Baha’i News – In a disturbing and unsettling scene that reveals the continuation of the systematic persecution against the Baha’i minority in Iran, Iranian security forces recently raided the home of Baha’i citizen Golriz Nourani in Qazvin. This incident, which occurred without a clear judicial warrant and was accompanied by the confiscation of personal and electronic properties, is not merely an isolated event. Rather, it is a new link in a long chain of violations targeting Baha’is. Reports from international human rights organizations and Iranian activists confirm that this pattern of persecution continues relentlessly, defying international human rights standards and principles of justice.
According to multiple reports from Baha’i and Iranian human rights sources inside and outside the country, security forces stormed the home of Mrs. Golriz Nourani and her husband Mehrzad Zahraei in Qazvin. Reports indicate that officers conducted a thorough search of the home, seizing a number of personal electronic devices, including mobile phones and computers, in addition to some books and materials related to the Baha’i Faith. What is concerning and contrary to legal principles is that this raid took place without presenting a clear and valid judicial search warrant, raising serious questions about the legality of the procedures and the authorities’ intentions. These practices are inconsistent with the simplest standards of a state of law and cast shadows of doubt on the motives behind these actions, which are often driven by religious discrimination.
Context of Systematic Persecution
The incident of raiding Golriz Nourani’s home is not an exception in the treatment of the Baha’i community in Iran. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and even before that, Baha’is have faced continuous and intense persecution. The Iranian government considers the Baha’i Faith a “deviant sect” and does not recognize it as a religion, thereby depriving its followers of legal protection and basic civil rights granted to other constitutionally recognized religious minorities. This religious criminalization paves the way for a wide range of violations, including:
- Arbitrary arrests and prolonged imprisonment: Baha’is are frequently arrested on vague charges related to “national security” or “propaganda against the regime” merely for practicing their religious beliefs or communicating with their community.
- Deprivation of education and employment: Baha’is are banned from attending universities, dismissed from government jobs, and face severe difficulties in obtaining licenses to practice private businesses, leading to their economic marginalization.
- Confiscation of property: Their lands, homes, and commercial properties are frequently confiscated, and they are deprived of inheritance rights in some cases.
- Vandalism of holy places and cemeteries: Baha’i cemeteries and holy places have been repeatedly vandalized and demolished.
- Media incitement: Official media outlets engage in campaigns of defamation and stigmatization against Baha’is, fueling hatred against them in society.
International Calls to Confront Violations
The ongoing violations against Baha’is in Iran have drawn widespread condemnation from the international community. Prominent human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and international Baha’i groups, as well as United Nations Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in Iran, have issued repeated reports and statements condemning these practices. These bodies have emphasized that the persecution of Baha’is not only violates Iranian law itself but goes beyond that to constitute a flagrant violation of Iran’s international obligations under international human rights covenants and treaties it has signed, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Calls are constantly reiterated for Iran to respect the rights of all its citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs, and to cease systematic discrimination.
Impact on the Baha’i Community
These repressive policies have devastating effects on the lives of individual Baha’is and their families. In addition to material losses, Baha’is live under immense psychological and emotional pressure, resulting from the constant threat of arrest, deprivation of vital opportunities, and a sense of insecurity in their homeland. Nevertheless, the Baha’i community in Iran shows a remarkable ability to persevere, striving to preserve its spiritual identity and culture, and continuing its efforts to serve the broader Iranian society, despite all challenges.
The raid on Golriz Nourani’s home in Qazvin, along with thousands of similar cases, confirms that the issue of Baha’i persecution in Iran is not a historical matter but a daily reality experienced by thousands. The situation demands decisive and continuous international intervention to pressure the Iranian government to end these systematic violations and ensure the rights of all its citizens, including Baha’is, to religious freedom, equality, and justice, in accordance with the fundamental principles of human rights and international law. Achieving justice for these innocent citizens is a true measure of any state’s commitment to universal human values.
Author:
Bahia Bekkali
Journalist and Writer
ABN Bahá’í News (Baha’i News Foundation)
Contact: bahiabekkali@abnnews.net
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