Monthly report of violation against the rights of followers of religions in Iran – September 2019

Tables Preparation: Hamid Reza Taghipour Dehghan Tabrizi

Data Compiler: Mohammad Hosein Malani Barzi, Mohamad Aftabi, Hadi Dartomi

Translation: Amin Jafari

Edited by Alireza Jahanbin

Article 18 (The right to freedom of opinion)

Everyone has the right of freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19 (The right to freedom of expression)

Everyone has the right of freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

This report consists of statistical information about violation against the rights of followers of other religions in Iran until the end of Mordad 1398 (22 August 2019). This report has been presented statistically-analytically.

It is obvious that because of strict actions of Islamic Republic of Iran with the Human Rights activists especially in observation and reporting the Human Rights violations and also deprivation of free circulation of information and constantly refusal of Iran`s government to recognize an independent domain in civil activities, at the present time, reporting is very difficult and dangerous for many reporters and activists (whom are in prison or custody) and are facing a lot of limits.

The pressure on followers of other religions still continues:

The current authorities in Iran and its leaders are believing that some religious groups are the enemies of the country, because their religious beliefs may challenge the loyalty to the regime and under the pretext of preserving national and political security, they suppress the religious activities of other religions followers.

Detentions and targeted violence against the followers of other religions in Iran still continues by the security and judicial organizations of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In Iran, citizens on the basis of religion beliefs are divided into two official and non-official categories.

the Baha`i religion is one of the non-official religions in Iran which is under more pressures rather than other religions. The Baha`is are deprived of performing ritual rites, propagating their religion and teaching and educating in higher educational levels. At the present time, hundreds of Baha’i citizens are suffering from long prison terms in different jails of the country, including Semnan, Mashhad, Tehran, Karaj and other cities of Iran.

Official religions like Christianity have faced great limitations. The government only recognizes the Assyrian Christians, Armenian and Chaldean worships, preaching the gospel to Iranian is a crime, the Persian language people are forbidden to enter the churches, and churches are tasked to submit their members names to the Ministry of Intelligence, along with copies of their national identification card.

Based on the Article 13 and 26 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran Christianity in a recognized religion, and the right to pray or build a community has been given to the Christians but confrontation with the Protestant Christians who are believing in the gospel of their religion still continues, and domestic churches are facing widespread suppression.

Religious discrimination is strictly enforcing against the Sunni Muslims. They mostly are living in the boarder sides of the country, and are deprived of the right to build mosques and their religious rituals like Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha prayer in central areas as well as Tehran.

Even in some cases the destruction of the Sunni Mosques has been reported and These people are dealing with execution, detention and persecution. They are prohibited from hiring in governmental organizations. A prominent example is the Bijan Zolfaghar Nasab who was appointed to the Minister of Sports in the Hassan Rouhani government, but because he is Sunni they did not give him the vote to be selected for this position.

Sunni:

Sunnis are seeking the security and brotherhood, they expect to have the religious liberty and this is the demand of every member of the Sunni community.  It is expected that the Sunni community in the great cities of the country, like Isfahan and other cities, can pray freely and educate their children. This expectation is perfectly legal.

The right to build the mosques in any city or have the freedom for Friday and Eid prayers or have the complete freedom, are completely legal and they do not have a lot of demands. The Sunnis are believing that their right should be consider and that no one would be deprived of their rights for religion beliefs, because respecting the rights of the people causes unity and closeness.

Because of religious propaganda the Sunni prisoners are convicted with charges of action against national security, they have the sentence of combat against GOD, they are spending their conviction time in jail and in an inappropriate space and constantly being insulted by the prison officers and guards because of their opinions.

Article 20 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran stresses that based on the rules of Islam, all Iranian citizens are equal. However, along with other religions in Iran, the constitution has failed to ensure equality for more than three decades to guarantee the rights of citizens. Sunni followers in Iran are in the same condition, even though they are Muslims. They are deprived not only, of the management responsibilities of the country and military but also, equal opportunities and facilities. They are facing strict obstacles and constraints to publicize their beliefs and to perform their religious rites from the Iranian government.

