28.05.2008 - Source: Amnesty International

Persecution, harassment and discriminatory practices against Baha’is; 13 Baha'is arrested in 2007 ("Annual Report 2008") [ID 23483]

"Baha’is throughout the country continued to face persecution on account of their religion. At least 13 Baha’is were arrested in at least 10 cities and were subject to harassment and discriminatory practices, such as denial of access to higher education, bank loans and pension payments. Nine Baha’i cemeteries were desecrated."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Bahai minority suffers discrimination, harassment, intimidation and imprisonment ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23031]

"During the year [2007], Baha'i students were routinely denied access to university education because of their religion. [...] On September 20, HRW reported that Baha'i students were denied access to their national matriculation exam scores, which are required for entrance into university. Baha'i groups outside the country also reported a concerted government effort at economic obstruction of Baha'is in the country.[…]

[…] In June 2006 the UNSR for Adequate Housing visited the country and reported that rural land, particularly that belonging to minorities, including many Baha'is, was expropriated for government use, and owners were not fairly compensated. With the exception of Baha'is, the government allowed recognized religious minorities to conduct religious education of their adherents […]. The legal system previously discriminated against recognized religious minorities in relation to blood money [...]. All women and Baha'i and Sabean-Mandean men remained excluded from the revised ruling. According to the law, Baha'i blood is considered mobah, meaning it can be spilled with impunity.[…]

[…] The country's estimated 300,000 to 350,000 Baha'is were not allowed to teach or practice their faith or to maintain links with coreligionists abroad. The government continued to imprison and detain Baha'is based on their religious beliefs. A 2001 Justice Ministry report indicated the existence of a government policy to eventually eliminate the Baha'i community.

In March 2006 the UNSR on Freedom of Religion and Belief expressed concern about allegations that security forces were monitoring and gathering information about the Baha'i community. Baha'i groups reported the government was collecting names of Baha'is across the country, and there was an increase of anti-Baha'i editorials in pro-government newspapers.

Between May 2006 and January, the government reportedly arrested 63 Baha'is. As of November, three remained in prison. The government did not formally charge many of the others but released them after they posted bail. For some, bail was in the form of deeds of property; others gained their release in exchange for personal guarantees or work licenses."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Attacks, arrests and killings of Bahais in 2007 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23032]

"[...] There were also reports of attacks on Baha'is by unidentified assailants, including the killings of two elderly Baha'i women. On February 16, a masked intruder killed an 85-year-old Baha'i woman, Behnam Saltanat Akhzari, in her home. The following day, a masked intruder assaulted a 77-year-old Baha'i woman, Shah Beygom Dehghani, in her home, and she died on March 7.

On January 1, security officials arrested two Baha'i men, Riaz Heravi and Siamak Ebrahimi, and detained them for 20 and 30 days, respectively. No details were available about the reasons for their arrests, although a Baha'i group noted that the two coordinated events for their Baha'i community.

In May 2006 security forces temporarily arrested 54 Baha'is in Shiraz while they were teaching in an educational program for underprivileged children. According to Baha'i organizations outside the country, they had an official permit to conduct such teachings. In August the court orally accused the 54 of "indirectly" teaching the Baha'i faith. The court gave all but three suspended sentences of one year in prison for "forming illegal groups" and "propagating on behalf of groups opposed to the government." The court sentenced the remaining three, Raha Sabet, Sasan Taqva, and Haleh Roohi to four years' imprisonment each: three years for "organizing illegal groups" and one year for "teaching on behalf of groups opposed to the government." They were detained on November 19."

Document(s): Open document

31.01.2008 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Discrimination of Baha´is in Iran (2007) ("World Report 2008") [ID 22521]

"The government continues to deny Iran’s Baha’i community permission to publicly worship or pursue religious activities. In 2007 the government prevented at least 800 Baha’i students access to National Entrance Examination scores needed for admission to universities in Iran."

Document(s): Open document

29.01.2008 - Source: BBC News

Iran jails 3 Bahai followers for engaging in propaganda against the Islamic revolutionary system ("Iran jails Bahai 'propagandists'") [ID 22437]

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

The Baha'i religious group numbers 300,000 to 350,000 people ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21125]

"[...] The largest non-Muslim minority is the Bahá'í religious group, which numbers 300,000 to 350,000."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Legal system discriminates against Baha'is ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21191]

"The legal system discriminates against religious minorities. Article 297 of the amended 1991 Islamic Punishments Act authorizes collection of equal "blood money" (diyeh) as restitution to the families for the death of both Muslims and non-Muslims.
Prior to the 2004 change, the law gave a lesser monetary amount as "blood money" for non-Muslims than for Muslims.

All women, as well as Bahá'í and Sabean-Mandaean men, are excluded from the equalization provisions of the bill. [...] According to law, Bahá'í blood is considered mobah, meaning it can be spilled with impunity."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Baha'is do not have freedom to practice their belief and have faced an increasing number of public attacks ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21193]

"Adherents of religious groups not recognized by the Constitution, such as the Bahá'ís, do not have freedom to practice their beliefs. Government officials have stated that, as individuals, all Bahá'ís are entitled to their beliefs and are protected under the articles of the Constitution as citizens; however, the Government continues to prohibit Bahá'ís from teaching and practicing their faith. [...]

Bahá'ís may not teach or practice their faith or maintain links with coreligionists abroad. Bahá'ís are often officially charged with "espionage on behalf of Zionism," in part due to the fact that the Bahá'í world headquarters is located in Israel. These charges are more acute when Bahá'ís are caught communicating with or sending monetary contributions to the Bahá'í headquarters.

