IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author): “Update to IRN30938.E of 8 January 1999 on the treatment of followers of the Sufi schools of thought of Islam and whether closures of Sufi temples in Iran have been reported since 1999 [IRN41917.E]”, Document #1022036

Update to IRN30938.E of 8 January 1999 on the treatment of followers of the Sufi schools of thought of Islam and whether closures of Sufi temples in Iran have been reported since 1999 [IRN41917.E]

The United States Department of State International Religious Freedom Report 2002 states that although no reliable figures on the real size of the Sufi population in Iran were available, the Sufis, combined with the Baha'is, the Christians, the Zoroastreans, the Mandeans and the Jews, make up less than 1 percent of the total population (7 Oct. 2002). Members of these religious groups reported "imprisonment, harassment, and intimidation based on their religious beliefs" (International religious Freedom report 2002 7 Oct. 2002). Sufi Muslims also encountered religious discrimination (ibid.).

A 19 August 2002 Agence France Presse (AFP) report reproduced in the Middle East Times states that the Iranian authorities decided not to allow a world conference on Sufism that was scheduled to take place in the city of Mahan, in southern Iran. According to the report, there are approximately 500,000 Sufis in Iran (AFP 19 Aug. 2002).

The Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom states that official discrimination against Sufi Muslims in Iran is widespread (United States May 2003).

No additional information on the situation of Sufis in Iran since 1999, including closures of Sufi temples, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 19 August 2002. "Iran Bars World Sufism Conference." http://www.metimes.com/2K2/issue2002-34/reg/iran_bars_world.htm [Accessed 11 Sept. 2003]

International Religious Freedom Report. 7 October 2002. Washington, DC: United States Department of State. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2002/13995.htm [Accessed 12 Sept. 2003]

United States. May 2003. Commission on International Religious Freedom.. Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. www.uscirf.gov [Accessed 12 Sept. 2003]

Additional Sources Consulted

Dialog

IRB databases

Internet sites, including

Amnesty International

Country Reports 2002

European Country of Origin Information network (ECOI-Net)

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

Minorities at Risk Project

Payvand News of Iran

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Iran Report

World News Connection (WNC)

Associated documents

Document ID 1022036 Related / Associated
12 September 2003 | IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
Iran

Query response on the treatment of followers of the Sufi schools of thought of Islam and whether closures of Sufi temples in Iran have been reported since 1999 (update to IRN30938.E of 8 January 1999)
Update to IRN30938.E of 8 January 1999 on the treatment of followers of the Sufi schools of thought of Islam and whether closures of Sufi temples in Iran have been reported since 1999 [IRN41917.E] (Response, French)
fr ID 1187622

ecoi.net description:: Query response on the treatment of followers of the Sufi schools of thought of Islam and whether closures of Sufi temples in Iran have been reported since 1999 (update to IRN30938.E of 8 January 1999)
Country:: Iran
Source:: IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
Original link:: http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca:8080/RIR_RDI/RIR_RDI.aspx?l=e&id=425883
Document type:: Response
Language:: English
Published:: 12 September 2003
Document ID:: 1022036 (former ID 103007)

Update to IRN30938.E of 8 January 1999 on the treatment of followers of the Sufi schools of thought of Islam and whether closures of Sufi temples in Iran have been reported since 1999 [IRN41917.E]

Associated documents

Query response on the treatment of followers of the Sufi schools of thought of Islam and whether closures of Sufi temples in Iran have been reported since 1999 (update to IRN30938.E of 8 January 1999)