The Guardian posted up a very thorough and expansive interactive guide on Iran’s prisoners of conscience — many of whom are Baha’i. The guide logs 870 activists, lawyers, politicians, artists and religious and ethnic minorities and provides an effective visual tool of understanding the Iranian regime’s persecution of dissidents and minorities. The seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned on trumped-up charges of spreading-anti regime propaganda are included, as well as several other lesser-known Baha’is.

Explore the guide here.

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2. The Persecution of Baha’is: an Interactive Timeline For the past 30 years, followers of the Baha’i Faith...
3. Trial of 7 Baha’i leaders delayed yet again The trial of the seven Baha’i leaders in Iran set...

News

UN Experts Call for Immediate Release of Imprisoned Iranian Baha’i Leaders (International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran – May 13th)

Four high-level U.N. experts released a press statement last Monday that the treatment of Iranian Baha’is is unnacceptable and called for the release of the seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned in 2008. “These seven Baha’is are imprisoned solely for managing the religious and administrative affairs of their community,” said Mr. Malick Sow, head of the UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, “These persons were condemned after trials which did not meet the guarantees for a fair trial established by international law.” The U.N. experts said there was no justifiable reason the leaders were prisoned and urged the Iranian government to improve living conditons for all Baha’is in Iran.

UK religious leaders call for release of imprisoned Baha’is (Bahai International Community – May 14th)

Religious leaders in the U.K. met with the Minister for Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, with a letter addressed with Foreign Secretary William Hague urging him to renew his support for the release of the seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned in Iran on Tuesday. Their letter contained heavy criticism of Iran’s persecution of Baha’is and other religious minorities. Burt accepted the letter, saying, “Iran should stop the repression of any group on the grounds of their religion or belief, should respect the human rights of all its citizens, and engage seriously with the international community on improving its human rights record.”

The goods of the store of a Baha’i citizen were confiscated (Iran Press News/HRANA – May 14th)

In Bojnord, Iran, security officials raided the cosmetic beauty business of Hooshmand Sanaie, a Baha’i resident. They confiscated all the goods. Government officials had ordered the shutdown of the store a few months ago. Sanaie had also previously been detained by Bojnord intelligence last year, along with his wife, Sho’leh Shaidi, and son, Shayan Sanaie.

Nika and Nava Khalusi charged and tried (Sen’s Daily – May 16th)

The Khalusi sisters, who were arrested last August and released on a bail of 3 billion rials each, have been charged with “membership of the Bahai organisation, participation in illegal Bahai activities, and propaganda in favour of the Bahais and against the regime of the Islamic Republic”. They currently await trial. Last year, when they were temporarily detained, the two sisters spent 185 days in jail.

Iranian prisoners of conscience protest the detention of BIHE staff (Sen’s Daily/HRANA – May 17th)

May 22nd marks the second anniversary of a raid of 30 educators associated with the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education in Iran. A total of sixteen BIHE educators were arrested on May 22nd, 2011. Prisoners of conscience in Raja’i Shahr prison have signed an open letter in commemoration of the anniversary, calling for the release of those imprisoned “whose only crime was spreading knowledge and science”. There are twelve signatories on the letter.

Father and daughter freed in Semnan (Sen’s Daily/HRAN – May 18th)

“Gudarz Bidaqi and his daughter Roufiya Bidaqi, two Baha’is arrested in March 2011 after being accused of propagandizing against the regime and participating in Baha’i activities, have been released. They were held in Senman prison for more than a year. Gurdarz Bidaqi is expected to serve a two-year sentence in exile as well. “

Opinion 

Vargha Taefi: The Anguish of Separation (The Sydney Morning Herald)

“My mother, who is innocent of any crime, has been held in Iranian prisons since May 14, 2008, because of her religion. She is a member of the Baha’i faith. She is serving a 20-year sentence, and this week marks the fifth year since her arrest.”

Omid Djalili: Iran must free the Bahá’í leaders who have been jailed for five years too many (The Guardian)

“A community is under siege: it is one of the most appalling examples of the persecution of religious minorities in Iran today. The Iranian government must respect the rights of all its minorities, release the seven leaders, and emancipate the Bahá’í community.