Since late 2005 Bahá'ís have faced an increasing number of public attacks, including a series of negative and defamatory articles in Kayhan, a government-affiliated newspaper whose managing editor was appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamene'i. Radio and television broadcasts have also increasingly condemned the Bahá'ís and their religion, and since October 2005 state-owned media has launched a series of weekly anti-Bahá'í broadcasts. These reports had the intention of arousing suspicion, distrust, and hatred for the Bahá'í community."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Government limits the access of Baha'is to schools and universities ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21194]

"The Government considers Bahá'ís to be apostates and defines the Bahá'í faith as a political "sect." The Ministry of Justice states that Bahá'ís are permitted to enroll in schools only if they do not identify themselves as Bahá'ís, and that Bahá'ís preferably should be enrolled in schools with a strong and imposing religious ideology. There were allegations that Bahá'í children in public schools faced attempts to convert them to Islam.

After a brief policy change during the reporting period allowed Bahá'í students to enroll in universities, the Government reverted to its previous practice of requiring Bahá'í students to identify themselves as other than Bahá'í in order to register for the entrance examination. This action precluded Bahá'í enrollment in state-run universities, since a tenet of the Bahá'í religion is not to deny one's faith.

The Ministry of Justice states that Bahá'ís must be excluded or expelled from universities, either in the admission process or during the course of their studies, if their religious affiliation becomes known. University applicants are required to pass an examination in Islamic, Christian, or Jewish theology, but there was no test for the Bahá'í faith. [...]

[...] Public and private universities continued either to deny admittance to or expel Bahá'í students. In 2004 Bahá'í applicants took part in the nationwide exam for entrance into state-run universities; however, "Islam" was pre-printed as a prospective student's religious affiliation on the form authorizing their matriculation. This action precluded Bahá'í enrollment, since a tenet of the Bahá'í religion is not to deny one's faith.

"

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Baha'is are registrated by the police: Their events and organisations are monitored closely; ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21219]

"Government policy and practice contributed to severe restrictions on religious freedom. All non-Shi'a religious minorities suffer varying degrees of officially sanctioned discrimination, particularly in the areas of employment, education, and housing.

The Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance (Ershad) and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) monitor religious activity closely. Members of recognized religious minorities are not required to register with the Government, and religion is not noted on national identity cards; however, their communal, religious, and cultural events and organizations, including schools, are monitored closely. Registration of Bahá'ís is a police function.
"

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

The Government repeatedly offers Baha'is relief from mistreatment in exchange for recanting their faith ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21224]

"Broad restrictions on Bahá'ís severely undermined their ability to function as a community. The Government repeatedly offers Bahá'ís relief from mistreatment in exchange for recanting their faith."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Baha'is are carefully monitored by government authorities; even a union was asked to compile a list of their Baha'i members ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21225]

"The Government monitored the activities of Bahá'ís. A Bahá'í group outside the country reported an August 19, 2006, letter from the Ministry of Interior requesting provincial offices to "cautiously and carefully monitor and manage" all Bahá'í social activities.

The U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief reported the existence of a secret October 2005 letter written by the Chairman of the Armed Forces Command, Major General Seyyed Hossein Firuzabadi, acting on instructions from Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamene'i, to the Ministry of Information, the Revolutionary Guard, and the Police Force, which requested the agencies to collect and to provide to the Armed Forces Command all information about Bahá'ís.

There were reports the Association of Chambers of Commerce and related associations, which are nominally independent bodies that are nonetheless heavily influenced by the Government, compiled a list of Bahá'ís and their trades and employment. A May 2006 letter from the Trades, Production, and Technical Services Society of Kermanshah to the Union of Battery Manufacturers showed further evidence of workplace restrictions as it asked the union to compile "a list of the names of those who belong to the Bahá'í sect and are under the jurisdiction of your union.""

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

According to a US based Baha'i assembly more than 200 Iranian Baha'is have been killed since 1979; Baha'i property seized by the government has not been returned yet ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21281]

"According to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, since 1979 more than 200 Bahá'ís have been killed, and 15 have disappeared and are presumed dead.

The Government seized many Bahá'í properties following the 1979 revolution and has not returned any Bahá'í cemeteries, holy places, historical sites, administrative centers, or other assets. No properties have been returned, and many have been destroyed. [...]"

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Baha'is are generally prevented from burying and honoring their dead in accordance with their tradition ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21282]

"[...] Bahá'ís are generally prevented from burying and honoring their dead in accordance with their religious tradition; however, Bahá'í groups reported some instances during the reporting period of Bahá'ís being permitted to bury their dead in their own cemeteries."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Seizure of Baha’i property and the denial of their access to education and employment is eroding the economic base of the community and threatening its survival ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21284]

"The Bahá'í community claimed the government's seizure of Bahá'í personal property and its denial of Bahá'í access to education and employment was eroding the economic base of the community and threatening its survival.

On June 29, 2006, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on adequate housing found that government expropriations of property in Iran "seem to have targeted disproportionately" the property of Bahá'ís and other ethnic and religious minorities. He further mentioned that many of the confiscation verdicts made by Iranian Revolutionary Courts declared that "the confiscation of the property of the evil sect of the Bahá'í [were] legally and religiously justifiable."

