Source: www.radiozamaneh.com
Translation by Iran Press Watch
A hate campaign against Baha’is, by the Islamic Republic of Iran government officials, and encouragement of individuals and institutions that fuel this campaign, has led to a wide range of discrimination, injustice, non-recognition of their citizenship, and violations of the rights of Baha’i citizens of Iran.
On Thursday, July 15, 2021, Baha’i citizens around the world launched a widespread Twitter campaign calling for an end to the hateful propaganda of the Islamic Republic of Iran against Baha’i citizens. Baha’is in Iran and social media users are protesting, calling for a stop to the widespread wave of hatred in Iran against Baha’is, using the hashtags #ایران_بدون_نفرت (#Iran_without_hate) Iran and #StopHatePropaganda.
For past 42 years, the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran has used various forums, from radio and television to other media outlets and pulpits of mosques, etc., to try to distort the public opinion in the socio-political sphere against the Baha’is.
This hate campaign against Baha’is by the government officials, and encouragement of individuals and institutions that fuel this campaign, has led to a wide range of discrimination, injustice, non-recognition of their citizenship, and violations of the rights of Baha’is.
In the most extreme cases, this anti-Baha’i campaign has led to executions by the officials or the murder of Baha’is by ordinary citizens.
Simin Fahandejh, representative of the Baha’i International Community in Geneva, released a film by Mohsen Ghara-ati, a cleric close to the Iranian government who encourages the killing of Baha’is.
“Which ‘religious leader’ calls on people to kill?”, she inquired. “Hatred is prohibited not only under international laws but is also wrong based on healthy human interaction. We seek an Iran without hatred.”
کدام “رهبر دینی” مردم را به کشتن دعوت می کند؟؟ نفرت پراکنی تنها بر اساس قوانین بین المللی ممنوع است بلکه بر اساس روابطسالم انسانی اشتباه است. ما ایرانی بدون نفرت می خواهیم. #ایران_بدون_نفرت #Iran #Bahai #ایران #بهایی #StopHatePropaganda pic.twitter.com/3ysaFJ8zwH
— Simin Fahandej (@siminfa) July 15, 2021
“My sister was expelled from school three times during her school days for being a Baha’i. She returned home three times without being allowed to return to school. All this happened just 19 days after the start of the school year.”, wrote Shadi Beizai, a writer and poetess, about her experience of animosity towards Baha’is in Iran.
خواهرم سه بار در طول تحصیل به خاطر بهایی بودن از مدرسه اخراج شد. سه بار به خونه برگشت بدون این که اجازه داشته باشه به مدرسه برگرده. این نامه وقتی نوشته شده که فقط ۱۹ روز از شروع سال تحصیلی میگذشته. #ایران_بدون_نفرت pic.twitter.com/5kns1hs9Sr
— Shadi Beyzaei شادی بیضایی (@Shadibeyzaei) July 15, 2021
Reza Akvaanian, a Human rights activist, exhibiting a video of Payam Vali, wrote:
“Payam Vali, an Iranian Baha’i, has released this video and has called for an end to hatred against Baha’is. Afshin Vali, his elder brother, was a victim of hatred in 1990 when he was only 12 years old, and his body was dumped in a subterranean well.”
۱/پیام ولی، شهروند بهائی با انتشار ویدیوئی خواستار توقف نفرتپراکنی علیه بهائیان شده است. افشین ولی، برادر او سال ۱۳۶۹ زمانی که تنها ۱۲ سال داشت به دلیل نفرتپراکنی به قتل رسید و پیکرش در چاه قنات انداخته شد.#ایران_بدون_نفرت#STOPHATEPROPAGANDA pic.twitter.com/H6FOpMvlOT
— Reza Akvanian (@akvanian) July 15, 2021
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran only recognizes four religions. Islam, According to Article 12, is the only official religion in Iran and the (Twelve Imam) Shiites is the only legitimate branch and that Islam is immutable. The four main Sunni branches are mentioned and allowed to practice their traditions. Article 13 of the Constitution states that Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism are recognized religious minorities who are allowed to perform their religious duties and rituals in accordance with the law. While these recognized religions are alloted civil and political rights in Constitution, in practice the rights of followers of other than Shi’ite Islam do experience violations of their rights.
Other religions such as Baha’i, Babi, Mandaean (Sabi), Yaresan, Yazidi, Sikh, Raelian in Iran are not recognized and are deprived of citizenship and legal rights.
Ahmed Shaheed, former rapporteur on UN rights in Iran, wrote: “We should never ignore hatred against anyone. I urge Government of Iran to stop hate-spreading campaign against the Baha’is.”
We should never ignore or condone the spreading of hate propaganda against anyone. I call on Iran to #StopHatePropaganda against Bahai. I will hold a consultation this fall on the persecution of the Bahai. @DianeAlai @BaniDugal https://t.co/64danJcL9D
— Ahmed Shaheed (@ahmedshaheed) July 15, 2021
Iranian actress Shabnam Tolouei wrote on Twitter about her experience of hate against Baha’is during her school days: “I was 11 years old when I inquired about the rights of minority (in classroom). That was the first time I was reported suspicious and expelled. Twenty-two years later, a man told me, ‘You are trained to spy for Israel from your childhood. We will make it difficult for you to live here.’ Children are still being expelled (from schools) and adults are not allowed to work.”
اولین بارکه به دلیل سوالم در مورد حقوق اقلیتها، گزارششدکه مشکوکم و اخراج شدم ۱۱ سالم بود. ۲۲سال بعدمردی بهم میگفت: «شماها» رو از بچگی برای جاسوسی اسراییل تربیت میکنن.کاری میکنیم که برای خرید یه نون به دردسر بیفتی.
