any privilege.”11 Article 20 of the constitution states that “All citizens of the country, both men
and women, equally enjoy the protection of the law and enjoy all human, political, economic,
social, and cultural rights, in conformity with Islamic criteria.” Yet, Arabs, Azerbaijani Turks,
Balochis and Kurds face targeted discriminations on the basis of their identity and are generally
sidelined from general public services, including education and health care.
For instance, the use of minority languages is effectively restricted under the Constitution,
notably in school where the teaching of a minority language is only permitted for literature
classes. The Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran
raised concerns about reports of Kurdish, Ahwazi Arab and Azerbaijani-Turk (or Azeri-Turk)
lacking access to education in their mother tongues. 12 13 These concerns were echoed by the U.N
Secretary General, 14 15 16 noting reports indicating that members of ethno-linguistic minorities,
including the Azeri community as well as Arabs, were being denied the opportunity to teach their
language in schools. 17 The reported state-imposed ban on Azeri-Turkish being taught in school
would go some way in explaining such struggle. 18 The Ministry of Education has reportedly
circulated reminders to teachers and school administrators that the use of Kurdish and Turkish
languages inside public schools is forbidden.19 Furthermore, Kurdish language teachers have
been facing harassment and persecution.20
Additionally, ethnic minorities are widely underrepresented in public affairs. For instance, no
province governor belongs to an ethnic minority. None of the provinces that are populated in
majority by minority groups, like Kurdistan, Sistan-and-Balochistan, Golestan, East and West
Azerbaijan, is run by a person belonging to that minority.21 Furthermore, provinces in Iran that
11
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, English translation, https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wpcontent/uploads/constitution-english-1368.pdf
12
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, January 2020,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_Special_Rapporteur_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_
Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4361.pdf
13
See more : Association for the human rights of the Azerbaijani people in Iran,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CRC/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CRC_NGO_IRN_19735_E.pdf
14
IRNA News, www.irna.ir/news/83404283/ (in Farsi).
15
Report of the U.N. Secretary General, January 2020,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_SecretaryGeneral_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4320.pdf
16
Report of the U.N. Secretary General, January 2020,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_SecretaryGeneral_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4320.pdf
17
Report of the U.N. Secretary General, August 2019, https://undocs.org/en/A/74/273
18
Center for Human Rights in Iran, https://iranhumanrights.org/2019/03/irans-intelligence-ministry-slaps-azeri-rights-activistwith-new-charges-claim-hes-organizing-protests-from-prison/
19
Minority Groups, https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Rights-Denied-Violations-against-ethnic-andreligious-minorities-in-Iran.pdf
20
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
21
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
3