Monthly report of violation against followers of religions in Iran – January 2020

Tables Preparation: Hamid Reza Taghipour Dehghan Tabrizi

Data Compilers: Mohammad Hosein Malani Barzi, Atefeh khajehnasiriyazdi

Translation: Mehrab Zarei

Edit: Alireza Jahan Bin

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 Dey 1398 (January 20th, 2020). 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.

Important Notice: the following report reflects only 20 to 30 percent of the reality in Iran.

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 Herana: on January 11^th, the hearing about the charges of Hamzeh Darvish, a Sunni prisoner in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj has been conducted in Evin prosecutor office.
2. Based on Balooch activist Campaign: from last 40 days there is no information about the Sunni clergy “Molavi Abdolrauf Dashti”.
3. Based on Herana and Human Rights reports in Iran: Hamzeh Darvish, Sunni religion prisoners in Rajai Shahr from last 18 days after torturing by prison guards transferred to the solitary cell.
4. Based on Balooch activist Campaign: on 3rd January, the intelligence officers have been attacked to the one of the relatives of Adhamollah Zehi house. They beat him and took him to an unknown place.
5. Based on Balooch activist Campaign: on November 27^th, Arsalan Porki, seminary student has been arrested by intelligence forces in Sarbaz.
6. Based on Herana: on December 24^th, Hamzeh Darvish, Sunni religion prisoners in RajaiShahr prison, after 4 days staying in solitary cell, his health condition is critical.

The statistical report of violations against the Sunnis:

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 Herana: on December 29^th, Mohammad Javad Abtahi, Representation of Khomeini Shahr in parliament, informed about a note to Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Interior minister of Iran about the removing the “other religion” option in the national identity card application form. That means the Religions Followers which it’s not recognized in Islamic Republic of Iran Constitution can’t have national identity card.
2. Based on Herana: on December 29^th, Vahda Silani, a Baha’i citizen in Kerman, has been arrested after the invasion of intelligence forces to his housee and moved to an unknown place.
3. Based on Herana: on December 28^th, Shahnam Jazbani, a Baha’i citizen in Golestan, has been freed from prison after serving 21 months of his imprisonment time.
4. Based on Herana: on December 29^th, Vahda Silani, a Baha’i citizen in Kerman, has been arrested by intelligence forces and moved to an unknown place.
5. Based on Herana: Kamran Shahidi, Baha’is citizen of Karaj, has been sentenced to 5 years of discretionary custody.
6. Based on Herana: on January 2^nd, Mitra Badrnejad, Baha’i citizen who has sentenced to 1 year of imprisonment, has returned to Ahvaz prison after her 10 days of leave.
7. Based on Herana: Sahba Farnoush, Baha’i citizen of Tehran, has been sentenced to 16 months of discretionary custody by the Revolution Court.
8. Based on Herana: The condemnation of Ali Ahmadi, Baha’i citizen of Qaem Shahr, once more has been Confirmed by Qaem Shahr revolution Court. Previously, he was sentenced to 11 years of discretionary custody.
9. Based on Herana: January 15^th, Vahda Silani, Baha’i citizen of Kerman, has been released from prison temporarily on 100 million Toman bail.
10. Based on Herana: on January 15^th, nine Baha’i citizens of Birjand, Bahman Salehi, Khalil Malaki, Bijan Ahmadi, Saghar Mohammadi have been sentenced to 4 years, Sheyda Abedi to 3 years, Sohrab Maleki to 3.5 years, Firouz Ahmadi, Simin Mohammadi and Maryam Mokhtari have been sentenced to 2 years of discretionary custody.

The statistical report of violations against the Baha`is:

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 Herana: Mohammad Reza Rezaie, Asghar Salehi and another unknown Christian neophyte, have been sentenced to 6 months of discretionary custody.
2. Based on Mohabat news: Fereydoun Elahyari on January 2nd has reported to the Imina news about the destruction of tombstones in Armenians active cemetery.
3. Base on Mohabat news: Ramaeil Bettormez, Assyrian Christian citizen, son of Priest Victor Bettormez, has been sentenced to 4 months of discretionary custody.

The statistical report of violations against the Christians:

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:

1. Based on Herana: January 11^th, once more, Marjan Davari, researcher and translator, tried for the propagation of newfound mystical ((Ecknakar)) in another branch of the revolution court due to her file uncertainties. Earlier, she was sentenced to death penalty in revolution court.

The statistical report of violations against the Followers of Other Religions: