The Bahá'í QuesTion Cultural Cleansing in Iran

93 Pages·2009·5.34 MB·English

The Bahá’í QuesTion
Cultural Cleansing in Iran
The Bahá’í QuesTion
Cultural Cleansing in Iran
Bahá’í inTeRnaTionaL CoMMuniTY
September 
The Bahá’í QuesTion
Cultural Cleansing in Iran
For updates, visit the Bahá’í World News Service at:
http://news.bahai.org
Copyright 2008 Bahá’í International Community
Bahá’í International Community
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120
New York, NY 10017, USA
http://bic.org
Contents
4 Executive Summary 31 The right to due process
32 The right to own property
4 The Bahá’í Question: Cultural Cleansing
in Iran 35 The right to livelihood
7 Chained to a tree and doused with 36 9 April 2007 letter restricting Bahá’í
gasoline businesses
8 The Bahá’í Faith: A global community 37 The right to housing
37 The right to education
10 Chapter 1 38 The Bahá’í Institute for Higher
The Current Situation Education
11 Text of the 29 October 2005 letter to
40 Chapter 3
police and other agencies in Iran
Why Does the Islamic Republic of
13 The arrests of Bahá’í leaders
Iran Persecute Bahá’ís?
14 Jailed for trying to help children
16 Sowing hatred in the media 41 The Bahá’í Faith in Iranian history
16 Anti-Bahá’í articles published 41 Eyewitness to early persecution
in Kayhan, 2001-2007 43 The 1979 revolution
17 An upsurge in violence 44 “To cut off the head...”
18 While the government seeks to inspire 46 Hanged for teaching “Sunday school”
hatred, the people often offer their
48 Explaining the animosity against Bahá’ís
support
51 No recourse for Bahá’ís
19 One family’s recent trials
20 The targeting of schoolchildren
52 Chapter 4
20 The Bahá’í Question secret memorandum
The International Response
21 Cell phones as an instrument of
53 UN human rights monitors have offered
harassment
an independent view
22 The 1991 secret memorandum on the
54 The Bahá’í community of Iran speaks for
Bahá’í Question
itself
56 How the Islamic Republic of Iran has
24 Chapter 2
justified the persecution
The Bahá’í Case and Human Rights
25 Freedom of religion 58 Chapter 5
26 The right to life, liberty and security Conclusion and Summary
27 Bahá’ís killed in Iran since 1978
28 The threat of execution 60 Appendix I: Bahá’ís Killed Since 1978
29 Imprisonment and the right to liberty 64 Appendix II: The United Nations’ Response
29 Torture
74 Appendix III: Related Documents
29 Number of Iranian Bahá’ís arrested, 2004
through mid-2008 91 Appendix IV: Further Reading
31 “Cause of death will be known later…”
Executive Summary
The Bahá’í QuesTion:
CuLTuRaL CLeansinG in iRan
SINCE 1979, IRANIAN Bahá’ís have faced a government-sponsored, systematic
International campaign of religious persecution in their homeland. In its early stages,
experts on ethnic, more than 200 Bahá’ís were killed and at least 1,000 were imprisoned,
solely because of their religious beliefs.
racial or religious
In the early 1990s, the government shifted its focus to social, economic
cleansing have
and cultural restrictions aimed at blocking the development of Iran’s Bahá’í com-
identifi ed a number
munity. Such measures included eff orts to deprive Bahá’ís of their livelihood, to
of warning
destroy their cultural heritage, and to prevent their young people from obtaining
signs that often higher education.
foreshadow Over the last several years, however, there has been a resurgence of more extreme
widespread purges. forms of persecution directed at the 300,000-member Bahá’í community of Iran,
that country’s largest religious minority.
Th is upsurge has alarmed human rights monitors, who fear not only for those
Bahá’ís aff ected by the government’s renewed campaign but also that such attacks
portend something far worse.
International experts on ethnic, racial or religious cleansing have identifi ed a
number of warning signs that often foreshadow widespread purges.
Th ese include the “classifi cation” of minority groups into categories of “us versus
them,” eff orts to “dehumanize” them in the media and other venues, the organization
of hate groups, and “preparation” for extermination — a category that starts with the
“identifi cation” of individual members of the group.
Ominously, a number of recent events in Iran fi t into these categories:
ƒ
Th e emergence of documents that clearly spell out a secret government plan
to identify and monitor Bahá’ís and their activities. Th e best example of this
occurred in March 2006 with the public disclosure by a United Nations offi cial
of a 29 October 2005 letter from Iranian military headquarters instructing state
intelligence services, police units, and the Revolutionary Guard to make a “com-
prehensive and complete report of all activities” of Bahá’ís “for the purpose of
identifying all individuals” of this “misguided” sect.
