Article18 has partnered with seven other organisations to ask senior UN figures not to forget Iran’s persecuted Christians in future reports about the human rights situation in the country.

In letters sent this week to the UN’s secretary-general, António Guterres, and the special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, we asked that in all future reports they “include specific reference to the main victims of FoRB [freedom of religion or belief] violations”, including Christians.

We acknowledged that both UN figures have a broader focus on human rights and religious freedom in general, and also that the special rapporteur focused specifically on the persecution Christian converts in a previous report; however, we called for consistency in naming the main victims of FoRB violations in all reports.

We noted how neither the secretary-general’s report on Iran in May this year, nor the special rapporteur’s January report, contained a single reference to Iran’s persecution of Christians, though both called more broadly for Iran to “end discrimination” against religious minorities.

We welcomed the fact that both reports contained specific references to Baha’is and Gonabadi Dervishes – two other repressed religious-minority groups in Iran – but called for consistency in naming every victim, including Christians.

In the letter to the secretary-general, we further queried why his report made no mention of the concerning amendments earlier this year to Articles 499 and 500 of Iran’s penal code, which we noted have been called a “full-on attack on the right to freedom of religion and belief”, and which have already been used in the prosecution of Christian converts.

You can read the full text of both letters below.

Mr António Guterres
Secretary-General of the United Nations UN Headquarters
405 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
United States of America 

28 October, 2021 

Freedom of Religion or Belief in Iran: Request for raising of FoRB violations, with specific mention of affected minority groups 

Dear Secretary-General, 

We write as a cohort of organisations and individuals comprising of human rights advocates and practitioners, academics, and religious and secular personnel and leaders. We as a group hold a wide range of religious and political views, standing united as to human rights, including the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), and our desire to see human rights afforded to all, in Iran and internationally. We thank you for your dedication and great work in the cause of human rights. 

We refer to your interim report on Iran dated 14 May this year, published in advance of the 47th session of the Human Rights Council. We appreciate the report ́s recommendation in urging “the Government to protect the rights of all persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, and to address all forms of discrimination against them immediately”. We note specific reference to the Baha’i community, under the heading “Right to adequate housing and forced evictions”, rightly highlighting the important issue of the demolition and confiscation of their property. We also note the detailing, under the heading “Arbitrary deprivation of life in detention”, of the situation leading to the death of Gonabadi Sufi Behnam Mahjoubi. 

However, we are concerned that the report did not feature specific focus on FoRB violations. Additionally, it did not feature any specific references to other faith or non-religious minorities. Christians/converts to Christianity, being one of the main groups in Iran persecuted on account of religion or belief, were neither named in general terms, nor were there references regarding particular/individual matters concerning them. 

We are also concerned that the report did not cover the changes earlier this year made to Articles 499 and 500 in Iran’s Islamic Penal Code. The new provisions in these Articles “pose serious risks to the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion and belief”. Article 500 “launches a full-on attack on the right to freedom of religion and belief.” “[W]hile the new provisions impose a threat to anyone who refuses to subscribe to state-sanctioned beliefs and ideologies, they will disproportionately impact individuals belonging to religious and faith-based minorities and ethnic groups.” 

We recognise your concern is for all human rights abuses, including FoRB violations suffered by religious minorities and the non-religious. There are numerous communities in Iran who face FoRB violations, including Baha’is, Christians, followers of Erfan-e-Halgheh (Inter-Universalism), Jews, Mandaeans, the non-religious, Sufi Muslims such as Gonabadi Dervishes, Sunni Muslims, Yarsanis, and Zoroastrians. We respectfully request that the issue of freedom of religion or belief be consistently included in future reports and correspondence, and that specific references to the main victims of FoRB violations be included. 

We thank you for your vital efforts in bringing about positive change in our world, and we thank you for your time in considering this correspondence. 

With our best wishes,

Middle East Concern
Article 18
Church in Chains
Crown Christian Heritage Trust
Prayer Pioneers 
Steadfast Global
Stefanus Alliance
The World Evangelical Alliance 

Professor Javaid Rehman
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran United Nations Office at Geneva
Palais des Nations
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland 

26 October, 2021 

Freedom of Religion or Belief in Iran: Request for continued raising of FoRB violations, specifically mentioning affected minority groups 

Dear Special Rapporteur, 

We write as a cohort of organisations and individuals comprising of human rights advocates and practitioners, academics, and religious and secular personnel and leaders. We as a group hold a wide range of religious and political views, standing united as to human rights, including the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), and our desire to see human rights afforded to all, in Iran and internationally. 

Foremost, we thank you for your dedication in the cause of human rights, including in FoRB matters. We greatly appreciate the extent and quality of your work concerning all forms of human rights abuses in Iran, encompassing the FoRB violations suffered by minority religious groups and the non-religious. 

We refer to your report on Iran dated 11 January this year, published in advance of the 46th session of the Human Rights Council. We appreciate the report ́s coverage of FoRB issues faced by minorities and your related calls upon the authorities. We gladly note specific references to Baha’is and Gonabadi Dervishes. We are concerned the report did not feature any specific references to other minority groups such as Christians/converts to Christianity, being one of the main groups persecuted on account of religion or belief. We note Christians and other minorities were neither named in general terms, nor were there references regarding particular/individual matters concerning Christians or other minorities. 

We appreciate other of your reports and letters as Special Rapporteur on Iran have featured specific focus and specific references concerning the Christian community and other minority groups. We recognise your concern is for all human rights abuses, including those of minority faiths and the non- religious who are the subject of FoRB violations. 

There are numerous communities in Iran who face FoRB violations, including Baha’is, Christians, followers of Erfan-e-Halgheh (Inter-Universalism), Jews, Mandaeans, the non-religious, Sufi Muslims such as Gonabadi Dervishes, Sunni Muslims, Yarsanis, and Zoroastrians. We respectfully request that in future reports and letters as Special Rapporteur on Iran, you continue to consistently raise the issue of freedom of religion and belief, and that you include specific reference to the main victims of FoRB violations. 

We thank you for your vital efforts in bringing about positive change in our world. We thank you for your time in considering this and other correspondence that you receive from many of us. 

With our best wishes,

Middle East Concern
Article 18
Church in Chains
Crown Christian Heritage Trust
Prayer Pioneers 
Steadfast Global
Stefanus Alliance
The World Evangelical Alliance