Human Rights Watch criticizes increase in arrests and harassment of Baha'is in Iran
Human Rights Watch wrote in a report titled "Harassment and Arrest of Baha'is in Iran" that the arrests of Iranian Baha'is have increased over the past two months.
According to a Human Rights Watch report published on Tuesday, October 14, authorities in the Islamic Republic have arrested more than 20 Baha'i citizens in the cities of Shiraz, Isfahan, and Karaj over the past two months.
According to this international human rights organization, no specific charges have been announced against these individuals.
“More than 20 arrests in a month without explanation demonstrate the Islamic Republic’s intolerant treatment of Iran’s Baha’i community,” said Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. He added that Islamic Republic officials have “furthered a campaign of harassment” by detaining an elected official who had only expressed solidarity with a fellow Baha’i who had been arrested.
The Human Rights Watch official is referring to the arrest of Mehdi Hajati, a member of the Shiraz City Council, who was detained for 10 days after posting a message on Twitter about efforts to free two Baha'is.
The Human Rights Watch report mentions numerous cases of arrests of Baha'is in Shiraz, Isfahan, Karaj, and several other cities, and states that a number of these individuals are in the detention centers of the Ministry of Intelligence.
Human Rights Watch further noted that the Iranian constitution does not recognize Baha'is as a religious minority in Iran, adding: "Authorities routinely harass and detain Baha'is simply for their beliefs, routinely destroy their cemeteries. They prevent Baha'i students from enrolling in universities, and expel followers of the faith."
The deputy Middle East director of Human Rights Watch concluded the report by saying: "President Rouhani and his cabinet must stop pretending to be irresponsible in the persecution of Baha'is and put an end to these rights violations."
In a speech in recent weeks, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Iran an example of violating the rights of religious minorities.
"We stand with the Christians, Jews, Dervishes, Muslims, Zoroastrians, Baha'is, and other religious minorities in Iran whose human rights have been violated by the Iranian regime. Their freedom to follow and practice their religious practices is very important to us," he said.
In June of this year, the US State Department also mentioned violations of religious freedom and human rights in Iran in 2017 in its annual report on religious freedom.
Part of the State Department report referred to violations of the rights of Sunni Muslims, Baha'i followers, and Christians, and stated that since 2000, Iranian officials have arrested more than 600 Christians and converts.
Source: Voice of America
