Denying prisoners religious books, instruction violates rights – UN rapporteur

Denying prisoners religious books, instruction violates rights – UN rapporteur

Providing detainees with access to their holy books and religious instruction should be considered among the “minimum standards” that States must respect in order not to violate their rights, says the UN’s Special Rapporteur on FoRB

The suffocation and slow death of the Anglican Church in Iran

The suffocation and slow death of the Anglican Church in Iran

With no longer any bishop in the country, nor even visits of foreign-based bishops permitted, no churches open, and no possibility of new members, the future of the Anglican Church in Iran seems bleak.

Place to worship ‘integral’ to religious freedom

Place to worship ‘integral’ to religious freedom

Having a place of worship has been described as an “integral” part of religious freedom at the Human Rights Council […]

The Seed of The Sacred Fig gives terrifying glimpse of what persecuted Christians face

The Seed of The Sacred Fig gives terrifying glimpse of what persecuted Christians face

The types of psychological – and in some instances physical – torture shown in The Seed of the Sacred Fig mirror the testimonies of the dozens of Christians interviewed by Article18 in recent years.

UN hears contrasting narratives of life for Christians in Iran

UN hears contrasting narratives of life for Christians in Iran

Two side events the day before Iran’s Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations highlight once again the chasm between what the Islamic Republic says about its treatment of religious minorities and the reality of their lived experience.

Christian converts in Sweden: protests, migration policies and UN condemnation

Christian converts in Sweden: protests, migration policies and UN condemnation

The UN Committee Against Torture has four times found Sweden guilty of violation its convention for its decisions to deport Christian converts, underscoring persistent concerns about the country’s immigration practices.

Minorities: From Zarif’s imaginary world to the reality of discrimination in the Islamic Republic 

Minorities: From Zarif’s imaginary world to the reality of discrimination in the Islamic Republic 

Mohammad Javad Zarif emphasises “positive discrimination” for women and minorities, but it is the Islamic Republic that has been the main source of discrimination and oppression.

Iran ‘election’: When minorities become ‘citizens’ for a few days

Iran ‘election’: When minorities become ‘citizens’ for a few days

Iran’s hand-picked presidential candidates have used some nice phrases in recent weeks about the rights and “dignity” of the people of Iran in general, and women and minorities in particular, but they have lacked any substance.

‘Persecution of church members started first week of Revolution’

‘Persecution of church members started first week of Revolution’

As the 45th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution approaches, Article18 uses extracts from the book of the former bishop of […]

Religious minorities in Iran face cultural violence

Religious minorities in Iran face cultural violence

How education, art, urbanism and religious discourse have been weaponised by the Iranian state