هنوز هم بچه هااخراج میشن وبزرگها ممنوع الکار. #ایران_بدون_نفرت— ShabnamTolouei شبنم طلوعی (@TolShabnam) July 15, 2021
“An Iran without hatred means an Iran for all Iranians. “It means the cohabitation of all ethnic groups and followers of religions and sects and dissidents.”, wrote Mustafa Daneshjoo, a lawyer and one of the Gonabadi dervishes who has a history of imprisonment and discrimination because of his religious beliefs, in support of the Baha’is.
#ایران_بدون_نفرت یعنی ایران برای همه ایرانیان #ایران_بدون_نفرت یعنی زیست مشترک همه اقوام و پیروان ادیان و مذاهب و دگراندیشان
— 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐣𝐨𝐮 (@mostafadaneshjo) July 15, 2021
Masih Alinejad, a journalist and women’s rights activist, also published a photo of Shahrzad Nazifi, a Baha’i and a champion of the Iranian women’s motocross and wrote: “Imagine! At the height of your career, you were imprisoned because of your belief. Meet Shahrzad Nazifi, the champion of Iranian motocross. The Islamic Republic of Iran has sentenced her to eight years in prison for acting against national security, but in reality, because of her belief in the Baha’i Faith.”
Imagine! At the pinnacle of your career, you're jailed because of your faith.
Meet Shahrzad Nazifi, Iranian motocross champion.
The Islamic Republic of Iran sentenced her to 8 years on charges of "disrupting national security".
In reality, it's because of her Baha'i faith. pic.twitter.com/H9TN8aXY36
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) July 1, 2021
The Baha’i Faith in Iran is one of the religious minorities most frequently violated and repressed by both the government and society. From the very beginning of the Islamic Revolution, the Baha’is were among the first groups to be severely repressed. Not only are Baha’is not recognized in Iran, but they are also barred from religious services, citizenship rights, the right to study, and employment in government offices.
Many members of the Baha’i community have been executed in Iran over the past four decades, some have been forcibly abducted by the government (agents), and many Baha’is have been detained for various reasons and sentenced to harsh prison terms on bogus charges of agents of hostile countries, infidelity, action against national security. In many cases, their estates and belongings are confiscated by the government.
Kambiz Ghafouri, a journalist, wrote in support of the Baha’is: “Let us not repeat the oppression that has been inflicted on large groups of Iranians in recent decades because of their beliefs and faith. “All citizens have equal rights, and no one has more right than another(!).”
نگذاریم ظلمی که در دهههای گذشته بر گروههای بزرگی از ایرانیان به دلیل عقاید و باورهایشان رفته، تکرار شود. حقوق تمام شهروندان برابر است و هیچکس برابرتر(!) نیست؛
#ایران_بدون_نفرت#StopHatePropoganda— Kambiz Ghafouri (@KambizGhafouri) July 15, 2021
Joining the campaign, American actor Penn Badgley released a video of himself writing:
“Today I joined the campaign against hatred with the support of people all around the world. Members of the Baha’i faith in Iran are targeted by hate propaganda through their own state-run media. Stop spreading hatred.”
Today I’m joining people around the world for a campaign against hate speech. Members of the Bahá’í Faith in Iran are being targeted by hate propaganda being spread by media owned by their own government. #StopHatePropaganda pic.twitter.com/WNTAyGAPtB
— Penn Badgley (@PennBadgley) July 15, 2021
Ammar Maleki, a university professor at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, published a photo of his father Mohammad Maleki and Mohammad Nourizad and wrote:
“Seven years ago, Mohammad Maleki and Mohammad Nourizad met with a group of deprived Baha’i youth, knelt down humbly, and said that they had come to” “On behalf of humanitarians, altruists, noblemen, atheists and good-natured Iranians,” apologize for the oppression that is being inflicted on them.”
هفت سال پیش، محمد ملکی و محمد نوریزاد به دیدار جمعی از جوانان بهایی محروم از تحصیل رفتند، خاضعانه زانو زدند و گفتند آمدهاند تا "از طرف انسانگرایان، نوعدوستان، آزادگان، خداباوران و ایرانیان پاکنهاد" از ظلمی که بر آنها میرود پوزش بخواهند.#ایران_بدون_نفرت#StopHatePropoganda pic.twitter.com/AwODW5SplZ
— Ammar Maleki-عمار ملکی (@AmmarMaleki) July 15, 2021
Hate mongering against the Baha’is is not limited to the state media, but also the leaders and officials of the Islamic Republic who have repeatedly expressed hatred against the Baha’is in various comments, describing them as ” untouchable” and “Zionist agents.”
On page 237 of the third volume of Khomeini’s book, “Sahife”, the founder of the Islamic Revolution described Baha’i as follows:
“The followers of this clan are heretics, infidels and impure, and marriage with them is prohibited and they should not enter any Muslim baths.”
Ali Khamenei, the current leader of the Islamic Republic, has a similar view of the Baha’is, calling them “untouchable ” and “misguided.”
In the question -and-answer section of the Supreme Leader’s website, his views on the Baha’is are expressed as follows:
“All followers of the misguided Baha’i sect are condemned to impurity, and if they touch anything, it is obligatory to observe the purification of the objects touched. However, the treatment of Baha’i students by principals, teachers, and educators must be in accordance with Islamic law and ethics. “All believers must confront the deceits and perversion of the misguided Baha’i sect and prevent others from diverting and joining it.”
The harsh and hostile stance of the leaders of the Islamic Republic against the Baha’is in Iran has led to opportunities for the security forces and the judicial officials to further repress the Baha’is.
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