There were reports during the reporting period of authorities forcing Bahá'í businesses to close and placing restrictions on their businesses, and asking managers of private companies to dismiss their Bahá'í employees."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Imprisonment and detention of Baha'is are based on their religious beliefs ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21285]

"The Government continued to imprison and detain Bahá'ís based on their religious beliefs. The Government arbitrarily arrested Bahá'ís and charged them with violating Islamic Penal Code Articles 500 and 698, relating to activities against the state and spreading falsehoods, respectively.

Often the charges were not dropped upon release and those with charges still pending against them reportedly feared rearrest at any time. Most were released only after paying large fines or posting high bails.

Between May 2006 and January 2007, the Government reportedly arrested 63 Bahá'ís. As of February 2007 three remained in prison. The Government never formally charged many of the others, but released them only after they posted bail. For some, bail was in the form of deeds of property; others gained their release in exchange for personal guarantees or work licenses."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Attacks on Baha'i: 2 elderly Bahai'i women killed ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21286]

"There were also reports of attacks on Bahá'ís by unidentified assailants, including the killings of two elderly Bahá'í women. On February 16, 2007, an 85-year-old Bahá'í woman, Behnam Saltanat Akhzari, was killed in her home by a masked intruder. The following day, a 77-year-old Bahá'í woman, Shah Beygom Dehghani, was also assaulted in her home by a masked intruder and she died on March 7, 2007."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

On 1 January 2007, 2 Baha’i men were arrested and detained for 20 and 30 days; no official reasons were given for their arrests ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21287]

"On January 1, 2007, two Bahá'í men, Riaz Heravi and Siamak Ebrahimi, were arrested and detained for 20 and 30 days, respectively. No details were available about the reasons for their arrests, although a Bahá'í group noted that the two coordinated events for their Bahá'í community on an ad hoc basis."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Arrests and trials against Baha'is ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21325]

"On November 1, 2006, a Bahá'í man, Fayzullah Rowshan, was reportedly arrested by order of the Ministry of Information, following a search of his home. He was released on January 1, 2007. No details about the reason for his arrest were available.

On September 21, 2006, the Court of Appeal in Semnan province denied the appeal of eight Bahá'ís arrested in May 2005. They were accused of "teaching activities against the Islamic Republic of Iran." Three were given sentences of 6 months in prison, and five were sentenced to 91 days. Six of the eight sentences were suspended for 4 years, and the other two appealed their sentences.

On August 17, 2006, a Bahá'í man, Babak Roohi, was reportedly arrested in Mashhad for making 50 photocopies of a Bahá'í book for a Bahá'í function. He was released 2 weeks later after posting bail of $34,000 (315,000,000 rials).

On June 28, 2006, a Bahá'í was taken into custody and was being held in the Ministry of Information's detention center. At the end of the reporting period, no further information was available. This individual was previously arrested and released in August 2005.

[...] On June 18, 2006, the Government arrested three Bahá'ís from Hamadan after government officials confiscated books, computers, and Bahá'í documents. They were later released on bail on June 21, 2006.

Between May 9 and May 11, 2006, the Government raided eleven Bahá'í homes in Shahinshahr, Najafabad, and Kashan with no arrests made. On May 19, 2006, the Government raided six Bahá'í homes in Shiraz, and arrested 54 Bahá'ís. Security forces also seized notebooks, computers, books, and documents. On May 24 and May 25, 2006, the Government released all but three of the detainees. As of June 14, 2006 the remaining three had been released.

[...] On February 5, 2006, the Government arrested three Bahá'ís from Esfahan for coordinating Bahá'í activities.

On January 15, 2006, the Government arrested three Bahá'ís from Kermanshah on charges of "involvement in Bahá'í activities and insulting Islam." The Government raided their homes and the homes of four others the same day and confiscated books, documents, and other items. The Government released them on January 20, 2006.

[...] In August 2005 the Government arrested at least 23 Bahá'ís and later released 3 on bail and sentenced 4 to 10 months in prison. The Government also searched the homes of several Bahá'ís, and confiscated books, computers, tapes, videos, and CDs.

[...] In April-May 2005 the Government arrested and imprisoned nine Bahá'ís, following the confiscation of their properties. All nine later gained their release from prison, after a business license was used as collateral.

In March 2005 a series of Bahá'í arrests and imprisonments took place throughout the country. One of the Bahá'ís previously arrested and briefly detained for having distributed an open letter from the Bahá'í community to then-President Khatami, received a 3-year sentence and was incarcerated in Evin prison."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

On 18 March 2006 the Baha’i Mehran Kawsari was released from jail: He was sentenced to prison in connection with distributing a November 2004 open letter to the government denouncing the Baha’i-focused human rights and religious freedom abuses ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21327]

"On March 18, 2006, Mehran Kawsari was released from jail without bail, after being charged with taking measures against the internal security of the Government. He was tried in connection with distributing a November 2004 open letter, in which the Bahá'í community wrote to the Government of the Islamic Republic, addressed to then-President Khatami, seeking an end to Bahá'í-focused human rights and religious freedom abuses. Numerous anecdotal reports indicated a marked increase in Government persecution of Bahá'ís after this letter.

