Dozens of Political and Civil Activists Condemn the Actions of the 'Velayat-e Faqih' Government in Denying Bahá'ís in Iran of 'Basic Rights'

147 political and civil activists condemned the recent wave of arrests against Bahá'ís in Iran and their 'deprivation of basic human and civil rights' by the Islamic Republic in a statement, calling for an end to 'this historical shame.' The signatories of this statement attributed the 'systematic pressure and suppression of the religious, political, educational, and economic rights' of Bahá'ís in Iran over 'more than a century and a half' to 'the incitements of fanatic clerics' and the 'collusion' of established governments in Iran, emphasizing the need for 'the end of religious government and the separation of religion and state.' The authors of this statement stressed that 'no citizen should be punished solely for their beliefs.' They further described the 'unjust judgments and inappropriate, oppressive, and humiliating behaviors' against Bahá'í citizens over the past century and a half as 'a heavy burden on the collective cultural, religious, and political conscience of the country,' stating that 'this historical shame must be practically compensated and come to an end.' The statement also referenced the 'wider and more inhumane' dimensions of the suppression of Bahá'ís following 'the rise of clerics to power' in Iran, noting that 'members of the National Assembly of Bahá'ís were abducted and disappeared in the early months of the Islamic Republic's formation. Subsequent members were officially arrested and executed, and later assemblies faced heavy and long-term sentences.' These 147 political and civil activists wrote in their statement: 'The comprehensive deprivation of Bahá'ís from their civil rights under the prevailing religious dictatorship and Velayat-e Faqih regime, such as marriage registration and the right to education and employment, has reached its peak with the exhumation of some Bahá'ís' bodies and their abandonment in the desert, the confiscation of the property of poor Bahá'í villagers, attacks on private celebrations, and baseless arrests and heavy judicial sentences based on fabricated and false cases.' The roots of these behaviors were cited as stemming from the extremist clerics' disagreement with Bahá'ís regarding the issue of 'the end of prophethood in the Muslim prophet' and the exploitation of the existence of Bahá'u'lláh's tomb, the leader of the Bahá'ís, in Israel, stating: 'This is while he died and was buried there in 1921, decades before the formation of Israel.' The signatories of this statement declared their common demand for 'the end of religious government and the separation of religion and state,' considering the establishment of 'a democratic and secular government' as a prerequisite for efforts towards 'comprehensive development of Iran and the realization of freedom, justice, democracy, and the elimination of all forms of discrimination in society.' Recently, the Bahá'í International Community, in a statement criticizing the intensified actions of the Islamic Republic against Bahá'í citizens in Iran, announced that 'violent and insulting raids on Bahá'í homes, arrests, and unfair trials on false charges against Bahá'ís have increased.' This Bahá'í organization also expressed concern about 'deprivation of education and denial of burial rights, increased instances of state theft, confiscation of property, and the spread of hatred against Bahá'ís.' Meanwhile, Farhad Sabetan, a spokesperson for the Bahá'í International Community, emphasized that Bahá'ís in Iran have always acted for the welfare and service of the country. The suppression of Bahá'ís by the Islamic Republic has consistently faced international protests. Previously, Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, criticized the 'significant increase' in the harassment of Bahá'ís in Iran. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has also expressed concern over the intensified pressure on religious minorities in Iran and the Islamic Republic's campaign to arrest Bahá'ís. According to this commission's report, at least about 200 individuals are in the prisons of the Islamic Republic for religious or ideological reasons. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic sentenced four Bahá'í women to about 15 years in prison. Exclusive: 10 days of uncertainty about the status of Yekta Fahendaj Saadi after her arrest in Shiraz. The body of Afagh Khosrowizand, a Bahá'í citizen, was buried in Khavaran 'against the heartfelt wishes of the family.' Six Bahá'í citizens in Tehran were sentenced to 26 years and 10 months in prison. Sediqeh Voseqi: I protest against the numerous injustices faced by my Bahá'í compatriots.