Attacks Against Baha'is Continue 'Intensely but Secretly' Under Rouhani's Government

The International Baha'i Community reports that since Hassan Rouhani took office in Iran, thousands of articles and writings against Baha'is have been published, 151 individuals have been arrested, and nearly 400 cases of economic and educational discrimination have been reported. The Baha'i community has published a new report spanning 122 pages, accusing Rouhani's government of worsening the situation for this group of citizens despite its commitment to combatting inappropriate treatment of religious groups and minorities in Iran. According to the Associated Press, Bani Dugal, the Baha'i representative at the United Nations, states, 'What we are witnessing is the Iranian government's general strategy to conceal its actions and destroy the Baha'i community [in Iran] away from the eyes of the world.' The committee claims that over the past three years, since Rouhani has led the government, more than 20,000 hate-filled propaganda pieces against Baha'is have been published in national media. The report mentions the arrest of 151 Baha'is and states that at least 388 cases of educational and economic discrimination against adherents of this faith have occurred in Iran. The International Baha'i Community reports that thousands of Baha'i believers have been prevented from entering universities, and at least 38 of them have been expelled from universities during these three years. International organizations, including the United Nations and human rights advocacy groups, have repeatedly published reports and criticisms regarding the situation of Baha'is in Iran, their repression and arrests, and the prevention of their education and business activities. On the other hand, some religious intellectuals within Iran have criticized the 'oppression' against Baha'is, and some academics and intellectuals have expressed 'shame' over the government's treatment of them, while citizen groups have formed to pursue some of the discrimination against them. However, these actions have also faced severe reactions from the judicial and security apparatus. The Islamic Republic does not recognize the Baha'i faith, and senior government officials have repeatedly spoken against it; some arrested Baha'is in Iran also face serious security charges. According to the report from the International Baha'i Community, since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's administration, over the past nearly 11 years, more than 860 Baha'i believers have been arrested, and 275 of them have ultimately been convicted and imprisoned. The Baha'i community states that Iran is home to nearly 300,000 of its believers. This committee has urged the international community to increase its efforts to prevent the repression of Baha'is in Iran.