As a consequence of the legal restrictions and shortcomings, activities such as attending a
house church or being part of religious conferences are regularly considered by the Iranian
authorities as criminal acts on the basis that they can threaten the existence of the Islamic
Republic and thus constitute a national security threat.17 Since February 2018, Gonabadi
Dervishes have faced a crackdown, with hundreds arrested following a peaceful protest and
over 200 sentenced to lengthy prison terms, flogging and other punishments. Dozens
remained imprisoned on charges including “gathering and colluding to commit crimes against
national security”.18 Reports have shown that members of the Christian religious minority
were regularly being arrested on the charges of “Christian activity” or “acting against national
security through propaganda against the regime”.19 Baha’is have faced a range of charges for
manifesting their faith, including “collusion and assembly against national security” and
“formation and management of an illegal Baha’i group with intent to disturb national
security”.20 In the past two years alone, more than 53 Sunnis, including clerics, have
reportedly been arrested and a number of them charged with national security-related charges,
including “propaganda against the state” and “membership in Salafist groups”. 21
The Human Rights Committee has stipulated that limitations to manifest one’s religion or
belief should only be made on the grounds provided in Article 18.3 of the ICCPR, which does
not include national security.22 Additionally, restrictions may not be applied in a
discriminatory manner and the limitations on the freedom to manifest a religion or belief for
the purpose of protecting morals “must be based on principles not deriving exclusively from a
single tradition”.23 In a state that considers itself Shia by law and refers to Islamic criteria in
its Constitution, restrictions such as the one mentioned above and targeting disproportionately
members of religions minorities can amount to a violation of their right to manifest their
religion or belief.
Recommendation Status:
This recommendation has NOT been implemented.
17
Joint submission to the Human Rights Committee from The World Evangelical Alliance, Open Doors, Christian Solidarity
Worldwide, Middle East Concern, Article 18, 29 May 2020 , https://articleeighteen.com/wpcontent/uploads/2020/06/F3430b-2020-JointReport_Iran_HRCttee_ListOfIssues-dragged-1.pdf
18
Amnesty International , https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1318292020ENGLISH.PDF
19
The first time Fatemeh Mohammadi was arrested was on November 18, 2017, she was released after completing her
sentence on April 7th, 2018. The second time was on July 9th, 2019 on charges of “membership in proselytizing groups,”
“Christian activity,” and “acting against national security through propaganda against the regime”, and the third time on
January 12, 2020 on charges of “disturbing public order through attending an unlawful protest” as reported by Human Rights
Activists News Agency, https://www.en-hrana.org/a-report-on-fatemeh-mary-mohammadi
20
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
21
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
22
UN Human Rights Committee (HRC), CCPR General Comment No. 22: Article 18 (Freedom of Thought, Conscience or
Religion), 30 July 1993, CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.4, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/453883fb22.html
23
Ibid.
3