Pegah Dehghani, a Baha’i, Expelled from University

January 31, 2017 , editor , Leave a comment

Translation by Iran Press Watch

According to the Baha’i News Press, Pegah Dehghani Muhammadi, a Baha’i resident of Tehran province, has been expelled from university due to her belief in the Baha’i Faith.

Based on the same news source, this Baha’i citizen was expelled from Al-Taha Institute of Higher Education at the point when she was preparing herself for her first term exams. The responsible authorities of the university, after contacting her in her residence, stated: “you cannot continue your studies, because you are a Baha’i, and it is not necessary to contact the university.”

Again, according to a reliable source: “The information was communicated to her on Thursday 29 December, 2016, and she was asked not to contact the university. However, Pegah went to the university on Saturday.”

This student is a resident of Islamshahr. She is majoring in software engineering, but she was prevented from continuing her studies, merely because she is a Baha’i.

During the current year at least 129 Baha’i citizens, after successfully passing the college entrance exam in 2016 and enrolling in their relevant study fields, were barred from continuing their education. In addition, many Baha’is who had access to education in university, after being identified as Baha’is, were expelled. According to some sources, at least one hundred thousand Baha’is have been deprived of higher education since the Iranian revolution.

During recent months more than two thousand Baha’is, through petitions, requested of President Hassan Rouhani an improvement in the educational situation of Baha’is. This was published by Baha’i News Press. Up to today, since the Iranian revolution, more than one hundred thousand Baha’is have been barred from higher education.

Deprivation of Baha’is from continuing education is based on the document dated 2nd February 1991, approved by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. This document indicates that in addition to Baha’is not being allowed to gain employment in any government establishments, they are also not permitted to continue their education at institutions of higher learning.

Based on the third Article of the same document, not only should Baha’is be prevented from registering their names, but also if “during their studies” they are identified and proven to be Baha’is, they must be barred from continuing their education.

Deprivation of Baha’is from their fundamental rights was systematically implemented in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution and the announcement of the Iranian Cultural Revolution.

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