Source: www.bic.org
Geneva—16 January 2025—The Baha’i International Community calls upon all United Nations Member States to hold the Islamic Republic of Iran accountable for its ongoing and systematic abuses of the rights of the Baha’i community during the forthcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Scheduled on 24 January, the session will mark Iran’s fourth UPR review, with its human rights record under scrutiny on 24 January.
The UPR process—a peer review mechanism under the Human Rights Council—provides an opportunity for member states to assess one another’s human rights practices and make recommendations. Despite accepting numerous recommendations during its last review in 2019, Iran has taken no meaningful steps to address the persecution of Baha’is, the country’s largest non-Muslim religious minority. Instead, human rights violations targeting Baha’is have intensified, underscoring a blatant disregard for international obligations.
“We call on all UN Member States to take their responsibility to human rights seriously and condemn Iran’s treatment of Baha’is during the upcoming UPR process,” said Simin Fahandej, Representative to the United Nations for the Baha’i International Community. “Every Member State has a moral responsibility to uphold the principles of human rights and freedom of belief. This is a pivotal moment to stand firmly against religious discrimination imposed by Iran and to support the rights of the Baha’is in the country, to show that the world will not stand by as Iran suffocates an entire community only for their beliefs.”
“The persecution of Baha’is in Iran is not just a violation of human rights but a stain on the Islamic Republic’s conscience,” said Ms. Fahandej. “Despite repeated calls for accountability, Iran continues to escalate its repression of this peaceful community. We urge UN Member States to use the UPR as a platform to demand tangible change.”
The former UN Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Religion or Belief called the persecution of the Baha’is one of the most “extreme manifestations of religious persecution in the world today”, characterizing it as spanning from “cradle to grave”. Human Rights Watch’s new report determined it as the “crime against humanity of persecution”. The Baha’is in Iran have been systematically persecuted for over 45 years. They are banned from universities, public employment, are routinely arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned and face property confiscation, cemetery destructions and a host of other human rights violations daily.
The Persecution of Baha’is in Iran: Deepening Persecution
The Baha’i community in Iran continues to face extensive discrimination and persecution, including arbitrary arrests, property confiscations, denial of access to higher education and employment, and state-led hate propaganda. This systematic repression began with the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and was reinforced and codified by a 1991 memorandum of the Islamic Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council endorsed by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and which outlines discriminatory policies against Baha’is.
International support for the Baha’i community in Iran
The persecution of Baha’is in Iran has sparked widespread condemnation from leading human rights organizations and UN experts, with evidence pointing to a disturbing campaign of systemic abuse. The UN Special Rapporteur on Iran has described this persecution as being driven by “genocidal intent.” A recent report by the UN Fact-Finding Mission highlights the disproportionate targeting of Baha’i women since the 2022 uprising, revealing a deliberate escalation of repression.
In an unprecedented move, 18 UN experts united to issue a joint letter rebuking Iran for its actions, while the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center published a chilling account of 45 years of violence against the Baha’i community. Adding to the global outrage, a new UN press release condemned the systematic targeting of Baha’i women, calling for immediate action to address these human rights violations.
This wave of international attention underscores the urgency of protecting Baha’is in Iran from a relentless campaign of oppression and violence.
The Baha’i International Community urges all governments to recommend that Iran:
- Ensures Equality and Non-Discrimination: adopt effective measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against the Baha’i community, including in education, employment, and access to public services, in accordance with international human rights standards.
- Upholds Freedom of Religion for All: Ensure the right to freedom of religion or belief for all individuals, including members of the Baha’i community, by ceasing all forms of persecution and discrimination.
- Ceases Systematic Persecution: Immediately halt state-led persecution of Baha’is, including arbitrary arrests, property confiscations, exclusion from higher education and the implementation of the 1991 memorandum targeting the community.
- Eliminates State-Sponsored Hate Speech: End state-led hate campaigns against Baha’is and promote tolerance in line with international obligations.
- Restores Confiscated Properties: Return confiscated lands and properties to Baha’is and cease further faith-based expropriations.
“The UPR process is a human rights mechanism built to hold countries accountable for violating human rights standards,” said Ms. Fahandej. “So let’s do just that and collectively abide by our commitment to stand up to injustice. The Baha’is in Iran cannot wait any longer for their basic human rights to be respected. The time for the international community to act is now.”
For more information please contact
Bani Dugal, Principal Representative, New York, [email protected], +19143293020 (English)
Simin Fahandej, Representative, Geneva, [email protected], +41788800759 (English & Persian)
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