Niloufar Mousavi Expelled From University for Being a Baha’i

Source: BahaiNews¹

March 14, 2017

Translation by Iran Press Watch

According to BahaiNews, Niloufar Mousavi was expelled from university at the end of her first semester exams, because of her belief in the Baha’i Faith.

According to BahaiNews, Niloufar Mousavi, a Baha’i resident of the town of Karaj, who had been studying at Payam Nour University in Qazvin province, was barred from continuing her education on 4 January 2017, during her first semester exams.

According to an informed source: “Following the announcement by university officials that the Examination and Evaluation Institute had barred her from continuing her studies, Ms. Mousavi inquired about the reason for her expulsion, by personal visits to the university administration and via correspondence, but university authorities blocked her registration and told her there was no need for her to follow-up anymore, because Mr. Nourbakhsh from the Examination and Evaluation Institute had written to the university and instructed them to prevent Ms. Niloufar Mousavi from entering and continuing her education.”

The same informed source added: “Hence the authorities at the Examination and Evaluation Institute refused to register Ms. Niloufar Mousavi.” Niloufar Mousavi had been pursuing an undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature.

Preventing Baha’is from attending universities in Iran is enforced based on a directive from the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution dated the 25^th of February 1991, in which Baha’is are directed to be excluded from governmental employment as well as a college education.

According to the third clause of this directive, not only must Baha’i enrollment in universities be barred, but if the Baha’i identity of an individual is authenticated following their registration and while enrolled in classes, the student must be expelled.

Expulsion of Baha’is after the Islamic Revolution and the declaration of the Cultural Revolution in Iran has been systematically implemented.

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1. BahaiNews is an independent non-Baha’i initiative, and is not affiliated with any Baha’i institutions.