Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

On October 26, the U.S. Department of State released its 2009 International Religious Freedom Report on Iran, which includes several mentions of the persecution of Iran’s Baha’i minority. For example,

Adherents of religious groups not recognized by the Constitution, such as the Baha’is, do not have freedom to practice their beliefs. The Government prohibits Baha’is from teaching and practicing their faith. Baha’is are barred from all leadership positions in the Government and military.

The Government considers Baha’is to be apostates and defines the Baha’i Faith as a political “sect.” The Ministry of Justice states that Baha’is are permitted to enroll in schools only if they do not identify themselves as such, and that Baha’is preferably should be enrolled in schools with a strong and imposing religious ideology. There were reports that Baha’i children in public schools faced attempts to convert them to Islam.

Tags: Baha'i Faith, Bahai, International Religious Freedom Report, Iran, persecution of Baha'is, religious minority, U.S. Department of State