Persecution beyond death: Islamic Republic of Iran continues to harass Baha’is in times of grief

Source: hengaw.net

Hengaw Saturday, May 24, 2025

The Islamic Republic of Iran continues its discriminatory treatment of Baha’is—even after death. In Rafsanjan, Baha’i families have been forced to pay large sums of money to obtain burial permits for their deceased loved ones. These actions violate basic human rights, including freedom of religion, dignity, and the right to observe religious rituals at the time of death.

According to reports received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, and based on photo and video evidence, deep trenches have been dug around the only Baha’i cemetery in Rafsanjan. These trenches appear to be aimed at physically blocking access to burial sites—an act of systematic harassment and an attempt to isolate the Baha’i community.

A local source told Hengaw that Baha’is in Rafsanjan are not allowed to use traditional mortuary facilities. As a result, they are forced to wash and prepare bodies for burial in the open grounds of the Behesht Zahra cemetery. This violates international human rights standards, especially Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects religious freedom even at the time of death.

The report also states that families must pay around 20 million tomans for a death certificate and burial permit, despite not receiving any proper services in return.

Since March 2018, the Golestan-e Javid cemetery in Kerman—previously used by the Baha’i community—has been sealed by government orders. Since then, the cemetery in Rafsanjan has been the only burial place available to Baha’is in the region.

In a public meeting, Rafsanjan’s Friday Prayer Leader, Abbas Ramazani-Pour, declared that Baha’is are considered “impure” based on fatwas from Shia clerics. Such statements fuel discrimination and justify the denial of the Baha’i community’s most basic rights—even during times of mourning.

Hengaw expresses serious concern over the continued repression of Baha’is in Iran and urges international human rights bodies—especially the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief—to respond to these ongoing violations.