But the Bahá’ís have never been helpless victims of their tormentors. Iran’s government abuses them and countless others; the Bahá’ís respond with a peaceful determination to serve their fellow Iranians and offer a hopeful vision of the future.”

Kit Bigelow: Behind Bars: Baha’is Imprisoned for Beliefs (BahaiTeachings.org)

“They went to prison for one reason only: their belief in the Baha’i Faith. If they were willing to recant their Faith, they could be released from prison; they could be reunited with their families and hug again their children; they could sleep again on beds; they could eat healthy food to regain their strength; they could receive urgent and necessary medical attention.”

Other 

Video: Fiver Years Too Many (Thanks Afshin)

Petition: Free Baha’i Member Behfar Khanjani

Music: A Song for Yaran

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The anniversary of the arrest of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran is on May 14th. As the day approaches, members of the Baha’i community are remembering the seven leaders and renewing the call the release them. In Gorgan, Iran, more arrests have been made of Baha’i members. Check out the round-up below.

News

Rainn Wilson’s Baha’i Background and Iran’s Prisoners of Conscience (Roll Call – May 7th)

Actor Rainn Wilson, known best for his role on the American TV show The Office, brought Baha’i rights to U.S. headlines when he spoke at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s commemoration for the five imprisoned Baha’i leaders in Iran. The Baha’i actor wants to raise awareness of the Baha’i plight in Iran and around the world.

Five years on, Baha’is appeal for release in Iran (AFP/France 24 – May 8th)

As the anniversary of the imprisonment of the seven Baha’i leaders nears, members of the Baha’i faith around the globe revitalized the effort to have the leaders released. They call for international attention on the issue and reiterate a need to ramp up pressure on the Iranian government. “There is this misconception that Iran doesn’t care what other governments and organizations think about it, but they do care,” said U.S. actor and Baha’i Rainn Wilson, “They care greatly about the fact that they’re perceived as being so backward and inhumane and unjust.”

A Baha’i is arrested in Gorgan (HRANA – May 10th)

HRANA reports a Baha’i resident of Gorgan was arrested on the evening of May 7th after her home was searched by intelligence agents. Shahidi is the wife of Kamal Kashani, another Baha’i was arrested 6 months ago with five others. They have not been sentenced with a crime.

Persecution of Baha’is continues in Iran (Daily Press – May 12th)

The seven Baha’i leaders are only a few of thousands being persecuted in Iran. Detained arbitrarily on ambigous charges, they suffer harsh conditions in prison with little hope of being released. For example, Mahvash Sabet, a schoolteacher arrested on March 5th, 2008. She was charged with propaganda against the Islamic republic. As Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority, Baha’is are often also subject to random home searches and aggressive questioning by intelligence agents. The international community is increasing pressure on the regime to release the seven leaders and other Baha’is being imprisoned unfairly.

“Five Years Too Many” campaign gathers momentum (Baha’i World News Service – May 12th)

The Baha’i International Community’s “Five Years Too Many” campaign to release the seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders has attracted international attention.

Opinion

Lloyd Axworthy: Everyone talks nukes, but don’t forget about Iran’s imprisoned Baha’i leaders (The Globe and Mail)

“The Baha’is reflect the cultural diversity of the people that make up Iran. They harbour no partisan loyalties and their contributions to the educational, scientific, and cultural advance of Iran since the religion emerged in the nineteenth century are significant. While the Baha’i Faith is an independent religion with a prophet-founder, Baha’u’llah, they respect the Prophet of Islam, just as they honour Iran’s classical heritage and the religion of ancient Persia, Zoroastrianism. They are not militant and have no intention of bringing down the regime, despite such false accusations by their oppressors.”

Robert Joustra: Educating the world about Iran’s persecution of the Baha’i faith (The National Post)

 ”The Iranian regime teaches that Baha’is are subhuman, irrational, illegitimate citizens and traitors. Scores have been executed after closed-door trials, banned or driven from posts in universities or government. Baha’i properties, including cemeteries, libraries, businesses and schools have been demolished or confiscated. Article 297 of the Iranian penal code, which previously stipulated that a smaller amount of blood money could be paid to a family for deaths of non-Muslims, was changed in 2004 to make for equal payment; but this does not apply to Baha’is, whose blood is held to be mobah: They may be killed with impunity.”

