Imprisoned Baha’i Teacher Told to Repent in Exchange for Furlough
The authorities of Evin Prison have told imprisoned Baha’i educator Azita Rafizadeh that she will only be considered ...
Religious Freedom
Iranian-Jewish Worshippers Find Two Synagogues Ransacked and Vandalized in Shiraz
Unidentified assailants attacked two synagogues in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz on December 24 and 25, 2017, and destroyed or desecrated religious items, according to Sam Kermanian, an adviser to the Los ...
Baha’is Still Misunderstood in Iran, Says Former Leader After Serving 10 Years in Prison
Baha’i leader Behrouz Tavakkoli has spoken out about the Iranian government’s “misunderstandings” about his minority faith. Tavakkoli spoke to the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on December 15, 2017, 11 days after his release from Rajaee Shahr Prison where he served a 10-year-prison sentence for his religious beliefs. “Those ...
Judge Demands Political Prisoner Mohammad Ali Taheri Pick Lawyer from Judiciary’s List
Judge Salavati Often Assigned to Issue Harsh Sentences in Political Cases The judge who will re-sentence imprisoned spiritual thinker Mohammad Ali Taheri for the charge of “corruption on earth” has demanded that ...
Two Iranian Officials Publicly Break Rank and Discuss Discriminatory Policies Against Baha’is
Iranian officials are beginning to broach the previously taboo topic of religious discrimination in Iran. On the same day, two government officials publicly discussed discriminatory policies against Baha’is, one of Iran’s most severely persecuted minority faiths. “Today we have students being ...
Reformist MPs Call on Science Ministry to Allow “Starred” Student Activists to Attend University
Students accused of engaging in peaceful activism continue to be banned from attending university in Iran despite President Hassan Rouhani’s election campaign ...
Intelligence Ministry Pressures Two Sunni Rouhani Campaign Managers to Halt Peaceful Advocacy Efforts
Within the course of the same week, two Sunni Muslim politicians were warned by Iran’s Intelligence Ministry to stop advocating for Sunni Muslims rights, especially the inclusion of Sunnis in the president’s cabinet ...
Supreme Administrative Court Blocks Judicial-Parliamentary Agreement to Reinstate Zoroastrian City Council Member
The Supreme Administrative Court in Tehran has blocked an agreement by the speaker of Parliament and the head of the judiciary to reinstate Sepanta Niknam, a member of the Zoroastrian faith, to the Yazd City Council ...
83 Countries Vote to Pass UN Resolution Expressing “Serious Concern” over Human Rights in Iran
In an overwhelming sign of international support for human rights in Iran, 83 countries approved a resolution by the UN Third Committee today criticizing the state of human rights in the Islamic Republic ...
Former MP: Preventing Religious Minorities From Running in Iran’s Local Elections Violates Constitutional Rights
Passing legislation to restrict the rights of religious minorities in Iran would violate their rights as equal citizens, a prominent reformist former legislator told the Center for Human Rights in Iran. ...
Iran’s Rouhani Writes to Supreme Leader On Dispute Over Suspended Zoroastrian Council Member
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has condemned the recent suspension of a Zoroastrian member of a city council as “illegal” and asked the supreme leader to intervene in the growing dispute that has highlighted divisions within the state ...
After 10 Years in Prison, Faith Leader Fariba Kamalabadi Says Baha’is Hope to Serve Iran
In her first interview since being released from Evin Prison on October 31, 2017, Baha’i faith leader Fariba Kamalabadi said Baha’is “love” Iran and want to “serve” their country. “There have been a lot of reports about the rights that have been denied to Baha’is,” Kamalabadi told the ...
Iranian State Officials Clash Over Allowing Religious Minorities in Local Elections
Suspended Zoroastrian Councilman at Center of Debate The head of Iran’s judiciary has sided with proponents of banning religious minorities from local elections while the Rouhani government has reiterated their rights as citizens under ...
UN Special Rapporteur: Despite “Encouraging Signs,” Human Rights Deteriorating in Iran
Asma Jahangir, the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In presenting her semi-annual 2017 report on Iran to the United Nations ...
Iran’s Expediency Council to Decide Whether Religious Minorities Can Run in Elections
Yazd city councilman Sepanta Niknam holds up a book called Ghathas, the 17 ...
“Suspended” Zoroastrian Member of Yazd City Council Facing Uncertain Future
The head councilman of the city of Yazd, in southeastern Iran, has refused to carry out a court order suspending the membership of a fellow councilman who is a member of the minority ...
Exiled Members of Sufi Gonabadi Dervish Order Told to “Repent” or Serve Life in Prison
The sentences of a lifetime in exile issued against Mohammad Ali Shamshirzan and Hamid Arayesh of the Sufi order in Iran known as Gonabadi Dervishes ...
Former Sunni MP: Rouhani Government Failing to Uphold Minority Rights Despite Supreme Leader’s Call
The situation of Iran’s Sunni Muslims has not improved since Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei pointed out in a sermon that minorities are constitutionally protected from discrimination, a former Sunni member of Parliament told ...
Freed Iranian Baha’i Leader Mahvash Sabet Describes Unjust Trial, Prison Conditions
“We never betrayed our country and never will.” Mahvash Sabet, a leader of Iran’s persecuted Baha’i faith who was released from Evin Prison on September 18, 2017 after completing a 10-year sentence, said she was convicted of espionage charges despite non-existent evidence. “There were seven charges against us,” she ...
Iranian Baha’i Students Offered University Enrollment in Exchange For Renouncing Their Faith
Two members of the persecuted Baha’i faith in Iran have been offered university enrollment in exchange for renouncing their religion, according to information received by the Center for Human Rights in ...
Baha’i Leader Released from Prison in Iran After 10 Years; Six Other Baha’i Leaders Remain Behind Bars
Mahvash Sabet Finally Free But State-led Persecution of Baha’i Community Continues September 18, 2017—The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) welcomes the release of the Baha’i leader, Mahvash Sabet, who was unjustly imprisoned in Iran ...
Rouhani’s Broken Promises
Iranian President Rouhani is scheduled to speak this week at the 2017 UNGA in New York, but he won't mention his Broken Promises....
In Letter to Judge, Iranian-American Demands Freedom for Himself and Wife
Art Gallery Owners Karan Vafadari and Afarin Neyssari Held on Baseless Charges More Than One Year Without Trial Detained Iranian-American art dealer Karan Vafadari has written a letter ...
Taheri’s Death Sentence Will Not Stand, Says Hopeful Lawyer
The lawyer for imprisoned Iranian spiritual leader Mohammad Ali Taheri is optimistic that the latest death sentence against his client will again be turned down upon appeal. The ...