[...] In May 2005 the Government charged several Bahá'ís with "creating anxiety in the minds of the public and those of the Iranian officials" and distributing "propaganda against the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran," for having distributed copies of the 2004 open letter to various government officials."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

The longiest imprisoned Baha'i man died on 19 December 2005 in prison: He was arrested 1995 and convicted of apostasy in 1996 ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21328]

"On December 19, 2005, the longest imprisoned Bahá'í, Zabihullah Mahrami, died in prison of unknown causes. He was arrested in 1995 and convicted of apostasy in 1996. A Bahá'í group outside the country reported in April 2007 that the Revolutionary Court of Yazd province confiscated the home of Mahrami's widow, Nahid Beygi."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

In February 2005 two Baha'i men released from prison after serving almost 15 years on charges related to their religious beliefs ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21329]

"In February 2005 the Government released two Bahá'ís from prison after serving almost 15 years on charges related to their religious beliefs."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

In 2006, for the first time about 200 Baha'i students were admitted to universities ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20752]

"During the year, for the first time, approximately 200 Baha'i students were admitted to universities. However, it was not known if their admission resulted from changed government policy or a change in the use of university application forms."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Pooya Mavahhed, first arrested in August 2005 on a charge of opposition to the government but later released on bail, re-arrested on 28 June 2006 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20754]

"On June 28, authorities re-arrested Baha'i member Pooya Mavahhed, who was first arrested in August 2005 on a charge of opposition to the government but was released 10 days later on bail."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

On 17 August 2006 a Baha'i member was arrested on counts of having made copies of a Baha'i book ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20755]

"On August 17, according to press reports, authorities arrested Babak Rouhi in Mashad on counts of having made copies of a Baha'i book for a Baha'i function."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Members of Baha'i faith suffer restricted freedom of religion; in March 2006 UN expressed concern that security forces were monitoring and gathering information about the Baha'i community ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20759]

"Baha'i organizations outside the country warned that the government intensified a strategy of intimidation against Baha'is.The country's estimated 300,000 to 350,000 Baha'is were not allowed to teach or practice their faith or to maintain links with co-religionists abroad. The government continued to imprison and detain Baha'is based on their religious beliefs. A 2001 Justice Ministry report indicated the existence of a government policy to eliminate the Baha'i community eventually.

In March the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief expressed concern about allegations that security forces were monitoring and gathering information about the Baha'i community. Baha'i groups reported the government was collecting names of Baha'is across the country, and there was an increase of anti-Baha'i editorials in progovernment newspapers.


"

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

In December 2005 Baha'i prisoner, Zabihullah Mahrami, who was sentenced for apostasy, died in prison ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20760]

"In December 2005 the longest held Baha'i prisoner, Zabihullah Mahrami, died in prison of unknown causes. Mahrami was arrested in 1995 and faced a life sentence for apostasy."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

In November 2004, a Baha'i was sentenced to 3 years in prison for writing to the president about the situation of Baha'is; later he was released on bail ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20776]

"[...] Another Baha'i, Mehran Kawsari, who was sentenced to three years in prison in November 2004 after writing a letter to then-president Khatami on the situation of Baha'is, was released on bail on March 18."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Shiraz: 54 Baha'is - primarily youths participating in a student volunteer programme - arrested but finally released after about 4 weeks ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20777]

"On May 19, 54 Baha'is were arrested in the city of Shiraz. Those arrested were primarily Baha'i youths participating in a student volunteer program to tutor underprivileged children. All were released by mid-June."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

In 2005 65 Baha'is were arrested, later released on bails; their families often were not informed of their location, authorities denied their arrests or did not indicate charges against them ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20778]

"Throughout 2005 the government arrested 65 other Baha'is, detained them, and later released them on high bails, often in the form of property deeds. While they were imprisoned, their families often were not informed of their location, and authorities denied any record of their arrests or did not indicate charges against them. Some were not allowed to work for several months after their release. Government agents also searched numerous Baha'i homes and seized possessions."

Document(s): Open document

04.03.2007 - Source: Minority Rights Group International

Annual report on the situation of Baha'is ("State of the World's Minorities 2007") [ID 22401]

"The 300,000 Baha’i of Iran remain subject to severe state discrimination.

In September 2005, state-controlled media began an intense campaign against the Baha’i, whom Islamic clerics decry as heretics for believing that other prophets came after Mohammed.
In March 2006, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion said she had received an October 2005 document in which Ayatollah Khamenei ordered the Iranian military to identify and monitor members of the Baha’i community.
In May 2006, Human Rights Watch reported the arrests of 54 Baha’i youth volunteers in Shiraz."

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Religious restrictions on Baha'is ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 17544]

"Adherents of religious groups not recognized by the constitution do not enjoy freedom to practice their beliefs. This restriction seriously affects adherents of the Baha'i faith, which the government regards as a heretical Islamic group with a political orientation that is antagonistic to the country's Islamic revolution. However, Baha'is view themselves not as Muslims, but as an independent religion with origins in the Shi'a Islamic tradition. Government officials have stated that, as individuals, all Baha'is are entitled to their beliefs and are protected under the articles of the constitution as citizens; however, the Government continued to prohibit Baha'is from teaching and practicing their faith. Baha'is also faced discrimination in the workplace and are barred from government posts."

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Discrimination against Baha'is and restriction of their religious practice ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 17640]

"The Baha'i faith originated in the country during the 1840s as a reformist movement within Shi'a Islam. The Government considers Baha'is to be apostates because of their claim to a valid religious revelation subsequent to that of the Prophet Muhammad, but Baha'is do not consider themselves to be Muslim. Rather, the government defines the Baha'i faith as a political "sect," linked to the Pahlavi regime but Baha'is faced discrimination prior to the revolution. A 2001 Ministry of Justice report stated that Baha'is would be permitted to enroll in schools only if they did not identify themselves as Baha'is, and that Baha'is preferably should be enrolled in schools with a strong and imposing religious ideology. There are allegations that Baha'i children in public schools have faced attempts to convert them to Islam. The Ministry of Justice report also stated that Baha'is must be excluded or expelled from universities, either in the admission process or during the course of their studies, once their religious affiliation becomes known.

