only permitted for literature classes. 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.8 Furthermore, Kurdish language teachers have experienced
harassment and persecution.9
Additionally, ethnic minorities are widely underrepresented in public affairs. For instance, no
province governor belongs to an ethnic minority. None of the provinces with populations of
primarily minorities, like Kurdistan, Sistan-and-Baluchistan, Golestan, East and West
Azerbaijan, are run by a person belonging to that minority.10 Furthermore, provinces in Iran that
are predominantly inhabited by ethnic minorities, such as Khuzestan with a majority of Awhazi
Arabs, or Sistan-Baluchestan with a majority of Balochis, are generally undeveloped with a
significant part of their population living below the poverty line.11
In 2018, prison data showed that at least three quarters of Iran’s political prisoners were from
ethnic minorities.12 Ethnic minorities, especially Kurds and Balochis, are over-represented in
death penalty statistics. Many of the offenses carrying the death penalty, in particular drugrelated offenses, and national security offenses, are among the charges most commonly used to
target and convict minorities. Impoverished and marginalized minorities have been overrepresented among those executed for drug offenses. Additionally, Kurdish political prisoners
charged with national security offences represent almost half of the total number of political
prisoners. Overall, half of those executed for affiliation with a political party or a banned group
between 2010 and 2018 were Kurds, while a quarter were Balochis and over one-tenth Arabs.
There have also been serious concerns over the secret executions of Ahwazi Arab prisoners in
2018, as Ahwazi Arab activists have reported that 22 men were executed in secret in 2018.13
Members of ethnic minorities frequently face violations of their right to fair trial and due process
in legal proceedings, including the use of arbitrary detention and denial of legal assistance.14 15 16
8
Minority Rights Group, https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Rights-Denied-Violations-against-ethnic-andreligious-minorities-in-Iran.pdf
9
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
10
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
11
Minority Rights Group, https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Rights-Denied-Violations-against-ethnic-andreligious-minorities-in-Iran.pdf
12
Minority Rights Group, https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Rights-Denied-Violations-against-ethnic-andreligious-minorities-in-Iran.pdf
13
Amnesty International, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/iran-fears-mounting-for-detained-ahwazi-arabs-amidreports-of-secret-executions/
14
HRANA <https://www.en-hrana.org/political-prisoner-denied-access-to-an-attorney>
15
HRANA <https://www.en-hrana.org/uncertain-situation-of-seven-bahai-detainees-in-rajaie-shahr-prison>
16
UNPO <https://unpo.org/article/21430>
2