The Organization of Educational Testing Prevents Over 70 Baha'i Citizens from Entering Universities

Reports from Iran indicate that following the announcement of this year's national university entrance exam results, over 70 young Baha'i men and women have been deprived of their right to study at universities. Some sources suggest that this number may exceed one hundred. When some of these Baha'i citizens approached the Organization of Educational Testing, the reason given for their exclusion from university was their belief in the Baha'i faith. Official representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran have not commented on this matter. All these individuals encountered the following message when they visited the Organization's website with their details and candidate numbers: 'Dear candidate, due to a file violation, please refer to the response unit of the Organization of Educational Testing.' Foad, who says he received this message for the second consecutive year, stated: 'I haven't followed up this year yet, but last year I had a long inquiry. I spoke with someone at the Organization who told me that I was disqualified by the intelligence services. When I asked for the reason, they said it was due to my beliefs, and we cannot allow you to enter the university. When I requested a written statement, they took my address and phone number and said they would send my request to the intelligence services, and if they responded, they would inform me. However, I never heard back from them.' These individuals say that their belief in the Baha'i faith is not a secret and is usually mentioned in the religion column of high school forms. Another Baha'i citizen, who participated in the exam for the first time and spoke to Radio Farda under the pseudonym 'Omid,' shared his follow-up: 'I went yesterday, and they sent me to an expert who was specifically there for this purpose. They did not give me a written statement, but verbally told me that we cannot allow you to enter the university because you are Baha'i.' The prevention of Baha'i citizens from continuing their education has a history, and even passing the entrance exam and subsequent selections does not guarantee their educational continuation, as in previous years, dozens of students have been expelled after completing several semesters. 'Maryam,' a pseudonym for one of these Baha'i citizens studying civil engineering at Shahid Beheshti University, stated: 'I was not given any ruling; they just closed my account, and after two semesters, they issued an expulsion ruling in absentia. I found out through a phone call, and they did not provide a reason until I spoke with the central selection committee at the Organization of Educational Testing, who told me that I know I am Baha'i and Baha'is do not have the right to education in Iran. I was deprived of my education because I think differently. They told me the only way to return to university is to write that I have converted to Islam and renounce Baha'ism.' Farzad Safaei, a student at Ahvaz Azad University, Vafa Hoidayi, a student at Amir Kabir University in Tehran, and Vasal Laghai Far, a student at Amir Kabir University in Tafresh, are also three other Baha'i students who have been deprived of their education in recent months. Simin Fahandaj, spokesperson for the Baha'i World Community in Geneva, stated: 'Since the early days of the revolution, Baha'is have been deprived of higher education and entry into universities. In 1991, a document was revealed by one of the UN special rapporteurs stating that Baha'is should be treated in a way that prevents their advancement and education, and when it is established that a person is Baha'i, whether at the time of entering university or during their studies, they should be expelled from the university. Unfortunately, this trend continues, and talented young people who could serve their country are deprived of their right to education solely because of their religious beliefs.' Asma Jahangir, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, also criticized the 'widespread violation of Baha'i rights in Iran and their persecution.' The prevention of Baha'is from studying at universities is one of the issues that, according to Asma Jahangir, constitutes a violation of their civil rights.