Send us links for the weekly round-up here.  

Related posts:

1. Baha’i Rights Media Round-Up: Week of May 6th, 2013 News 67-year-old Baha’i Prisoner’s Psychological and Physical Health Suffers (International Campaign...
2. Baha’i Rights Media Round-Up: Week of May 20th, 2013 News UN Experts Call for Immediate Release of Imprisoned Iranian...
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News

67-year-old Baha’i Prisoner’s Psychological and Physical Health Suffers (International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran – April 26th)

Riaz Sobhani was arrested and imprisoned in June 2011 for allegedly giving money to the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education. While serving his 4-year sentence, the 67-year old prisoner has reportedly suffered from an acute heart condition that has made his incarceration difficult. His family alleges that prison conditions are unhygienic and harmful to a man in his state. They also say that prison authorities have kept Sobhani from receiving appropriate medical attention and forced him back to prison two days after undergoing surgery. Though his sentence was upheld at the appeals level, his family hopes he’ll be released after he serves two years. 

Another Baha’i mother went to prison with her baby (HRANA – April 28th)

The Human Rights Activists News Agency reports that Elham Ruzbehi is the fourth Baha’i mother to be sent to prison with her baby. Ruzbehi will be serving a two-year sentence with her one-year old baby at the Senman prison. 

Two Bahai prisoners are transferred to Mashhad intelligence (HRANA – May 2nd)

Noura Nabil Zade and Sanaz Tafzili, both serving sentences at the Vakil Prison, were suddenly transferred to Mashhad intellegience last Wednesday with any notice or reasons. Authorities say they will be there for 10 days. Tafzili is serving a 6 month sentecne that is supposed to end on the 15th of May, unless authorities keep her at Mashhad for the full 10 days. Zade is serving  a 5-year sentence. 

Foreign Minister calls for immediate release of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran (Bahai.org – May 6th)

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Bob Carr released a statement Monday calling for the immediate release of the seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned in Iran. “Australia calls on Iran to respect the rights to freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and freedom of association,” he wrote in his statement. 

Baha’is face particularly severe violations amid deteriorating religious freedom in Iran, says US (Bahai World News Service – May 6th)

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued its annual report last week. The report analyzes the state of religious freedom in countries outside the U.S. Two pages were dedicated to the persecution of Baha’i devotees in Iran. ”The Baha’i community has long been subject to particularly severe religious freedom violations,” said the report. “Iranian authorities view Baha’is, who number at least 300,000, as ‘heretics,’ and repress them for ‘apostasy’ and other baseless charges.”

Opinion

Rachel Woodlock: Muslims must speak out against Iran’s un-Islamic persecution of Baha’is (ABC Australia)

“The most important Baha’i festival Ridvan, which does not have an Islamic analogue, is a twelve-day period (21 April – 2 May) celebrating the public announcement of Baha’u'llah’s mission. This year, as with every year, Baha’i commemorations around the world will be tinged with a sense of apprehension and worry about their Iranian compatriots, a situation admittedly made more difficult by their internal policy of applying sanctions against those Baha’is who lie about their religious identity in attempting to leave Iran. Surely, the lesser evil of lying should be permitted to avert the greater evil of suffering persecution?” 

Interview with Gissou Nia: The Fifth Anniversary of the Incarceration of Seven Baha’i Leaders in Iran (Foreign Policy Association)

“Where government is unwilling or unable to take a progressive stance, individual citizens should work towards deeper societal change so that the Iranian people as a collective whole become a buffer between the state and this persecuted minority—and act as their champion so that the persecution of this group becomes something that is unacceptable for the whole society.”

Extra

Petition: Free Baha’i Member Noura Nabilzadeh

Send us links for the weekly round-up here.  

