the existence of the Islamic Republic and thus constitute a national security threat.19 The Iranian Judiciary has reportedly used articles such as 498, 499 and 500 of the Iranian Penal Code to prosecute minority faith adherents, including non-Shia Muslims, for such activities on charges related to national security.20 21 The aforementioned restrictions fail to meet international standards, including the principles of legality and requirements that limitations must be necessary, proportionate and in pursuit of one of a limited number of narrowly drawn legitimate aims.22 Consequently, the current Iranian legal framework grants authorities’ significant discretion to impose overbroad and vague restrictions on individuals’ rights in contravention of Iran’s international human rights obligations. Iranian authorities frequently resort to the aforementioned legal provisions to intimidate, arrest and prosecute individuals who peacefully exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, including journalists and media workers, trade unionists, lawyers, environmental and abolitionist activists.23 24 25 26These include adherents of recognized and unrecognized religions,27 including members and leaders of the Baha’i faith,28 29 as well as members of minorities. 30 31 19 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/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/F3430b2020-JointReport_Iran_HRCttee_ListOfIssues-dragged-1.pdf 20 Articles 498 (“establishing a group that aims to disrupt national security”), 499 (“membership in a group that aims to disrupt national security”), and 500 (“spreading propaganda against the system”), Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran (2013), Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-bookfive/ 21 Rights Denied: Violations against ethnic and religious minorities in Iran, https://minorityrights.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/03/Rights-Denied-Violations-against-ethnic-and-religious-minorities-in-Iran.pdf 22 Article 19, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights See more : ARTICLE 19, Small Media, Human Rights Activists in Iran, Impact Iran, Human Rights Committee, 129th session (Geneva) 29 June – 24 July 2020, https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CCPR_ICS_IRN_42315_E.pdf 24 See more: Iran Human Rights, https://www.iranhr.net/en/reports/23/ 25 See more: Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, https://iranhrdc.org/controlled-and-pursued-labor-activism-incontemporary-iran/ 26 See more: Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort, https://www.ecpm.org/wp-content/uploads/Rapport-iran-2020-gb-070420WEB.pdf 27 See more: United For Iran, https://ipa.united4iran.org/en/prisoner/ 28 Center for Human Rights in Iran, https://iranhumanrights.org/2020/10/more-bahais-begin-serving-prison-sentences-in-iransimply-for-their-beliefs/ 29 See more: 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 30 See more: Association for the human rights of the Azerbaijani people in Iran, http://www.ahraz.org/association-for-the-humanrights-of-the-azerbaijani-people-in-iran-ahrazs-repot-regarding-the-current-situation-of-the-azerbaijani-arrestees-that-arearrested-during-the-recent-protests-nove/ 31 See more: Kurdistan Human Rights Geneva, https://kmmk-ge.org/sd/annual-report-2020/ 23 3