Baha'is may not teach or practice their faith or maintain links with co-religionists abroad. The fact that the Baha'i world headquarters (established by the founder of the Baha'i faith in the nineteenth century, in what was then Ottoman-controlled Palestine) is situated in what is now the state of Israel exposes Baha'is to official charges of "espionage on behalf of Zionism." These charges were more acute when Baha'is were caught communicating with or sending monetary contributions to the Baha'i headquarters.

Baha'is are banned from government employment and government pensions. In addition Baha'is were regularly denied compensation for injury or criminal victimization and were denied the right to inherit property. Baha'i marriages and divorces were not officially recognized, although the government allows a civil attestation of marriage to serve as a marriage certificate.

The Government allows recognized religious minorities to establish community centers and certain self-financed cultural, social, athletic, or charitable associations. However, the Government prohibited the Baha'is community from official assembly and from maintaining administrative institutions by actively closing such Baha'i institutions. Since the Baha'i faith had no established clergy, the denial of the right to form such institutions and elect officers threatened its existence in the country.

Broad restrictions on Baha'is undermined their ability to function as a community. Baha'is repeatedly were offered relief from mistreatment in exchange for recanting their faith.

Baha'i cemeteries, holy places, historical sites, administrative centers, and other assets were seized shortly after the 1979 Revolution. No properties have been returned, and many have been destroyed. Baha'is were not allowed to bury and honor their dead in adherence to their religious tradition. Baha'i graveyards in Yazd and other cities have been desecrated, and the government did not seek to identify or punish the perpetrators. Public and private universities continue to deny admittance to Baha'i students. In 2004, for the first time, Baha'i applicants were permitted to take part in the nationwide exam for entrance into state-run universities. However, for those students who passed the exam, "Islam" was pre-printed as a prospective student's religious affiliation on the form authorizing their matriculation. This action precluded Baha'i enrollment in the country's state-run universities since a tenet of Baha'i faith is to not deny one's faith. Only a few students were allowed to enroll. In 2005, after similar treatment, no Baha'i students were accepted. A statement posted on Ayatollah Safi's official website during the reporting period reiterated the policy that Baha'is must be expelled from university once their affiliation was known.

The Government monitored the activities of those it identified as adhering to the Baha'i Faith. The U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief became aware of a secret October 2005 letter written by the Chairman of the Armed Forces Command, Major General Seyyed Hossein Firuzabadi, acting on instructions from Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamene'I, to the Ministry of Information, the Revolutionary Guard, and the Police Force, which requested the agencies to collect and to provide to the Armed Forces Command all information about members of the Baha'i Faith. There were also reports the Association of Chambers of Commerce compiled a list of Baha'i members and their trades and employment. A May 2, 2006, letter from the Trades, Production, and Technical Services Society of Kermanshah to the Union of Battery Manufacturers shows further evidence of workplace restrictions as it asks the union to compile "a list of the names of those who belong to the Baha'i sect and are under the jurisdiction of your union."

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Confiscation of Baha'i property, harassment and persecution ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 17645]

"The property rights of Baha'is were generally disregarded, and they suffer frequent government harassment and persecution. Since 1979 the government has confiscated large numbers of private and business properties belonging to Baha'is, as well as religious material. Numerous Baha'i homes reportedly were seized and handed over to an agency of Supreme Leader Khamene'i. Sources indicated that property was confiscated in Rafsanjan, Kerman, Marv-Dasht, and Yazd. Authorities reportedly also confiscated Baha'i properties in Kata, forced several families to leave their homes and farmlands, imprisoned some farmers, and did not permit others to harvest their crops. In one instance, a Baha'i woman from Esfahan who legally traveled abroad, returned to find that her home was confiscated. The Government also seized private homes in which Baha'i youth classes were held despite the owners having proper ownership documents.

The Baha'i community claimed the Government's seizure of Baha'i personal property and its denial of Baha'i access to education and employment were eroding the economic base of the community and threatened its survival. On June 29, 2006 the UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing found that government expropriations of property in Iran "seem to have targeted disproportionately" the property of Baha'is and other ethnic and religious minorities. He further mentioned that many of the confiscation verdicts made by Iranian Revolutionary Courts declared that "the confiscation of the property of the evil sect of the Baha'i [were] legally and religiously justifiable." There were recent reports of authorities forcing Baha'i businesses to close and placing restrictions on their businesses. Managers of private companies were reportedly asked to dismiss their Baha'i employees.

The Government continued to imprison and detain Baha'is based on their religious beliefs. The Government harassed the Baha'i community by arbitrarily arresting Baha'is and charging them with violating Islamic penal code Articles 500 and 698, relating to activities against the State and spreading falsehood, respectively. Often the charges were not dropped upon release and those with charges still pending against them reportedly feared re-arrest at any time. Most were released only after paying large fines or posting high bails."

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Cases of confiscation of Baha'i property, harassement and persecution ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 17646]

"In 2004, authorities initiated the destruction of the tomb of Quddus, a Baha'i holy site. Local Baha'is attempted to prevent the destruction through legal channels, but the tomb was destroyed in the interim. The Baha'is were not allowed permission to enter the site and retrieve the remains of this revered Baha'i figure. The house of Mizra Buzarg-e-Nuri, father of the faith's founder, was destroyed without notice. According to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States, since 1979 more than 200 Baha'is were killed, 15 disappeared and were presumed dead, and more than 10,000 Baha'is were dismissed from government and university jobs.

