as Baha’is, often arrested and detained on the basis of their religious beliefs notably on the
charge of proselytizing the Baha’i faith.5
The lack of legal safeguards results in instituted discriminatory policies and practices,
particularly targeting Baha’is. The official policy of the Iranian government against Bahá’í
citizens is summarized in a government memorandum6 obtained in 1993 by the UN Special
Representative on the Human Rights Situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Produced in 1991
by Iran’s Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council and approved by the Supreme Leader, Ali
Khamenei, this document, entitled ‘The Bahá’í Question’, sets forth specific guidelines for
dealing with the Bahá’ís. It states that “[t]he government’s dealings with [Bahá’ís] must be in
such a way that their progress and development are blocked”. It outlines a series of measures that
effectively restrict the educational, economic, and cultural opportunities for Iranian Bahá’ís.
Although the Government affirmed that the Baha’is had not been singled out for discrimination, 7
the document remains in force today. On 29 August 1983, the Iranian Attorney General
announced a legal ban on all Bahá’í administrative and community activities in Iran, making
membership of Bahá’í administrative institutions a criminal offence. 8 On 26 March 2018, the
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued, via his website, a new religious decree (fatwa) concerning
“association and dealing with Baha’ís”. He stated that, “[y]ou should avoid any association and
dealings with this perverse and misguided sect.” 9
Members of the Baha’i faith regularly face raids, arrests detention and imprisonment for
practicing and manifesting their faith on charges of “breaching national security”, “propaganda
against the holy regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran” or “propaganda activities against the
regime in the interests of the Baha’i sect”10, “collusion and assembly against national security”
and “formation and management of an illegal Baha’i group with intent to disturb national
security”.11
5
ARTICLE19, https://www.article19.org/resources/iran-lawmakers-must-urgently-drop-the-bill-that-criminalises-fundamentalrights-and-freedoms/
6 HRANA: <https://www.en-hrana.org/category/religious-minorities >
7 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 18 July 2019,
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N19/222/62/PDF/N1922262.pdf?OpenElement
8 Bahá’í International Community: <https://www.bic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/iran/the_bahais_of_iran__a_persecuted_community.pdf >
9 Baha’i International Community, https://www.bic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/iran/the_bahais_of_iran__a_persecuted_community.pdf
10 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 18 July 2019
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N19/222/62/PDF/N1922262.pdf?OpenElement
11 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 28 January 2020,
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G20/021/53/PDF/G2002153.pdf?OpenElement
2