The Australian Baha’i Community launched a video today which zeroes in on Iran’s persecution of Baha’is and its failure to abide by its promises to the United Nations.
Spokesperson Natalie Mobini said the video is appearing days before Iran fronts up to the UN Human Rights Council to explain which of the recommendations made during the 2014 review of its human rights record it intends to accept.
“The authorities have a policy to destroy the 300,000-strong Iranian Baha’i Community, which is the biggest non-Muslim religious minority in that country,” Dr Mobini said.
“Despite the past commitments Iran has made to the United Nations, the persecution of Baha’is has become more systematic and widespread over the past four years,” she said.
Using graphics and narration, the video begins by citing such government strategies as wrongly imprisoning Baha’is, obstructing them from earning a livelihood, subjecting them to hate campaigns in the media and restricting their ability to practice their religion.
It then moves on to place particular emphasis on the government’s denial of access to higher education for the Baha’is, and the constructive response by the members of that faith in establishing an informal initiative called the “Baha’i Institute of Higher Education” (BIHE).
The Iranian authorities reacted to Baha’is educating themselves by rounding up BIHE teachers and administrators and sentencing them to long prison terms.
On 18 December 2014 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution co-sponsored by Australia which expressed “deep concern at serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations” in Iran.
It listed specific concerns over the “alarming high frequency” of executions in Iran, its use of torture, widespread restrictions on freedom of assembly and expression, discrimination against women, and the persecution of minorities, including members of the Baha’i Faith.
Take action and voice your concern about the denial of access to higher education for the Baha’is in Iran by visiting #educationisnotacrime