4 | THE BAHá’í QUESTION
In March and May
2008, seven Bahá’í
leaders who see to the
minimum needs of
Iran’s 300,000-member
Bahá’í community were
arrested in ominous
sweeps similar to
episodes in the 1980s
when many Bahá’í
leaders were rounded
up and killed. As of
publication, they were
being held in Tehran’s
notorious Evin prison
on false charges that
they had “confessed”
to “illegal” activities.
They are, seated from
left, Behrouz Tavakkoli
and Saeid Rezaie,
and, standing, Fariba
ƒ Kamalabadi, Vahid
The arrest and imprisonment of national-level Bahá’í leaders in March and May
Tizfahm, Jamaloddin
2008 in a manner that was grimly similar to episodes in the 1980s when scores
Khanjani, Afif Naeimi,
of Iranian Bahá’í leaders were rounded up and killed. That, along with a marked
and Mahvash Sabet.
upsurge in arrests and imprisonments.
ƒ
A vigorous campaign in the state-run news media to vilify and defame Bahá’ís.
Since 2005, for example, the Kayhan newspaper has run more than 200 false or
misleading articles about Bahá’í teachings, history and activities — an effort that
has been echoed on television and radio.
ƒ
The targeting of Bahá’í children for harassment and abuse by teachers and
administrators at elementary and secondary schools throughout the country,
with the clear aim of forcing Bahá’í children to give up their faith. During a
30-day period from mid-January to mid-February 2007, for example, some 150
incidents of insults, mistreatment, and even physical violence by school authori-
ties against Bahá’í students were reported in at least 10 Iranian cities.
ƒ
A general upsurge in violence against Bahá’ís and their properties, often by
anony mous individuals. In the summer of 2007, for example, unknown individuals
bulldozed Bahá’í cemeteries in two cities (apparently as part of a coordinated
effort, since virtually every Bahá’í cemetery in Iran has recently been vandalized
or dese crated), sent threatening letters to 30 Bahá’í families in Najafabad, and
scrawled hateful graffiti on Bahá’í homes and shops in Abadeh.
Executive Summary | 5
Th e government’s long term strategy to destroy the
Bahá’í community without attracting undue interna-
tional attention was cruelly outlined in a secret 1991
memorandum that aimed at establishing a policy
regarding “the Bahá’í question.”
Drafted by the Supreme Revolutionary Cultural
Council and signed by Supreme leader Ali Khamenei,
the document calls for a series of restrictions on the
access of Bahá’ís to education and livelihood that is
nothing less than a blueprint for the strangulation of
the Bahá’í community. Most signifi cantly, it lays out
unequivocally the government’s overall objective —
to ensure that the “progress and development” of the
Bahá’í community are “blocked.”
The recent upsurge in state-sponsored violence
against Bahá’ís and their properties, coupled with the
ongoing denial of higher education to Bahá’í youth,
continuing measures aimed at depriving Bahá’ís of their
rightful property and livelihood, and ongoing attempts
to destroy the cultural heritage of Iranian Bahá’ís, all
indicate that the government’s secret plan is still very
much in eff ect.
Such incidents and trends, moreover, are well docu-
mented not only by human rights groups but also UN
investigators and others — which fl atly contradicts the
On 8 September 2007, an intimidating and government’s oft-repeated contention that it has no
off ensive letter was distributed to approximately campaign of persecution against the Bahá’ís.
30 Bahá’í homes in the village of Vilashahr, outside Th e fact is that the Bahá’ís of Iran remain in a pre-
Najafabad. Th e letter, denouncing Bahá’ís as traitors carious state. Th ey are denied the right to practice their
and agents of colonialism, threatens them with faith freely, guaranteed under international human
retribution, in the absence of decisive government rights instruments such as the International Bill of
action against them. At about the same time, hostile Human Rights, to which Iran is a party. Th e adminis-
and insulting graffi ti was sprayed on the walls trative institutions of their faith have been dismantled
of these homes. Such graffi ti included: “Unclean in accordance with a government edict. Th ey live each
Bahá’ís and agents of Israel,” “Bahá’ís: enemies of day knowing that their government seeks to eradicate
God,”and “Bahá’ís: traitors to their country.” their community as a viable entity in the country, and
For a full-size version, see page 75, Appendix III that even slight infractions can result in the deprivation
of their livelihood, imprisonment or worse.
Bahá’ís recognize that there are many other oppressed groups in Iran, including
academics, women’s rights activists, students, and journalists. Th e situation of Iranian
Bahá’ís, however, off ers a special case, inasmuch as they are persecuted solely because
of their religious belief, remain committed to nonviolence and nonpartisanship and
seek only to contribute to the development of their homeland.
