The Islamic Republic of Iran intensified its violent repression of Baha’is in a series of arrest actions, raids of homes and denial of identification of cards.
The Bahá’í World News Service reported on Tuesday that “These developments are part of a surge in persecution against the Baha’i community in Iran, “adding “Iranian authorities are preventing Baha’is across the country from obtaining national identification cards, while a series of home raids, confiscations, arrests, and attacks on properties have unjustly targeted Baha’is.”
According to the report on Bahá’í World News Service ,“Despite continuous claims by Iranian officials inside the country and in UN fora that Baha’is have citizenship rights,” said Diane Ala’i, Representative of the Baha’i International Community (BIC) in Geneva. She continued that “the authorities are institutionalizing yet another mechanism which aims to destroy the Baha’i community as a viable entity; thereby extending a four-decade-long and relentless campaign of persecution against Baha’is across virtually every dimension of life—the cultural, social, educational and economic. “
She added “Even so, the Baha’is of Iran continue to strive to live in accordance with the teachings of their Faith, which uphold truthfulness as ‘the foundation of all human virtues.’ How could Baha’is who apply for their national identification cards, for public sector jobs, or to enroll in a universities be punished simply for being truthful?”
In response to the report about the spike in violence and discrimination targeting Baha’is of Iran, Irwin Cotler, the former Canadian Justice Minister and human rights lawyer, tweeted: “Deeply concerned re surge in persecution by the regime in Iran against the Bahai community, including new national ID requirements which effectively exclude Baha’is from access to civil rights, further entrenching apartheid-like system of discrimination.”
The Bahá’í World News Service wrote that “Members of several religious minorities in the country face restrictions in applying for a new national identification card, removing a previous facility that allowed the option ‘other’ to be selected instead of one of four recognized religions—Islam, Christianity, Judaism, or Zoroastrianism.
The decision to remove that option now prevents Baha’is from obtaining their identification cards, depriving them of basic civil services such as applying for a loan, cashing a check, or buying property.”
Source » jpost