In 2004, a Baha'i optician in Hamadan was reportedly kidnapped and brutally attacked by five individuals, who threatened him with death if he did not recant his faith and convert to Islam. Local authorities were unwilling to pursue the case and a local judicial official reportedly told him "it would cost him [the victim] dearly" if he pursued his complaint against the assailants.

In 2004, for the first time, the Baha'i community wrote an open letter to the Government of the Islamic Republic, addressed to President Khatami, seeking an end to Baha'i-focused human rights and religious freedom abuses. Numerous anecdotal reports indicated a marked increase in government persecution of Baha'is after this letter. Much of this anti-Baha'i activity focused on Yazd, presumably due to Yazdi Baha'is having presented Yazd intelligence-security officials with a copy of the letter.

In late 2004 and January 2005, nine Baha'is in Yazd were arrested and briefly detained, and their homes searched and some possessions confiscated.

On January 14, 2005, authorities summoned, questioned, and released another Yazd Baha'i, and four days later on January 18, four individuals came to his home and beat him with batons, inflicting severe injuries to his face, back, and arms. The same individuals, equipped with batons and communication devices, also attacked the home of another Baha'i later that day. On that same day, these same persons went to the home of a third Baha'i and attacked him with batons, causing serious head wounds. This third Baha'i was attacked again on January 25; on January 27 his shop was set on fire. In February 2005, the Baha'i cemetery in Yazd was destroyed, with cars driven over the graves, tombstones smashed, and the remains of the interred left exposed. Two days later, a gravestone was removed and left in front of a Baha'is home, along with a threatening letter. The Baha'i community filed a complaint with authorities at the national level, but no action was taken. These events coincided with the launch of a campaign of defamation against the Baha'i faith in government-controlled media.

In February 2005, two Baha'is were released from prison after serving almost fifteen years on charges related to their religious beliefs.

In March 2005, a series of Baha'i arrests and imprisonments began throughout the country.

In Tehran on March 6 2005, intelligence officials arrested and took into custody three prominent Baha'is, and another was arrested and imprisoned on March 16. Agents conducted prolonged searches of their homes and confiscated documents, books, and other belongings. They were all detained without charge, and released after having posted bail. On March 8 2005, one of the Baha'is previously arrested and briefly detained for having distributed an open letter from the Baha'i community to President Khatami, received a three-year sentence and was incarcerated in Evin prison. He did not have access to lawyers nor to any form of legal counsel. Another Baha'i previously arrested and detained, was tried in absentia and given a one-year sentence for the same alleged offence.

On April 25 2005, five more Baha'is were arrested and imprisoned, all members of farming families whose properties had been confiscated in the village of Kata, when they obeyed a summons and came to the court for hearings concerning their grievances.

On May 3 2005, four more Baha'is from Kata answered a similar summons and appeared before a court in the same province. The judge asked them if they would relinquish their property, and when they refused, the judge ordered their arrest and detention. Later that month, all nine were released from prison after a business license was used as collateral.

On May 16 2005, nine Baha'is were summoned to appear before the office of the Public Prosecutor in the city of Semnan. They were charged with "creating anxiety in the minds of the public and those of the Iranian officials" and distributing "propaganda against the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran" for having distributed copies of the November 2004 open letter to various government officials. They were detained and subsequently released, with the understanding that they would appear for a hearing at a later date. Between August 2005 and May 2006, eighty-seven Baha'is were arrested (but only eighty-six were detained). At the end of the period covered by this report, two remained in prison. Most of the others were never formally charged but they were only released after posting bail. For some, bail was deeds of property worth approximately $11,000; others were released in exchange for personal guarantees or work licenses. Some were not allowed to resume working for six months after their detention.

There were also reports of attacks on Baha'is by unidentified assailants. In the first week of August 2005, fourteen Baha'is were arrested from several cities, including Tehran. They were held in incommunicado detention, and there was concern from several sources that they were at risk of torture or ill treatment. During the rest of August and during September, nine more Baha'is were arrested in various cities. On September 17 and 19, three were released on bail.

On September 5, four Baha'is were sentenced to ten months of imprisonment for opposition to the government. On the same day, the homes of nine Baha'is were searched in Yazd, and books, computers, tapes, videos, and CDs were confiscated. On December 19, 2005, the longest imprisoned Baha'i, Zabihullah Mahrami, died in prison of unknown causes. He was arrested in 1995 and convicted of apostasy in 1996. He was forced to engage in hard labor at the penitentiary and regularly received death threats. His family was told he died of a heart attack, but Mahrami was reportedly in good health prior to his death.

On January 15, 2006, three Baha'is from Kermanshah were arrested on charges of "involvement in Baha'i activities and insulting Islam." Their homes and four others were raided the same day and books, documents, and other items were confiscated.

On January 16, the Revolutionary Court set property worth more than US$30,000 as collateral for the three Baha'is, and they were released on January 20. On February 5, 2006, three Baha'is from Esfahan were arrested for coordinating Baha'i activities. On March 18, 2006, Mehran Kawsari was released from jail without bail. He was tried in connection with the November 2004 open letter to then President Khatami that requested the restoration of human rights for the Baha'is and was charged with taking measures against the internal security of the government.

From May 9 to 11 2006, eleven Baha'i homes were raided in Shahinshahr, Najafabad, and Kashan but no arrests were made. On May 19, six Baha'i homes were raided in Shiraz, and notebooks, computers, books, and documents were seized. The homeowners were among the fifty-four Baha'is arrested that day. The individuals were mostly youths engaged in humanitarian service. With permission from the Islamic Council of Shiraz, they were teaching classes to poor children as part of a UNICEF program.

