Baha'is of Iran: The threat of "uprooting" by the judiciary

 

The World Baha'i Community has expressed concern by publishing a statement about the "increasing persecution of Baha'i amid Corona" and threatening the Iranian judicial authorities to "uproot" the followers of this faith in Shiraz.

Interestingly, the Baha'i religion started in Shiraz, Iran. In the meantime, a group of Iranian Baha'is in Shiraz summoned to begin prison terms for practising their faith were denied an appeal to delay their incarceration at a jail where they would risk coronavirus exposure, according to a knowledgeable source.

Two Baha'i citizens of Shiraz, Behrouz Farzandi Ardakani and Ghassem Masoumi, were recently released from Adilabad Prison and contracted COVID-19 while inside the jail, with one now fighting for his life in hospital. These two were among seven Baha'is detained in the city in April in recent fresh crackdowns on the religious minority group. The group was held in solitary confinement by police, “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC),” and Shiraz intelligence detention centers.

Baha'is cannot freely practice their faith without being harassed. Baha'is across the country continue to be arbitrarily detained and interrogated on charges that highlight the lack of freedom to conduct religious activities for Baha'is in Iran. Currently, a large number of Baha'is are awaiting trial on false allegations or for final decisions by courts and are being held in overcrowded prisons; their indifference is another form of psychological torture.

Government officials mistreated the detainees. The spread of the virus, COVID-19, in prison and to the country remains a serious problem as arrests and incarcerations increase. Detainees were held in private quarantine lockers for long periods, sometimes for long months, before being granted bail. The conditions of bail were excessive, and families had to give up their deeds or business licenses. Others are still serving unjust sentences, now risking unnecessary exposure to the pandemic in Iran's overcrowded jails.

Almost all prisoners were searched in their homes and/or places of work, as well as personal property, photographs, books, computers, photocopiers, and other essentials. The situation has not changed since Ebrahim Raisi became president, nor has the government respected due process and equal civil rights enshrined in Iran's constitution and international obligations.

Since 2005, human rights violations against Baha'is have increased in Iran, headed by attempts to provoke mistrust, hatred, bigotry, and even ferocity against them. Some governmental bodies have openly incited harassment, and some priests have conducted religious preaching against the Baha’i Faith and its followers. However, proper "educational programs” are being created that align with the Baha’i Faith, and formal institutions have been created to end this violence.

Baha'i hate materials make an extensive range of completely untrue claims. Provocation of hatred against Baha'is has been considered a long-term government's primary means of promoting the religious convention. Baha'i community members across Iran have received intimidating phone text messages, calls, and unidentified letters when they find anti-Baha'i leaflets in colleges and other public places. In several places, Baha'i homes, cemeteries, stores, vehicles, and orchards are covered in graffiti. There is no doubt that these secondary sources of defamation comprise the same hateful lies and inflammatory language found in government-controlled and biased media.

The authorities are well aware that, in principle, Baha'is do not reject or distort their religious beliefs. Nevertheless, on an annual basis, huge amounts of Baha'i students are expelled from other foundations of higher learning, for instance, universities and vocational schools, because of their "incomplete documents."

These young Baha'is take state tests and score high enough to qualify for college, but they are not entitled to education just because they are Baha'is. For example, on January 27, 2022, it was learned that Mr. Zahedan Baha'i Kasra Shoaei, when announcing the results of the graduate school entrance examination, was confronted with the fact that "the results will be published after overall qualification status has been determined. In universities of applied sciences. This is the message that all Baha’i students will be excluded from the university because they do not meet the criteria for membership in one of the four officially recognized religions.

This global pressure is aimed at eradicating the problem but not coming to any solution. The establishment is convinced of this strategy because it has used it effectively against other religions; Jews had experienced several pressures to leave the “Islamic Republic” places over the years, and today number only a quarter of what they were before the first revolution, about 100,000, who began to live in Iran. The rest of the Jewish community was more or less tolerated, partly due to a lack of interest in spreading Judaism.

However, there are more Baha'i Jews in Iran due to their great need to preach. They are also demographically more widespread and more integrated into society at large. Despite all the pressures and injustices they face, many still want to leave the country, especially the older generation. They consider Iran their homeland and the cradle of their faith, so they have a strong spiritual and emotional connection with the country.

Moreover, Baha'ism first emerged among the elites of Iranian society, making it very attractive to today's elites and even some Shia clerics. The regime is specifically concerned about the religion's appeal to young Shia people, who may consider Baha'is as more relevant to contemporary life than traditional Shia teachings, likely the main motive for the recent increase in threats, injustice from courts, and government pressure.