arrested for acts such as praying publicly. 21 22 There are similar reports of Sufis being arrested on
charges of “promoting Sufism”. 23 24 In 2018 and 2019 alone, more than 53 Sunnis, including
clerics, have reportedly been arrested and a number of them were charged with national securityrelated charges, including “propaganda against the state” and “membership in Salafist groups”. 25
Despite the existence of several means and mechanisms that accept complaints regarding all
violations against citizens, including discrimination based on religion and belief, such as the
Article 90 Commission of the parliament, or Oversight Bodies for the exercise of Citizenship
Rights in the country's provincial courts. There is no evidence to suggest these complaints are
independently reviewed and investigated. Hate crimes, such as motivated killings and desecration
of cemeteries, particularly against Baha’is, have not been investigated by the Iranian authorities. 26
27 28
In light of the above, the Islamic Republic of Iran has not taken all necessary and appropriate
actions, in conformity with international standards of human rights, to combat hatred, intolerance
and acts of violence, intimidation and coercion motivated by intolerance based on religion or
belief, as well as incitement to hostility and violence, with particular regard to religious minorities.
Recommendation Status:
This recommendation has NOT been implemented.
21
Center For Human Right in Iran https://www.iranhumanrights.org/2017/08/sunni-arabs-beaten-and-arrested-in-iran-forpraying-in-public/
22 HRANA https://www.en-hrana.org/authorities-unforthcoming-on-status-of-sunni-prisoner?hilite=%27sunni%27 and HRANA
https://www.en-hrana.org/prisoner-of-conscience-namegh-deldel-on-hunger-strike?hilite=%27sunni%27
23
Al-Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/iran-gonabadi-dervishes-long-history-persecution180227193000395.html
24 EN-HRANA, https://www.en-hrana.org/karim-zarger-executed-rajai-shahr-prison?hilite=%27sufi%27
25 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 18 July 2019,
https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2F74%2F188&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop
26 Joint submission to the Human Rights Committee from All Human Rights for All in Iran, Association for Human Rights in
Kurdistan – Geneva, Association for the Human Rights of the Azerbaijani People in Iran, Iran Human Rights Documentation
Center, OutRight International, Siamak Pourzand Foundation, Small Media, Impact Iran, 2020,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CCPR_NGO_IRN_42317_E.pdf
27 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 18 July 2019,
https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2F74%2F188&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop
28 See more: Baha’i International Community, https://www.bic.org/focus-areas/situation-iranian-bahais/current-situation
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