prisoners in 2018, as Ahwazi Arab activists have reported that 22 men were executed in secret in
2018.18
Since February 2018, members of the Gonabadi Dervishes faith have faced a crackdown, with
hundreds arrested following a peaceful protest and over 200 sentenced to lengthy prison terms,
flogging and other punishments.19 Dozens remained imprisoned on charges including “gathering
and colluding to commit crimes against national security.”20 Reports have shown that members
of the Christian converts minority were regularly being arrested on the charges of “Christian
activity” or “acting against national security through propaganda against the regime.”21 Members
of the Baha’i faith, 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.”22
While it is technically possible to file discrimination complaints with the Administration
of Justice Court, the Parliament’s Article 90 Commission, and the Oversight Bodies for the
exercise of Citizenship Rights in the country’s provincial courts, there is no evidence
that judicial actions are taken in response to complaints.23 There is no official and readily
available information that indicate that victims are provided with remedies when complaints are
addressed. Hate crimes, such as motivated killings and desecration of cemeteries, particularly
against Baha’is, have not been investigated by the Iranian authorities.24 25
In light of the above the Islamic Republic of Iran has not ensured that all members of ethnic,
religious and linguistic minorities enjoy effective protection against discrimination and are
provided with effective remedies against discrimination.
B. Ensure that all members of ethnic and religious minorities are able to enjoy their own
culture and are able to use their own language in media and schools
Article 15 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran identifies Persian as the official
language but permits the use of “regional and ethnic languages in the press, the mass media, and
18
Amnesty International, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/iran-fears-mounting-for-detained-ahwazi-arabs-amidreports-of-secret-executions/
19
See more: Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, https://iranhrdc.org/living-under-suppression-the-situation-of-gonabadidervishes-in-iran/
20
Amnesty International, https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1318292020ENGLISH.PDF
21
EN-HRANA, https://www.en-hrana.org/a-report-on-fatemeh-mary-mohammadi
22
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
23
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
24
Ibid.
25
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
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