"Crimes Against Humanity"; Baha'i Violence Report by the Boroumand Foundation

The Abdolrahman Boroumand Foundation, which focuses on victims of violence by the Islamic Republic, in collaboration with the global Baha'i community, has published an 89-page report examining violence against Baha'is, stating that the actions of the Islamic Republic against followers of this religious minority can be considered "crimes against humanity." The foundation's report, titled "Outsiders: Multifaceted Violence Against Baha'is in the Islamic Republic of Iran," provides a comprehensive analysis of various forms of violence against the largest non-Muslim religious minority through interviews with several Baha'i citizens, relatives of victims, and examination of documented evidence. The report is structured in five chapters, with the first chapter addressing the historical background of violence against Baha'is since the inception of their faith during the Qajar and Pahlavi dynasties. The next three chapters focus on three forms of violence against Baha'is: direct, systematic, and cultural. The final chapter analyzes the legal implications of these actions, addressing whether the Iranian government's actions against Baha'is can be classified as "genocide" or "crimes against humanity" in the International Criminal Court. The historical and ideological foundation of the persecution of Baha'is dates back to the early days of this religion, specifically since 1242 in the Iranian calendar, where they have faced pressure and persecution from the state, the clergy, and extremist Muslims. The Boroumand Foundation notes that religious institutions and Shia clerics, who believed that "Baha'is are infidels" and that "their beliefs contradict Islamic teachings," have strongly opposed followers of this faith. The Qajar officials, viewing these teachings as a threat to themselves, soon began to persecute Baha'is. The foundation states that from that time, the suppression of Baha'is was carried out for "political considerations," and the behavior of Qajar officials became a "historical model" used by subsequent governments to easily label Baha'is as criminals. The foundation briefly mentions the massacre of Baha'is during the Qajar era, noting that even in the first constitution of Iran, the Constitutional Law drafted in 1285, this faith was not recognized as a religious minority, laying the groundwork for treating Baha'is as "marginalized individuals." The report states that with the end of the Qajar dynasty and the rise of Reza Shah, although the mass killings of Baha'is ceased, they faced a different form of attacks, particularly in the final years of the Shah's rule; these attacks were more targeted and concentrated than during the Qajar period, aiming to deprive Baha'is of their "economic, social, and cultural rights." Actions included the closure of Baha'i centers and schools, prohibition of Baha'i meetings, prevention of marriage registrations, and the expulsion of some Baha'is from government jobs. During Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi's rule and after the coup of August 19, 1953, as Shia clerics gained power, many institutions and groups, including the "Hojjatieh Society," were established with the explicit aim of countering Baha'is. During this period, in addition to the restrictions imposed by the Pahlavi government on Baha'is, attacks by extremist Muslims against Baha'is increased; these attacks included sporadic killings, arson, and looting of homes, with radical clerics allowed to use national radio to call Muslims to jihad against Baha'is. Despite the continuation of these attacks and the lack of legal recognition, Baha'is enjoyed relative security in the final years of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi's rule. Direct violence during the Islamic Republic increased significantly after the February 1979 revolution, and from the early days, these Iranian citizens faced executions, physical elimination, arrests, imprisonment, and confiscation of their property. Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic, over 200 Baha'i citizens have been executed. Baha'is, who were referred to by Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, and many other clerics as "a misguided sect," "infidels," and "unclean," also faced destruction of their homes, businesses, sacred places, and cemeteries. The Boroumand Foundation states that "hundreds of properties belonging to Baha'is have been confiscated by the Islamic Republic authorities," writing: "Direct violence against Baha'is has been systematically carried out with government support, and officials have often neglected to investigate or prosecute crimes against Baha'is. In many cases, they have actively obstructed investigations or threatened the families of victims." The foundation emphasizes that this violence "extends beyond its direct victims" and that "the families of prisoners or executed individuals face ongoing harassment, economic difficulties, and psychological trauma. The constant threat of violence has created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity within the Baha'i community." The report notes that although executions of Baha'is have currently ceased and few cases of government killings have been observed, other forms of direct violence against Baha'is by various Islamic Republic institutions continue. Systematic violence refers to the discrimination and repression that is institutionalized within social, political, and economic systems, depriving Baha'is of equal rights and opportunities. The Boroumand Foundation states that the Constitution of the Islamic Republic "deliberately" excludes Baha'is from recognized religious minorities, meaning that "Baha'is have no legal recourse to combat discrimination and the right to publicly practice their religious rites." According to this foundation, the non-recognition of the Baha'i faith "as a religion lays the groundwork for systematic discrimination in areas such as education, employment, and property ownership." In this context, Baha'is have been deprived of their rights, including the official registration of religious marriages in Iran, which has caused significant issues regarding birth registration, divorce, and inheritance claims. The report states that Baha'i students face both brainwashing efforts from officials and teachers in schools and are clearly barred from entering universities after finishing their education. The Boroumand Foundation writes: "This dual approach of brainwashing and deprivation aims to discourage followers of the Baha'i faith and limit educational and professional opportunities for Baha'is, creating a challenging environment that exposes Baha'is to negative propaganda about their faith while simultaneously excluding them from full participation in the educational system." Cultural violence refers to instances where the government, religious institutions, and media create an "anti-Baha'i" culture through propaganda, dissemination of misinformation, and reproduction of negative stereotypes against Baha'is. The Boroumand Foundation writes: "Anti-Baha'i literature portrays Baha'is as a threat to Islam, spies, or individuals with moral corruption." The report states that the Iranian government published "over thirty-three thousand" anti-Baha'i materials in media and social networks between 2017 and 2021. The foundation further states that schools in Iran are "centers of cultural violence," promoting anti-Baha'i culture in "textbooks," and this culture is also propagated by teachers, significantly affecting student interactions. However, the Boroumand Foundation notes "evidence of a growing public resistance against anti-Baha'i propaganda," stating: "Many interviewees report increasing indifference and even support for the Baha'i faith among their neighbors and communities." The foundation attributes this shift in public attitude to "the gradual distancing of people from religion and greater access to non-governmental media and social networks." The Boroumand Foundation states that Iran has joined the "Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide." In this convention, "genocide" refers to actions aimed at "the complete or partial destruction of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group." The foundation states that executions and other killings following the Iranian revolution fall under the definition of "killing members of a group," and Baha'is are clearly "a religious group," but the definition of genocide is meaningful only with the "intent to eliminate a group," and the actions of the Islamic Republic are not aimed at the "material elimination" of Baha'is but rather at "destroying identity." The foundation also mentions that in some cases, it is claimed that Baha'is are subjected to "cultural genocide," referring to the "deliberate destruction of the culture" of a people, but this term has only been proposed in the genocide convention and has not yet been recognized under international criminal law. The Boroumand Foundation, citing cases from the International Criminal Court's rulings, states that instead of "genocide," the term "crimes against humanity" is a more appropriate legal description for the violence perpetrated by the Islamic Republic against Baha'is. The foundation further notes that the definition of "crimes against humanity" in Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court refers to inhumane acts committed as part of a "widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population." The report states that for a crime to be classified as a "crime against humanity," it must be "widespread" or "systematic" and carried out against a "civilian population"; with this definition, the repression of Baha'is is considered a "crime against humanity." The report continues to document and cite actions taken by the Islamic Republic against Baha'is that are considered examples of "crimes against humanity."