In this Month:

1. Based on Human’s rights report: on 18^th of September 2019, Mohammad Osman Damani, the son of Molavi Mohammad Ebrahim Damani, a Sunni citizen in Iranshahr city, who was on a trip to Zahedan for medical purposes was arrested and transferred to an unknown place.
2. Based on Balooch activists campaign report: Omid Balidei Goharamzahi, a clergy man in Zahedan Darouloloom on 12^th of May 2018, was arrested on the way of his home by security forces.
3. Based on Harana: on 2^nd of September 2019, Hafez Ataolah Siryazehi, a Sunni citizen and an instructor in Sunni religious school in Sistan and Baloochestan province was arrested in the street without any reason. On 14^th of September, he was freed on a 100 million Tomans bail.
4. Based on Harana: on 27^th of September, a lot of Sunni prisoners in Rajai prison in Karaj were beaten by prison’s guard. Due to this ruthless action, 20 of them were separately taken to solitary cells and were beaten by electrical shocker.
5. Based on Balooch activists campaign: Mohamad Akbar Hanzami, a 19 years old clergy was intimidated on the phone due to supporting Sunni prisoners.
6. Based on human’s rights in Iran: on 5^th of September 2019, Molavi Abdolraouf Saidi, a Sunni citizen and an instructor in Sunni religious school in Koh Van was interrogated in intelligence service office.
7. Based on human’s rights report: on 2^nd of September 2019, Molavai Rashid Ahmad Aramesh, an instructor in Sunni religious school in Koh Van was interrogated in intelligence service office.
8. Based on human’s rights report: on 29^th of September Esmail Hosein Zei, a 13-year-old Sunni student in Sunni religious school in Koh Van was summoned to Intelligence office in Rask city.
9. Based on human’s rights report: on 27^th of September 2019, Molavi Amanollah Baloochi, a Sunni clergy and instructor in Koh Van who has been in prison since 2015 was sentenced to 10 years of discretionary imprisonment and then execution.
10. Based on human’s rights in Iran: on 27^th of September 2019, Mohamad Osman Ghalandarzahi the principal of Madinatoloolom school in Khashk and Mohamadgol Karamzahi the principal of Makhzanololoom school were prevented from flying to Baloochestan in Pakistan by security forces.

The statistical report of violations against the Sunni People:

Baha`i:

Iran, a country that many Baha`is are living in, The Baha’i is still considered as an “apostate sect” in Iran. It is well known that Baha`is are seeking the peace, they do not want political power and do not pose the security threat. However, the Iranian religious regime pursues them. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, methodically Baha`is were deprived of access to higher education levels as well as employment rights, and if they persevere in claim for their lost rights, they will face the false accusations, imprisonment and intimidation, and always have been exposed to arbitrary arrests and imprisonment. They have never been able to follow their religious instructions in public. They are being abused almost all the way of their life.

It is not possible to transfer the knowledge and human experience, except through specific trainings. And so the right to education is one of the fundamental human rights which has been mentioned in Articles 26 and 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Articles 13, 14 and 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, that everyone has the right to educate  without discrimination based on distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The Iranian government is obliged to provide all essential facilities for enjoyment of all citizens from this natural right and also should remove any kind of obstacles based on geographical, political, economic and cultural conditions in order to provide these fundamental rights.

Prohibition of work and business is another strain and harassment that the Baha`is are facing in society. In most of the provinces, the Public Places Surveillance Authority which is affiliated with the Police Force, without any permission is sealing their businesses places.

In this month:

