US Commission: Violators of religious freedom should be sanctioned
The United States Commission on Religious Freedom declared that violators of religious freedom should be sanctioned.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom published its annual report on Tuesday, March 25, in which it addressed numerous cases of repression of religious and religious minorities in Iran in 2024.
In the report of the United States Commission, Iran is included in the list of countries of great concern in terms of violations of religious freedom, and the Commission called on the US government to sanction violators of religious freedom and provide the necessary conditions for asylum for victims of religious and religious repression.
Countries that are on the list of "countries of particular concern" in addition to Iran are: Afghanistan, Myanmar, China, Cuba, Eritrea, India, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam.
Part of the report addresses the repression of Christians who have been systematically persecuted, detained, harassed, and sentenced to heavy sentences for their Christian beliefs and peaceful religious activities in 2024. The United States Commission on Religious Freedom also mentions Anoushan Avdian, Yasser Akbari, Hakob Gochoumian, Mina Khajoui, Laleh Saati, and Matias Alihaqnejad in its report.
According to the report, at least 21 Christians were imprisoned in Iran last year, and 8 Christians were sentenced to prison in Izeh for their religious activities, on charges of “propagating Zionist Christianity.” The report also addresses the repression of other religious minorities, including Sunnis and Baha’is. The commission emphasized that the authorities of the Islamic Republic have subjected prisoners of conscience to torture and severe punishments, including deprivation of medical services.
The US commission wrote in another part of the report: "The government has continued to systematically harass, intimidate, and target religious and religious minorities through arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, business closures, destruction of property, and the promotion of hate speech online."
The commission called on the United Nations and international institutions to investigate possible crimes against humanity in Iran. In addition, 41 human rights organizations and Article 18 also called for the extension of the Special Rapporteur's mandate and the continuation of the UN Fact-Finding Commission's activities in a joint letter to the Human Rights Council.
