Plight of Iranian Baha’is

          
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          Plight of Iranian. Ba'ha'is October 1984
          Background : Since the 1979 u • 1
          the Government of the islamic Be ubti a' 0 a flomeini,
          the embodiment of one specific re Ligi o n— —Bb S ' it. 7a ° to be
          authprity to persecute adherents of other telL S
          it :: i
          ‘ t r t t ins t rc t 5 tirt O d
          degree of discrimination, conditions have wor:ened particucari for
          members of non-recognized groups such as thi Bsha'is, Ira&'s lax t'
          torts: : t r: .ff ro*i n
          social, and political grounds and have lost favor disproportionatel
          under the current government. The Khomeini regime has virtually
          ‘1 faith, creating one of the gravest human rights
          The Baha'i faiths The Baha'i faith—originally an offshoot of' Shi”ite
          Islam —arose in Iran during the 19th century. The central figure in
          the founding of Saha'ism, 3aha ”ullah, severed formal ties with Islam
          and developed the new faith into a separate religion. Baha'is believe
          in equality of the sexes, racial harmony, and universal education, and
          practice abstinence from alcohol. There are sore than 1.5 million
          aaha”is worldwide, about 350,000 of them in Iran. persecution' of
          Baha'is is based mainly upon theological differences: Muslims believe
          that there can be no revelation after Mohammed, and many consider the
          flaha'i faith not as a separate religion but as a heretical departuri
          from Islam.
          treatment of Saha”i'S : Viewing flha”is as heretics and claiming they
          are a •f jj ' colucts for the US and' Israel, the Khomeini regina
          consistentlY has violated the basic human' rights of Iranian Baha'is.
          Because Baha'i marriages never were recognised officially in Iran, for
          example, the revolutionary regime has branded Baha 'S married women as
          ‘prostitutes. Baha'iSltrtnes have been desecrated a'6estroyedr the
          House of ash, the site of the tounding of the aaha'i faith and its
          most holy shrine, was demolished and converted into a parkIng 1st.
          aabs'iS have been fired from their jobs and' their businesses
          confiscated. They have been expelled fros schools at all levels and
          denied social services and pensions to which: they were entitled under
          Iranian law. Some of' these actions involved mob violence against
          Saba' is , but most persecution has been' directed:, ‘by Iranian £3overnsent
          authcsritiese A number of government officials belong to the
          nojjatiyab. a society dedicated ‘to terninatiflg all Baha'iS.
          tranian Government actions The President of the evoIutiontry Court
          ji! the city of' Shfraz stated early in 1983:: wIt is absolutely certain
          that in the Islamic Republic of Iran there is' no place for Btha'is and:
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          flaha'iss. 0 The flantén Governzent has executed Baba'i's and,. through
          torture and itpri:sonnent,. has. forced: Conversións of Bsha'is. to.
          Is la m ,. Since' the: revolution,, tore than 110 flha• 1 1S;. have been executed.
          b7 the regime or have died under torture in prison; others have sitp1 r
          disappeared' ant are presuast dead . Prominent Baba9S.. have. besn
          arrested' ‘and charged' with such ‘vague offEnses. as against Got 1 ,.!'
          •corrupti 0a on earth,. 4. ?he I s lam i C: Bepablic t i official.
          posit ion toward. saha:S'iA,, hardened'. i'n August: 1183,.. when: Iran 's
          Prosecutor General' declared th&t •inivitio. of Balsa “is are: banned it'
          Iran
          • Zn response to: the n gtor' General t S pronouncement and. in keeping.
          a saM't traditIOn of submitting to. governmental authority,, the
          Natitnal Spiritual ‘Aesnbly'. of Baha”iS in Iran diSsolved a n
          administrative institutions. At the same time,, these' elected'
          representatives: of tb' s' Iranian Saha”i .unity.: appealed to uts
          Iranian Government.' whi'àh was responsible for' ‘the execution or
          • disappearance of' all ‘members of' the two:preceding: sahà “ 1 ati:oaa.l
          Assemblies, to, restore' afl' rights, denied:: to indiv idual “ ha'ia because
          of their religion.
          Following its. ban on all Balsa'S reLtgioua. and' institutional
          activiti:es,.. the IranianvGovernsent has intensified. Ste persecution.
          ?oday, more than 750' Baha ‘is's many of than. women., are imprisoned
          Iran. Some 32”ot them are now awaitiflg ‘executiOn.. Accounts. of their
          treatment indicate that. some prisoners. including' ,cmen, have been.
          chained' to benches smite ' being: whipped' with canes. others report
          teenage girls. beifl'g: executsd by “fiESfl squads or by:banflng and sCa
          and women having boiling, water poured on their heads and: having. their
          legs: and; backs: branded with bat. irons. Despite: promises of' f reeds
          and restoratiOn: of' their property' if ‘they recant' and despite brutal.
          treatment few.' BaW l's.. have' renounced' their faith and' t donverted to
          Islam . , ,,
          us: Government action: on: behalf .   1Zrfl $a LP !!ft't!t Publit pressure is.
          one tthflhw” € 1's avaflab1e to the US Government when serious hUman”
          rights violations take plot . Ste country, such as. Iran, .where .fl e: Ut
          ‘has little i:nf1ue e. Zfl key statements by the President and major
          Mntntstrattow officials 4 in: the Countr)t ttS on HUman kights
          • practices subtitted' annually' to. Congress.. in comments. on the: vMte of
          XEiff a ,:in: ts concurrent congressional resolutions,. and: in a number
          f: statements to. the. press,, the US Government has condemned' Iranian'
          persecution at ‘the. Baba'is. ia . additthn , the US' has given refuge to
          totS ‘than: lO:,,000 Iranian Baht'is during, the last 4 years. . pinally,
          the fl5: has supported:' intetnational efforts on behalf of the' Daha”is..
          including, those undertaken by the UN: S*crstar General, the UN
          Econatic and Social Council,, and” the OW Human Rights Commission.
          flarriot P. Caller,: Editor ‘ ( 02). 632a1208 - ‘ ‘‘ - - —