1. Based on Harana: court of appeals has confirmed the verdict of Samin Maghsoudi, a Bahai citizen. She was sentenced to 5 years of discretionary imprisonment in prison.
2. Based on Harna: on 21^st of September 2019, Mitra Badrnejad, a Bahai citizen in Ahvaz, was transferred to Sepidar prison in this city. Last year she was sentenced to pass 5 years in prison and after appeal court, it was reduced to one year of discretionary imprisonment.
3. Based on human’s rights in Iran: Kimia Mostafavi and Kiana Rezvani, two Bahai citizens in Kerman were sentenced to 6 years of discretionary imprisonment due to their anti-regime activities.
4. Based on human’s rights in Iran: Tara Ehsan, a Baha`i citizen in Karaj, was deprived of study in university due to her beliefs.
5. Based on Harana: Saraj Safarian, Tara Ehsan, Rojin Kasiri and Shamim Edelkhani, four Baha`i citizens, who took a part in university entrance exam were deprived of studying in the university due to their beliefs.
6. Based on Harana: on 18^th of September 2019 at 2 am, Parisa Sobhanian Najaf Abadi, a Bahai citizen was released from prison with a 500 million tomans Bail.
7. Based on Harana: Mitra Badrnejad, a bahai citizen in Ahvaz, in her appeal court was sentenced to one year in prison.
8. Based on human’s rights in Iran: on 17^th of September 2019, Mahsa Forohari, a Baha`i citizen in Karaj, Taranom Kamali in Shiraz and Negin Foroghi in Shahrekord were deprived of continuing their education due to their beliefs.
9. Based on human’s rights in Iran: Aylar Roshan Nahad, a Baha`i citizen in Esfahan, Vafa Nobakht, a Bahai citizen in Sari, Dorsa Mostafavi a Baha`i citizen in Tehran were all deprived of continuing their education in the university due to their beliefs.
10. Based on human’s rights in Iran: on 15^th of September 2019, Nourieh Fersosian, a Baha`i citizen in Esfahan, was prevented of registration at university due to her beliefs.
11. Based on Harana: after passing more than 4 months, three Baha`i citizens in Semnan are still in custody. The files of Behnam Eskandarani, Yalda Firouzian and Ardeshir Fanaian were sent to Enghelab court in Semnan.
12. Based on Harana: on 4^th of September 2019, Monire Bavil Soflai, Mino Zamani pour and Gholamhosein Mazloomi, three Baha`i citizens were released temporarily from prison on a 300 million Tomans bail each.
13. Based on human’s rights report in Iran: on 8^th of September 2019, Borna Pirasteh, a Baha`i student in Semnan was prevented to register and continue her education in high school.
14. Based on human’s rights in Iran: Siavash Sobhanian Najaf Abadi, a Baha`i citizen in Mehrabad was arrested by security officers. His sister was also arrested previously.
15. Based on human’s rights in Iran: on 7^th of September 2019, Farid Moghadam Ziraki, a Baha`i citizen in Birjandwas released temporarily on a 150 million Tomans Bail until the next court hearing.
16. Based on human’s rights report: on 8^th of September 2019, Abolfazl Ansari, a Bahai citizen in Karaj, was released on bail until his next court.
17. Based on Harana: on 1^st of September 2019, Shahnaz Sabet, a Baha`i citizen, was arrested by security forces and transferred to an unknown place.
18. Based on human’s rights in Iran: on 3^rd of September 2019, Roha Imani, a Baha`i Citizen in Yazd was taken to the prison due to her 9 months sentence in prison.
19. Based on human’s rights in Iran: on 3^rd of September 2019, Roien Kohansal, a Baha`i citizen in Karaj, who was arrested this year, was temporarily released on bail.
20. Based on Harana: on 2^nd of September 2019, Rohollah Zibai, a Baha`i citizen in Karaj, who last month was arrested by Sepeh forces, was released on bail.
21. Based on Harana: 13 days have passed from arresting of 3 Baha`i citizens in Tehran. Despite the attempts of their families’ to find them, they received no vivid respond. Their bad physical conditions have worried their families.

The statistical report of violations against the Baha`i People:

Christians:

The Islamic Republic is trying to destroy the Christianity, and this is a bitter fact about the violations against the Christians rights. Christians, who have been charged and sentenced to persecution by the Islamic Republic because of their heresy and religious conversion.

Violation against the Christian rights is increasing in the Islamic Countries and many of them are facing the racial harassment on a daily basis.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, a numerous number of Christians are jailed for religious conversion and religious activities. Currently, according to the human rights organizations in Iran, a large number of well-known Christians are in prison for offences such as preaching the gospel, or teaching and distributing the Bible or other citizens who are convicted of spying and many rights of Christian neophytes have been violated, they have been punished, persecuted, sentenced to the imprisonment or penalties like whip only because of some of their religious rituals like drinking the wine in the Eucharist (the Lord`s Supper) or even in some cases they were threatened to the death.

