Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has named Iran among eight “Countries of Particular Concern” in relation to its repression of religious minorities. At the launch of the State Department’s Annual Report to Congress on International Religious Freedom, Secretary Clinton highlighted those countries whose governments engage in – or tolerate – “particularly [...]

On April 28, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2011 Annual Report . The report describes - beginning on page 78 – the “severe” persecution of the Baha’i community in Iran from April 2010 to March 2011.  Iran is one of 14 countries USCIRF recommends that the Secretary of State name “countries of particular concern” or [...]

By overwhelming majority vote on March 24, the UN Human Rights Council called for a special investigator to monitor Iran’s compliance with international human rights standards to which the country has cynically paid lip service for decades. Growing world solidarity on the issue of  holding Iran accountable for its increasing violations of basic human rights. [...]

Amidst a series of public statements by human rights groups supporting the seven imprisoned members of the former Iranian Baha’i leadership group, Amnesty International USA has rallied its members to send greetings cards to the prisoners for the forthcoming Persian new year.   According to the Baha’i World News Service, the global support continues as Mahvash Sabet – [...]

In a public statement marking International Women’s Day, Amnesty International urges Iranian authorities “to release immediately all women detained arbitrarily in Iran, including political activists, rights defenders and members of religious and ethnic minorities.” The statement decries the unjust imprisonment by the Iranian government of innocent women who simply “wish to see greater respect for [...]

The U.S. Department of State’s newly released Annual Report on International Religious Freedom (2010) again ranked Iran as one of the world’s worst violators of religious freedom. The ongoing persecution of the country’s 300,000 Baha’is was highlighted extensively in the report. From the section on Iran: Baha’i religious groups reported arbitrary arrest and prolonged detention, [...]

In its latest report on women’s rights in Iran, updated March 12, 2010, Freedom House explained the constitutional provisions that limit religious freedom in that country, including restrictions on Baha’is. From the report… Article 13 of the constitution recognizes Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians as religious minorities and grants them limited freedom of religious practice, education, [...]

Human Rights Watch again included the persecution of Iran’s Baha’i community in it’s annual report, World Report 2010, which evaluates human rights in 90 countries and territories throughout 2009. Below is an excerpt from the report on Iran, mentioning the situation of the Baha’is: The government continues to deny members of the Baha’i faith, Iran’s [...]

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 [...]

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon yesterday expressed strong criticism of Iran’s human rights record, voicing concern about the use of excessive force after Iran’s presidential election, the harassment of women’s rights activists, the ongoing execution of juveniles, and the continued persecution of minorities, including Baha’is. In a 19-page report written specifically to address a request [...]

The Amnesty International 2009 human rights report chronicles the persecution of Baha’is in Iran and Egypt during 2008.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom released its 2009 annual report today. The persecution of the Baha’is in Iran, and in other countries, is referenced in a number of sections. Access a video of the release of the report at the National Press Club

The U.S. Department of State released its country reports on Human Rights Practices for 2008, on February 25, 2009. The section on Iran contains several references to the difficulties experienced by the Baha’i community in Iran.

The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC) has released a new report on the situation of the Baha’is in Iran. The report is titled “A Crime Against Humanity: The Islamic Republic’s Attacks on the Baha’is”. Click here to view the IHRDC’s press release.

The U.S. Department of State released on Friday its International Religious Freedom Report. The section on Iran contained several references to the difficulties experienced by the Baha’i community in Iran. Several references to the Baha’is were also made in Ambassador Hanford’s remarks at the briefing for the report.

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy has described the treatment of the Baha’is as a test of human rights in Iran, in a new report.

The U.S. Department of State released, on March 11, 2008, its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2007. The section on Iran has several references to the difficulties experienced by the Baha’i community in Iran.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) specifically mentioned the situation of the Baha’is in Iran and in Egypt in its recently published World Report 2008. The report deals with human rights concerns in countries throughout the world.

The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center today issued a new report titled “Community under Siege: The Ordeal of the Bahá’ís of Shiraz”.

The U.S. Department of State released today it’s International Religious Freedom Report.  The Iran section had several references to the difficulties experienced by the Baha’i community in Iran.