iran. (Romania)
The desecration and destruction of Bahá’í cemeteries began methodically during post-revolutionary Iran as a means to strip the Bahá’ís of their cultural identity and to erase any ties to the community as a whole. Although, in some cities, Bahá’ís have been given access to land for a modest cemetery, such initiatives on the part of the authorities are not acts of compassion; rather, it is a reflection of their deep-seated prejudice towards the Bahá’ís. Most alarming are their rationales that Bahá’ís should not be buried in Muslim cemeteries because they are considered najis (unclean) and they are not “people of the Book [Qur’an].” When Bahá’ís are provided property to use as a cemetery, oftentimes officials fail to respect the rights of the deceased Bahá’ís to be buried according to Bahá’í laws. For example, many deceased Bahá’ís from Tabriz and Sanandaj are required to be buried in the Miandoab and Ghorveh Cemeteries respectively, which are at least 160 and 90 kilometres away, and take well over an hour to get to. This is because the authorities have barred the use of Tabriz and Sanadaj Bahá’í Cemeteries. Ghorveh Cemetery itself has also faced vandalism and destruction of its facilities. In several cases, where the authorities have taken over the burial process altogether, the families concerned were only informed of the location of their loved ones after the burials had already taken place. Moreover, there have been at least 83 attacks against Bahá’í cemeteries in different localities throughout Iran since August 2005. Vandals have attacked Bahá’í cemeteries with total impunity, destroying graves and causing extensive damage. Below is a recent example:
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It was learnt in July 2020 that the cemetery of Taft—a region in the province of Yazd—which had been confiscated from the Bahá’is shortly after the revolution in 1979, is now being divided and sold. Appendix 2 contains further information about this cemetery.
V. Incitement to Hatred
In violation of UPR recommendations Rec. #138.50: Continue its policies and initiatives aimed at the promotion of dialogue, cooperation and tolerance between different cultures and religions of the national minorities of Iran. (Armenia)
Rec #138.53: Strengthen and expand interreligious and intercultural dialogue. (Lebanon)
The upsurge in human rights violations against the Bahá’ís in Iran since 2005 has been preceded and accompanied by efforts to incite hatred, distrust, intolerance, and even violence against them. Some officials have openly encouraged the persecution, and some members of the clergy have preached sermons against the Bahá’í Faith and its adherents. National and provincial budgets have included allocations for “educational” programmes to “confront” the Bahá’í Faith, and official organs have been established and dedicated to that purpose. This is institutionalised incitement to hatred.
The materials present a wide range of completely false allegations. Incitement to hatred against the Bahá’ís has long been a mainstay of campaigns by the government to promote religious orthodoxy. Members of the Bahá’í community across Iran receive threatening telephone calls, text messages, and anonymous letters, and they encounter anti-Bahá’í pamphlets in shops, schools, and other public places. In many localities, graffiti is spray-painted in and on Bahá’í cemeteries, houses, shops, orchards, and vehicles. Without fail, these secondary sources of slander contain the very same malicious lies and incendiary language found in media affiliated with and controlled and sanctioned by the government as listed below.
In the last year, there have been more than 9,511 articles, videos, or web pages appearing in government-controlled or government-sponsored media featuring anti-Bahá’í propaganda. In all cases, the dissemination was sponsored and/or approved by the State. Since August 2016, hundreds of influential figures, including clerics, religious figures, academics, editors, and government representatives have publicly issued speeches, articles, or written declarations against the Bahá’ís. Such statements have been published on websites of various media organizations affiliated with the Iranian government that regularly attack the Bahá’ís. They include Aftab News, Basij News, Fars News, Ferghe News, Hawzah News, Iranian Quran News Agency (IQNA), QudsOnline, Rasa News, and Shabestan News.
Moreover, because Iranian Bahá’ís have long been denied access to all means of communication with the public, they cannot counter the lies and misinformation propagated about them and their religion, which, in many cases, come from those who give the Iranian people guidance in spiritual matters. When Bahá’ís have tried to contact newspapers and other media requesting right of reply, they have been ignored, or else mocked for having thought that they would be granted the means to deny published allegations or to present their own point of view. This refusal is in total contradiction with Article 5 of Iran’s Press Law.
On 26 March 2018, the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued, via his website, a new religious decree (fatwa) concerning “association and dealing with Bahá’ís”. He stated that, “[y]ou should avoid any association and dealings with this perverse and misguided sect.”
