August 22: International Day Commemorating Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Belief

The United Nations designated August 22 as the International Day Commemorating Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Belief.

While the Islamic Republic of Iran appears on the international stage as a defender of human rights in various fields, within the country, religious minorities continue to face repression and violation of fundamental rights.

The United Nations has designated August 22 as the International Day Commemorating Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. This day is an opportunity to commemorate the suffering of religious minorities around the world and to emphasize the importance of respect for religious and belief freedoms. Religious minorities in Iran, particularly Christians, Jews, and Baha’is, face continuous repression and violation of fundamental rights.

In recent years, Christians in Iran have faced widespread arrests, church closures, and social pressure. According to international reports in 2024, over 900 people were executed in Iran, many of them on charges related to religious crimes.

Iran’s Jewish community also faces serious threats. Following recent tensions with Israel, Iranian authorities arrested at least 24 Jews in Tehran and Shiraz. These arrests were made on charges of espionage for Israel. While many of these individuals have engaged in no anti-government activity, they have become targets of repression simply because of their belonging to the Jewish community.

Baha’is are another minority facing systematic human rights violations in Iran. This religious minority is deprived of basic rights such as the right to education, employment, and property ownership. In recent years, Iranian authorities have sentenced at least 9 Baha’is in Tabriz to one year in prison on charges of membership in groups opposed to the Islamic Republic. These actions demonstrate discriminatory and repressive policies against Baha’is.

The Islamic Republic of Iran exploits religious minorities, particularly Christians and Jews, when it finds it beneficial to pursue its political objectives. For example, on certain occasions, such as elections and Muslim religious ceremonies like Ashura and Arba’een, it capitalizes on these minorities to gain international community support, while at other times, it portrays them as security threats, system opponents, or spies. This dual approach demonstrates the contradictory and inhumane policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

August 22 is an opportunity to commemorate the continuous repression of religious minorities in Iran. The international community must pressure the Islamic Republic of Iran to demand an end to human rights violations and respect for religious and belief freedoms in the country. Only then can there be hope for the realization of justice and human rights in Iran.