Iran continues persecution of the Baha'i minority

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has declared that the ongoing persecution of the Baha'i minority by Iranian authorities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution amounts to a "crime against humanity".

Highlighting the systemic repression faced by Iran's largest non-Muslim minority, HRW detailed arbitrary arrests, property confiscation, education and employment barriers, and even denial of dignified funerals.

The organization emphasized that this severe deprivation of fundamental rights over decades necessitates international judicial scrutiny and increased pressure on Iran to cease these human rights violations.

Michael Page, Deputy Director of HRW for the Middle East, emphasized that the Baha'is in Iran are deprived of their fundamental rights not because of their actions but solely due to their religious affiliation.

He stressed the need for increased international pressure on Iran to end what he describes as a crime against humanity.

The Baha'i faith, a monotheistic religion founded in the 19th century in Iran and with its spiritual center in Haifa, Israel, often leads to accusations against its followers of being agents for Israel, a state opposed by Tehran.

Unlike other minorities in Iran, the Baha'i faith is not recognized by the constitution, and they have no parliamentary representation. 

The exact number of Baha'is in Iran is unclear, but estimates suggest several hundred thousand. 

Currently, at least 70 Baha'is are detained or serving prison sentences, with an additional 1,200 facing legal actions or convictions, as reported by the UN.