Source: www.hra-news.org
Translation by Iran Press Watch
HRANA News Agency – Vesal Heravi, a Baha’i student in Rasht, set to start his fourth term of university, has been barred from continuing his education due to his Faith.
As reported by HRANA news agency, the human rights activists of Iran’s news agency, Vesal Heravi received only a verbal notice that his educational qualifications had not been approved and he was being expelled from University.
Mr. Heravi had been studying Psychology at the Simaye Danesh University in Rasht. In 2017, after depositing his tuition, while attempting to choose his courses for his fourth term, he found that his user code had been deactivated.
Mr. Heravi was verbally notified by the university’s president that his qualifications were not approved by the Office of Assessments. His subsequent correspondence with the Office of Assessment and his meetings with the Deputy General Managers and the Director of the Central Admission Board were unsuccessful. He was verbally notified that the Ministry of Intelligence had requested his expulsion from the university. He has to-date not received any written communications from either the University or Ministry of Intelligence.
According to Article 30 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, all Iranian citizens have a right to pursue higher education. In addition, based on Article 23 of the Constitution, “the investigation of individuals’ beliefs is forbidden, and no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.” Despite the explicit letter of the law, per the approval of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in addition to being barred from employment in government positions, Baha’is continue to be deprived of higher education solely due to their Faith.
Every year, many accounts are published of Baha’i students being barred of continuing their studies in Iran’s universities, including students on the verge of graduation.
Throughout the existence of the Iranian regime, the United Nations rapporteurs of human rights in Iran, have repeatedly lamented the persecution of the Baha’is, in particular, the deprivation of Baha’i students of the right to education, and considered it a blatant example of the Iranian government’s disregard for human rights treaties.
It is noteworthy that Baha’i citizens in Iran are deprived of freedoms related to religious beliefs. This systematic deprivation is in direct contradiction to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), all persons have the right to religious freedom, the right to change their religion or belief, and the freedom to express their belief individually or collectively in public or private.
It should be mentioned that, based on unofficial sources, there are over 300,000 Baha’is in Iran. However, Iran’s Constitution only recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism, and does not recognize the Baha’i Faith as a religion. This has been used by the Regime to justify systematic denial of the civil rights of the Baha’is over the past years.
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