UN Concern Over Iranian Officials' 'Hate Speech' Against Bahá'ís

UN special rapporteurs on human rights have expressed concern over the 'verbal attacks' and 'hostile statements' made by Iranian officials against Bahá'ís in the country, creating 'hatred' against this minority. These concerns arise after Iran's Attorney General warned individuals who associate with Bahá'ís that they 'should expect legal consequences.' This warning came just days after Faezah Hashemi met with Fariba Kamalabadi, a leader of the Bahá'í community, leading to intensified attacks by Islamic Republic officials against Hashemi and Bahá'í believers in Iran. A statement released on June 9 by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, quoting Ahmed Shaheed, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, indicates that there are 'targeted and ongoing pressures' from the Iranian government against Bahá'ís, which contradicts Tehran's international commitments. Heiner Bielefeldt, the senior observer of the organization on freedom of religion and belief, stated that 'hostile speech' has placed the Bahá'í community in Iran 'on the brink of a very dangerous precipice that could threaten its existence.' The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has accused Iranian religious, political, and judicial officials of 'verbal attacks' that encompass 'severe intolerance' against Bahá'ís and their community, which 'could lead to discrimination and potential violent attacks against this group and others.' UN reporters, international figures, activists, and human rights defenders have repeatedly expressed concern about the situation of Bahá'ís and other peaceful belief groups that fall outside the official circle of the Islamic Republic. For instance, at the end of Farvardin (April), dozens of businesspeople and economists criticized the 'recent wave of closures of Bahá'í businesses' and called on Iranian officials to allow Bahá'í citizens 'full participation in economic and social life.' Recent verbal attacks against Bahá'í believers have increased following Faezah Hashemi's meeting with one of their community leaders. Hashemi recently met with Fariba Kamalabadi, a leader of the Bahá'í community in Iran who was released on leave after eight years in prison. Following this meeting and the threats against her, she stated that she has a 'human rights perspective' on the Bahá'í community in Iran, as 'they too should enjoy the fundamental rights of citizenship like other citizens, which unfortunately they lack even the most basic rights.' According to the UN, at least 72 Bahá'ís are currently imprisoned in Iran. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom also states that approximately 300,000 Bahá'ís live alongside other religious groups in Iran, constituting 'the largest non-Muslim minority in Iran,' and that nearly 850 of them have been arrested over the past decade.