Security and judicial Organizations pressure on churches still continues and in continuation of the series of restrictions imposed by the security authorities, the Official Evangelical Churches, the Central Numinous Community Church in Tehran, the Protestant Immanuel Church, Peter ‘s Evangelical Church in Tehran and etc. have been forced to cooperate with the security Organizations and accepting their demands on revealing the list of their members along with other information about them, including their national identification number, also preventing the participation of the Persian language Christian neophytes in their religious rituals, preventing them to hold the ceremonies in Persian.

Even the churches are refusing to accept the Persian language Christians, and they must hold their ceremonies in non-Persian language.

Prison sentences for Iranian Christians continue to be issued. In the Constitution of Islamic Republic, the religious freedom of Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians has been recognized but so far, the government’s actions against religious propaganda and the performance of their religious rites has shown that the Principles of the Constitution on the freedom of religion and prevention of ideas and beliefs Inquisition, were only intended to cover the violations against the rights of other religions in Iran. Based on the Islamic Republic Constitution, the twelve Imam Shia is the official religion of Iran and the religious and security organizations of the Iranian government are considering that the propaganda for the principles of these religions is a threat to the dominant ideology of the government and it is one of the main reasons why the regime has suppressed the Christian followers and missionaries by closing their churches and preventing them of religious propaganda.

In this month:

1. Based on Harana: on 31^st of August 2019, Fatameh Bakhtari was transferred to the prison to pass her sentence of one year in jail. Fatameh Bakhtari and Zaman Fadai were arrested on 25^th of May 2017 by intelligence forces.
2. Based on human’s rights in Iran: on 3^rd of September 2019, Kavian Fallah Mohamadi, a Christian neophyte, and Shamiram Isavi, a Christian citizen in Tehran who were separately sentenced to 10 and 5 years of discretionary imprisonment, are going to attend their appeals court.

The statistical report of violations against the Christians:

Gonabadi Dervishes:

Gonabadi and Nematolahi Dervishes are 11 million people, almost 9 times more than Iranian army. In January and February 2018 in Tehran, they fought against security forces. In a tension between police and Dervishes, 3 police officers and 2 of Basij forces were killed and 300 Dervishes were arrested. The fight started because of the limitation that the government put on visiting their leader, Nourali Tabande. These limitations were the new start of harassment against Dervishes across the country. These harassments continued so that the security forces wanted to surround the Dervishes leader’s house (Doctor Tanabande, a 90 year-old man) with the charge of acting against national security. In result of that, these fighting aroused more. Amirali Mohamadi Labaf, a Gonabadi Dervish member on 18^th of February was invited to the police station and was interrogated and beat. Other Dervishes after getting informed about Amirali Mohamadi Labaf had gone to the police station and made him free but that led to arresting Nematollah Riahi, another Gonabadi Dervish. Mr. Riahi on the same day was transferred to the security forces. These atmosphere continued until 18^th of February that Dervishes gathered in front of Police station number 106 in order to free Mr. Riahi. But this gathering turn to a fight when Special Forces came to the scene and 5 Dervishes were killed and 300 Dervishes were arrested.

In this month:

1. Based on Harana: on 18^th of September 2019, Shima Entesari, a Dervish prisoner in Gharchak Varamin was freed after passing her prison term.
2. Based on human’s rights in Iran: Nour Ali Tanabande, the leader of Gonabadi Dervishes who was in house arrest since February 2018, went to his city Bidokht. Based on civil activists, accompanying him was not allowed.

The statistical report of violations against the Gonabadi Dervishes:

Followers of other religions:

The current authorities in Iran have the belief that some of religious groups are the enemy of the country. Because their beliefs may challenge the loyalty to the regime and with the excuse of keeping political security they have started to suppress any religious activities. The most important point is that the security organization in Iran has special divisions to confront any religion or belief that have no place in the framework of ideology in regime.

In this month:

Based on Harana: on 12^th of September 2019, the office of Baha`i people in Geneva has reacted with publishing a statement against the Educations ministry of Iran about preventing the students of other religion from studying in Iran. The Minister of Education in Iran has currently announced that the children of other religions in Iran are banned from studying and continuing their education in Iranian school.

The statistical report of violations against the Followers of other religions: