The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (RWCHR) and Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) strongly condemn the increase in anti-Bahá'í propaganda disseminated by Iranian state-run media. A recent report by the Bahá'í Community of Canada recent report by the Bahá'í Community of Canada found that “Iran’s state-sponsored campaign of hatred against the Bahá’'í Faith has been on the rise across all media platforms, including the web, social media, radio, newspapers, and television.”
The Iranian regime’s campaign of incitement to hate against the Baha’i has continued unabated, including: the singling out of the Baha’i for special opprobrium and repression; the use of state media to dehumanize and demonize the Baha’i in the eyes of their fellow Iranians; the harassment of Bahá’'í children; the proliferation of personal and property assaults on members of the community; and the orchestration of militia and hate groups to intimidate and silence them. All of this has been accompanied by an ongoing culture of impunity, wherein no one has ever been arrested or prosecuted for such crimesProfessor Irwin Cotler, Founder and International Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights
Indeed, there is a clear repressive pattern of persecution - underpinned by state-sanctioned hate propaganda - targeting Bahá'ís, stemming directly from Iranian authorities. The recent increase in anti-Bahá'í sentiment - largely a result of extensive incitement on social and traditional media - represents a continued intensification of a longstanding pattern of hate and persecution by the regime in Iran. Notably, Bahá'ís remain incarcerated as prisoners of conscience and are systematically excluded from economic life, and barred from accessing higher education. The regime’s campaign of incitement to hate poses a significant threat to the Bahá'í people. As the community itself has pointed out - and which regrettably continues to find violent expression in Iran - “persecution can escalate to the most grievous crimes in a climate of disinformation, hatred and propaganda.”
All Individuals should be free to exercise and practice their own faith or religion without any interference by the State or without fear of reprisal. The freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental human right enshrined in several international instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (art. 18), and the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. Freedom of religion and belief has multiple dimensions, and as such, intersects with other fundamental rights. The continued persecution and state-sponsored repression against the Bahá’ís can lead to crimes against humanity for persecution, or in the worst case, to genocide. Mr. Ali Ehsassi, Member of Parliament (House of Commons of Canada)PGA Board Member
In a report produced in 2020 by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) on religion and the European Union external policies, Iran’s constitution recognizes only three religious minorities, namely Jews, Zoroastrians and nonconverted Christians. Bahá’'ís are not recognized by the State and are constantly denied political, economic, cultural, and social rights. The same report states that, since 1979, more than 200 Bahá'i leaders have been executed, over 1,000 have been arbitrarily arrested, and Baha'i-owned businesses have been shut down.
No one should be impoverished, persecuted, and prosecuted because of their faith. The recent Courts decisions depriving Bahá’'ís from their businesses and homes is a clear proof of the persecution against this group. By applying this tactic to confiscate their personal properties, the authorities want to further deplete and diminish them. This is an alarming development and a further escalation in Iran's state-sponsored persecution of the Bahá'is whose only desire is to contribute to the development of society in the country. We should speak up against those who are oppressed.Mr. Anders Österberg, Member of the Swedish ParliamentFounding Member of PGA’s Parliamentary Rapid Response Team (PARRT)
We urge all communities and countries of conscience to call for an end to the illegal acts of hate and harm being perpetrated against the Bahá'ís by Iran. The regime must end its persecution and prosecution of Bahá'í practitioners, and its campaign of demonization and dehumanization being run by state-controlled media. We stand in solidarity with the Bahá'ís of Iran, and all those falling victims to violations of fundamental human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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