On May 24-25, fifty-one out of fifty-four of the detainees were released. As of June 14, the remaining three had been released, initially for collateral payments of $54,600 per person but in the end solely based on personal guarantees.

On June 13 2006, one Baha'i man from Sanandaj was arrested and released on June 29 on unknown terms. There was an unconfirmed report of five more arrests in Shiraz, but no further information is yet available.

On June 18, three Baha'is from Hamadan were arrested after government officials confiscated books, computers, and Baha'i documents, but they were released on bail on June 21. No details of the terms of their release were available.

On June 21, one Baha'i from Baluchistan province was reportedly abducted, and authorities said they suspected criminal elements were involved.

On June 28, one Baha'i was taken into custody and was being held in the Ministry of Information's detention center. This individual was previously arrested and released in August 2005."

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Forced religious conversion ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 17779]

"[...] Baha'is were repeatedly offered relief from mistreatment in exchange for recanting their faith [...]"

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Increasing numbers of public attacks and escalation of personal harassment since late 2005 ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 17784]

"Since late 2005, Baha'is have faced an increasing number of public attacks, including a series negative and defamatory articles in Kayhan, the official Tehran daily newspaper. Kayhan is a government-controlled newspaper whose managing editor was appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamene'i. Radio and television broadcasts have also increasingly condemned the Baha'is and their religion, and since October 2005 they have launched a series of weekly anti-Baha'i broadcasts. These reports had the intention of arousing suspicion, distrust, and hatred for the Baha'i community.

Since the National Association of Chambers of Commerce began collecting employment data on Baha'is, have been reported problems for Baha'is in different trades around the country. Baha'is have also experienced an escalation of personal harassment, including receiving threatening notes, CDs, text messages, and tracts. There were reported cases of Baha'i children being harassed in school and subjected to Islamic indoctrination. Baha'i girls were especially targeted, with the intention of creating tension between parents and children."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2006 - Source: Amnesty International

66 Baha'is detained throughout 2005; 2 remained held at the end of the year ("Annual Report 2006") [ID 18830]

"Members of Iran’s religious minorities were detained solely in connection with their faith.

[...] At least 66 Baha’is were detained and two remained held at the end of the year. Mehran Kawsari and Bahram Mashhadi were sentenced to three years and one year in prison respectively in connection with an open letter sent to President Khatami in November 2004."

Document(s): Open document

08.2005 - Source: Freedom House

Religious freedom ("Freedom in the World 2005") [#41317],  [ID 8876]

"[...]Some 300,000 Baha’is, Iran’s largest non-Muslim minority, enjoy virtually no rights under the law and are banned from practicing their faith. Hundreds of Baha’is have been executed since 1979. Iranian security forces raided two major evangelical Christian religious gatherings in May and September 2004, arresting scores of people, most of whom had been released by year’s end.[...]"

Document(s): Open document

25.05.2005 - Source: Amnesty International

Gozinesh - Discriminatory law and practices ("Annual Report 2005") [#32306],  [ID 8881]

"[...]
The gozinesh provided the legal basis for discriminatory laws and practice. Religious and ethnic groups which were not officially recognized – such as the Bahai’s, Ahl-e Haq, Mandaeans (Sabaeans) and Evangelical Christians – were automatically subject to gozinesh provisions and faced discrimination in a range of areas, including access to education.
[...]"

Document(s): Open document
Open document

26.03.2005 - Source: UK House of Commons - Foreign Affairs Committee

Annual report on human rights 2004 ("Human Rights Annual Report 2004; Fourth Report of Session 2004-05") [#37684],  [ID 8877]

"[...]130. We received evidence from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom describing a "marked intensification of the persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran". The evidence stated that: The latter half of 2004 has seen the Iranian authorities renew their efforts to persecute the Bahá'í community. The Bahá'í have been ordered to cease any and all collective activity, they have been threatened with the removal of the state's protection from elements in the population who may wish to attack them out of their 'Islamic sentiments' and there have been fresh pressures on the cultural, economic and social life of the Bahá'í community. Young Bahá'ís have again been denied access to university education after a cruel deception by the authorities had raised their hopes of change.[166] [...]"

Document(s): Open document
Open document UK government's response

15.03.2005 - Source: UN Human Rights Council (formerly UN Commission on Human Rights)

Baha'i ("Report of Asma Jahangir, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief - Summary of cases transmitted to Governments and replies received (E/CN.4/2005/61/Add.1)") [#30271],  [ID 8878]

"[...]
135. On 15 March 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent a communication to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in relation to information received according to which in the last week of January 2004, individuals in the city of Babul began to destroy a property with great religious significance to the Bahá’í community worldwide, as it was the resting place of Mulla Muhammad-'Ali Barfurushi, known as Quddus (the most holy). It was reported that a further attempt was made to raze the site, but this was stopped by local Bahá’ís who stood in front of the bulldozer and demanded to see the legal permit for the demolition. As the permit could not be produced, the operator of the bulldozer allegedly ceased to proceed with the destruction.
[...]
137. On 10 June 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent another communication in connection with the building over the grave of Quddus (see above), which in the interim had reportedly been completely levelled. Despite attempts to protect the site, it was reported that the demolition of the rest of the structure had continued gradually and quietly, in a manner designed not to attract attention. Subsequently, the Bahá'ís were allegedly prevented from retrieving the remains of Quddus. The Bahá'ís in Babul reportedly approached the local clergy, who directed them to the local prosecutor, who referred them to the Ministry of Information, which refused to issue the necessary permission.
[...]"