6 | THE BAHá’í QUESTION
Chained to a tree and doused with gasoline
THE STORY OF a middle-aged businessman saw a woman in a black
Bahá’í businessman living in chador sitting in the passenger seat and
Shiraz, Iran, tells much about so, reassured, he allowed the man to
life for Iranian Bahá’ís today, who are siphon four liters of gasoline from his
targets of a state-sponsored campaign own car.
to incite hatred against them. When that was done, however,
Two attackers
The owner of a small manufacturing the man put the container down and
firm, the businessman came to work one grabbed the Bahá’í firmly from behind, chained a Bahá’í to
day to find an anti-Bahá’í slogan defac- placing one hand over his mouth. a tree and doused
ing the walls of his shop. He lodged a Another person, who appeared to be him with gasoline.
complaint with the police and they had a passer-by, came forward and helped
Then they began
members of the local Basij Resistance carry the Bahá’í to a nearby tree.
began striking
Force come and clean the wall. Then they chained him to the tree
matches and tossing
A few days later, the man received and doused him with gasoline.
them at him.
an anonymous letter, which openly The second individual began strik-
denounced the Bahá’í Faith as a false ing matches and tossing them at the
religion and threatened his life. fuel-drenched man. Fortunately, the
“[S]o that future generations may first did not light. A second match
know that Islam and Muslims are vigi- went out immediately after it was lit.
lant and will never be deceived by the A third match ignited but was extin-
agents and spies of Israel and will not guished when it hit the man’s clothing.
allow the followers of the pure reli- Finally, a fourth match flared but fell
gion of Muhammad to be deceived harmlessly on the ground and the man
by impostors like you…you and eight was able to put it out. At that point,
other evil ones are sentenced to a revo- apparently worried about the approach
lutionary execution, which will soon be of others, the assailants gave up and
carried out in public. O ye followers of sped away. People in the neighborhood
the false prophets, Bahá’u’lláh and the ran to assist the man, freed him, and
Báb, if They are truly of the Truth, then notified the local police.
ask Them to prevent the execution of Sadly, the story does not end hap-
this verdict…” pily there. In late July 2008, the same
Two days after he received the businessman was arrested and driven
threatening letter, the businessman was to Tehran, where he was accused of
walking towards his car when an indi- fabricating the story about his threat-
vidual approached him with an empty ened burning as a way of defaming the
gasoline container and asked for fuel. Islamic regime. He refused to “confess”
The man claimed that his family was and so was beaten, hung by his arms for
in the car and he needed some fuel to hours, and burned with cigarettes before
get to the nearest gasoline station. The being released on 3 August 2008.
Executive Summary | 7
The Bahá’í Faith: The Faith’s Founder is Bahá’u’lláh, a
A global community Persian nobleman from Tehran who, in
the mid-nineteenth century, left a life
of princely comfort and security and,
in the face of intense persecution and
FOUNDED A CENTURY and a half deprivation, brought to humanity a stir-
ago in Iran, the Bahá’í Faith is ring new message of peace and unity.
today among the fastest-growing Bahá’u’lláh claimed to be nothing less
of the world’s religions. With more than than a new and independent Messenger
five million followers, who reside in vir- from God. His life, work, and influ-
tually every nation on earth, it is the ence parallel that of Abraham, Krishna,
second-most widespread independent Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Christ, and
world religion, surpassing every faith Muhammad. Bahá’ís view Bahá’u’lláh
but Christianity in its geographic reach. as the most recent in this succession of
People of every Bahá’ís reside in more than 100,000 divine Messengers.
nationality, race, ethnic localities around the world, an expan- The essential message of Bahá’u’lláh
group, and religious sion that reflects their dedication to the is that of unity. He taught that there
background have ideal of world citizenship. is only one God, that there is only
declared their belief The Bahá’í Faith’s global scope is one human race, and that each of the
in the Bahá’í Faith. mirrored in the composition of its world’s religions represent stages in the
Shown here is a group membership. Representing a cross sec- revelation of God’s will and purpose for
of people from around tion of humanity, Bahá’ís come from humanity. In this day, Bahá’u’lláh said,
the world who have virtually every nation, ethnic group, cul- humanity has collectively come of age.
volunteered to serve ture, profession, and social or economic As foretold in all of the world’s scrip-
at the Bahá’í World class. More than 2,100 different ethnic tures, the time has arrived for the unit-
Centre in Haifa, Israel. and tribal groups are represented. ing of all peoples into a peaceful and
8 | THE BAHá’í QUESTION
Above: Entrance to the Shrine of
Bahá’u’lláh, near Acre, Israel.
Right: Glowing terraces surround the
Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel.
Bahá’ís reside in
more than 100,000
integrated global society. “The earth is
localities around the
but one country, and mankind its citi-
world, an expansion
zens,” He wrote.
For a global society to flourish, that reflects their
Bahá’u’lláh said, it must be based on dedication to the
certain fundamental principles. They ideal of world
include the elimination of all forms
citizenship.
of prejudice; full equality between the
sexes; recognition of the essential one-
ness of the world’s great religions; the
elimination of extremes of poverty and
wealth; universal education; the har-
mony of science and religion; a sus-
tainable balance between nature and
technology; and the establishment of a
world federal system, based on collective
security and the oneness of humanity.
Executive Summary | 9