regions, only 13 (21%) were announced by authorities. In 2020, Roughly 79% of executions in
these ethnic regions went unannounced by domestic media or officials in Iran.3
Article 15 of the Iranian Constitution4 establishes Persian as the only official language in the
country but also provides that “the use of regional and tribal languages in the press and mass
media, as well as for teaching of their literature in schools, is allowed in addition to Persian.”
However, Article 15 effectively restricts the use of languages other than Persian to the press and
mass media, and to literature in schools. The law does not guarantee that children belonging to
linguistic minorities will have access to education in their mother tongue.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has not taken active measures to officially recognize ethnic and
linguistic minority groups.
B. The Committee recommends that the State party provides ethnic and linguistic
minority groups with opportunities to learn, communicate and practice their
language, art, culture and religion without any undue interference
Even though people speak many languages in Iran, such as Persian (Farsi), Turkish, Kurdish,
Arabic, Gilaki, Lori, Baluchi among other languages, the Islamic Republic of Iran only
recognizes Persian (Farsi) as its official language.5
The Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran raised
concerns about reports of Kurdish, Ahwazi Arab and Azerbaijani-Turk (or Azeri-Turk) lacking
access to education in their mother tongues. 6 7 These concerns were echoed by the U.N
Secretary General, 8 9 10 noting reports that indicate members of ethno-linguistic minorities,
including the Azeri community as well as Arabs, were being denied the opportunity to teach their
language in schools.11 The struggle to access such languages in school may be attributed to the
reported state-imposed ban on teaching Azeri-Turkish in school. 12 The Ministry of Education has
3
4
https://iranhr.net/en/articles/4718/
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran:< http://www.iranchamber.com/government/laws/constitution.php>
5
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran:< http://www.iranchamber.com/government/laws/constitution.php>
6
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, January 2020,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_Special_Rapporteur_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_
Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4361.pdf
7
See more : Association for the human rights of the Azerbaijani people in Iran,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CRC/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CRC_NGO_IRN_19735_E.pdf
8
IRNA News, www.irna.ir/news/83404283/ (in Farsi).
9
Report of the U.N. Secretary General, January 2020, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_SecretaryGeneral_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4320.pdf
10
Report of the U.N. Secretary General, January 2020,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_SecretaryGeneral_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4320.pdf
11
Report of the U.N. Secretary General, August 2019, https://undocs.org/en/A/74/273
12
Center for Human Rights in Iran, https://iranhumanrights.org/2019/03/irans-intelligence-ministry-slaps-azeri-rights-activistwith-new-charges-claim-hes-organizing-protests-from-prison/
2