Document(s): Open document

10.03.2005 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Continued discrimination of Baha'i ("Iran: Human Rights Concerns for the 61st Session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights") [#29917],  [ID 8879]

"The Baha’i community continues to be denied permission to worship or to engage in communal affairs in a public manner."

Document(s): Open document

04.03.2005 - Source: UN Human Rights Council (formerly UN Commission on Human Rights)

Written statement by the International Federation for Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) on freedom of expression, torture, women rights, discrimination against minorities and the death penalty ("Question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world [E/CN.4/2005/NGO/158]") [#30291],  [ID 8880]

"[...]In addition, the pression on Baha'is intensified in 2004. According to the Baha'i International Community, some of the Baha'is who transmitted on 15 November an appeal in writing to governmental and non-governmental authorities throughout the country on behalf of the community, were subsequently arrested. All were released, but two of them only after several weeks. In addition, access to universities continued to be blocked: Baha'is were allowed to take the entrance examination for the first time in 20 years, but no measures were taken to allow them to apply for placement in a university without having to declare their adherence to one of the four religions recognised in the Iranian Constitution.[...]"

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Baha'is detained at any given time ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29525],  [ID 8882]

"[...]Adherents of the Baha'i faith continued to face arbitrary arrest and detention. According to Baha'i sources, four Baha'is remained in prison for practicing their faith at year's end, one facing a life sentence, two facing sentences of 15 years, and the fourth a 4-year sentence. A small number of Baha'is were detained at any given time. Sources claimed that such arrests were carried out to "terrorize" the community and to disrupt the lives of its members. Others were arrested, charged, and then quickly released. However, the charges against them often were not dropped (see Section 2.c.). [...]

Members of the country's religious minorities, particularly Bahai's, reported imprisonment, harassment, and intimidation based on their religious beliefs. All religious minorities suffered varying degrees of officially sanctioned discrimination, particularly in the areas of employment, education, and housing. The Government generally allowed recognized religious minorities to conduct religious education of their adherents, although it restricted this right considerably in some cases. Religious minorities, by law and practice, are barred from election to a representative body, except to the five Majlis seats reserved for minorities, and from holding senior government or military positions. Members of religious minorities were allowed to vote, but they could not run for President. Although the Constitution mandates an Islamic Army, members of religious minority communities sometimes served in the military.

The Government allowed recognized religious minorities to establish community centers and certain privately financed cultural, social, sports, or charitable associations. However, since 1983, the Government has denied the Baha'i community the right to assemble officially or to maintain administrative institutions. [...]

Proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims is illegal and the Government was harsh in its response, in particular against Baha'is and evangelical Christians. The Government did not ensure the right of citizens to change or recant their religion. Apostasy, specifically conversion from Islam, is punishable by death.

Baha'is were considered apostates because of their claim to a religious revelation subsequent to that of the Prophet Mohammed. The Government defined the Baha'i faith as a political "sect" linked to the Pahlavi monarchy and, therefore, as counterrevolutionary. Historically at risk, Baha'is often have suffered increased levels of mistreatment during times of political unrest. There have been reports in the past that historic Baha'i shrines were destroyed. Baha'is may not teach or practice their faith or maintain links with co-religionists abroad. The Government continued to imprison and detain Baha'is based on their religious beliefs. A 2001 Ministry of Justice report indicated that government policy aimed at the eventual elimination of the Baha'is as a community. [...]
In July, for the first time, Baha'i applicants were permitted to take part in the nationwide exam for entrance into state-run colleges. However, the word "Islam" was pre-printed in a slot listing a prospective student's religious affiliation. This action precluded Baha'i matriculation, since as a matter of faith, Baha'is do not deny their faith. [...]

Baha'is often experienced difficulty in obtaining passports. [...]"

Document(s): Open document

13.01.2005 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Minorities ("World report 2005") [#28233],  [ID 8883]

"[...]Iran’s ethnic and religious minorities remain subject to discrimination and, in some cases, persecution. The Baha’i community continues to be denied permission to worship or engage in communal affairs in a public manner. In a rare public protest, eighteen Sunni parliamentarians wrote to the authorities in July 2003 to criticize the treatment of the Sunni Muslim community and the refusal to allow construction of a mosque in Tehran that would serve that community. The Baluchi minority, who are mostly Sunni and live in the border province of Sistan and Baluchistan, continue to suffer from lack of representation in local government and have experienced a heavy military presence in the region. In December 2003, tensions between the local population and the Revolutionary Guards led to large demonstrations in Saravan, in Baluchistan province. In the ensuing clashes between demonstrators and the police at least five people were killed.[...]"

Document(s): Open document

25.02.2004 - Source: US Department of State

The Government continued to imprison and detain Baha'is based on their religious beliefs ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2003") [#19747],  [ID 8884]

"Members of religious minority groups, including the Baha'is, evangelical Christians, and Sunni clerics were killed in recent years, allegedly by government agents or directly at the hands of authorities. [...]

According to Baha'i sources, since 1979 15 Baha'i have disappeared and are presumed dead. [...]

Adherents of the Baha'i faith continued to face arbitrary arrest and detention. According to Baha'i sources, four Baha'is remained in prison for practicing their faith at year's end, one facing a life sentence, two facing sentences of 15 years, and the fourth a 4-year sentence. A small number of Baha'is were and have been in detention at any given time. Sources claimed that such arrests were carried out to "terrorize" the com