Source: Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
Translation by Iran Press Watch
The supervisors of the biggest cemetery in Tabriz, named Vadi Rahmat, from 2011 until now have denied burial in the cemetery to 44 Baha’is.
According to Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, Baha’is are not permitted to bury their dead in Vadi Rahmat cemetery in Tabriz; however, they are allowed to lay them to rest in the city of Miandoab unceremoniously, and without performing religious procedures.
With regard to the burial issue, one of the Baha’is indicated to the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center that when a Baha’i passes away in Tabriz, the family of the deceased may take the deceased to Vadi Rahmat and consult with the cemetery authorities about the burial arrangement.
But these same people forbid the family to perform religious rites to prepare for burial. Then after a few days, without the knowledge of the deceased family, they unceremoniously bury the dead body in the city of Miandoab. Subsequently, they inform the families about the location of the grave and demand the price of keeping and transferring the body to Miandoab.
In some cases the family of the deceased, in cooperation with ambulance services, will prepare the body according to religious law at home. This obviously has health implications, as well as being against the law.
In considering why Baha’is are not permitted to bury their dead in Tabriz, after contacting the supervisors of the cemetery, Tabriz City Council and East Azerbaijan province officials all asserted that they are merely following instructions, and do not make these rules. Similarly, they don’t accept any responsibility in this regard.
For the Baha’is of Tabriz it is not clear as who is responsible for preventing Baha’is from burying their dead in the city.
July 19, 2017 3:50 pm
This is sickening. Denying a proper burial to a fellow human being? Forbidding religious services for the deceased and their mourners? Demanding extra fees for unceremonious treatment of the dead? To what depths can a people sink that they would treat other human beings in this way? It is so sad that the bar of how humans can act so abysmally is being associated with the Iranian people who historically have been achieved such heights of civilization. It is sad to think of the spiritual price which will be paid by the people who have perpetrated these cruel and thoughtless acts when they consider what their hands have wrought.