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Last month Tunisian journalist Roua Khlifi began a series titled “Tunisia’s Spiritual Pluralism” about religious minorities in the country. The Baha’i community is small but significant, and came to Tunisia from Egypt about a century ago. Before 2011, Baha’is in Egypt were marginalized in significant yet subtle ways, such as denial of Baha’i teachings in schools, lack of acknowledgement of Baha’i customs and beliefs, and a general lack of social acceptance of the Baha’i community. Since the 2011 revolution in Tunisia brought in a new government, the situation for Baha’is is more unstable – there is a hope for improvement, but there also have been some setbacks.

Tunisia has yet to adopt a new constitution after the overthrow of the revolution, but the previous constitution left several things to be desired. The Baha’i faith is not recognized officially as a religion of Tunisia, and although discrimination isn’t written prima facie into the Tunisian constitution, and all faiths are supposed to be treated equally according to Article 5, there are vague articles that opened loopholes in terms of how the state can respond when it confronts a threat, or when it confronts something that threatens “security”. In addition, even in the new constitution a provision remains that states that only Muslims are allowed to be the president of Tunisia. The Tunisian government must formally recognize the Baha’i faith and address these concerns if it is to move forward.

In the struggle for religious acceptance and strong interfaith societies across the Middle East and North Africa, pervasive forms of persecution must be spotlighted alongside accounts of more brutal, obvious discrimination. Although Tunisia is not Iran, it still has room for improvement, from the microsocietal level to the macro, constitutional level. Khlifi’s article illuminates some disturbing ways in which Baha’is were discriminated against and used by the previous regime.

…Although practice of the faith is generally tolerated, members of the community reported some harassment during the former regime.

Jamal said he was called to the Ministry of Interior every few months, where authorities would question him about the Baha’i community.

“When I tried to renew my passport, they kept delaying the procedure and eventually proposed I become an informant,” he said. “Of course, I refused and with the help of some people I know, I got my passport back.”

Tunisia has yet to adopt a new constitution after the overthrow of the revolution, but the previous constitution left several things to be desired. The Baha’i faith is not recognized officially as a religion of Tunisia, and although discrimination isn’t written prima facie into the Tunisian constitution, and all faiths are supposed to be treated equally according to Article 5, there are vague articles that opened loopholes in terms of how the state can respond when it confronts a threat, or when it confronts something that threatens “security”. In addition, even in the new constitution a provision remains that states that only Muslims are allowed to be the president of Tunisia. The Tunisian government must formally recognize the Baha’i faith and address these concerns if it is to move forward.

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In response to the recent statements by the Egyptian Minister of Education Ibrahim Deif about implementing “conditions” for Baha’i children to be educated in government schools, the Baha’i community in Egypt has engaged in a serious conversation about the impact of the Egyptian government on their lives. Prominent Egyptian Baha’i leaders have summed up their reaction to the recent statements, for submission on the Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights.

Dr. Nabil Ali is the director of the website Baha’i Faith in Egypt. He offered the following commentary:

First of all, Egypt continues to argue that it recognises only the three “divine religions” and uses that excuse to discriminate against Baha’is and exclude them from their citizenship and civil rights. It should be made very clear, however, that it is not up to Egypt to make such determination, particularly when the Baha’i religion is recognised everywhere else as “divine.” Thus, the argument used to exclude Baha’is is baseless and without any merit. Regardless of this, citizenship should have nothing to do with religion or belief. It is the right of every human in his or her homeland.

Secondly, denial of education is only one piece of the injustices being faced by Egypt’s Baha’is, but it penetrates into the core of their existence as a community. The words used by the minister of education indicate an ominous undercurrent and a veiled threat that can open the door to unhindered wave of hatred and state-sponsored persecution.

One can only hope that this sorry state of affairs is only transient.

Shady Samir is a Baha’i Egyptian who can be found @ShadySamir on Twitter and on his site Egyptian Baha’i.

I believe the minister expressed his own views in an answer to a question that shouldn’t be asked in the first place. It’s a given that all Egyptian children have a right to education regardless of their belief. This is not a government policy as far as I know.

Bahai children are issued birth certificates stating a dash in place of religion. This is the only requirement to enroll in an Egyptian school, which they legally fulfill. As for religious studies in schools, Bahai children never had a problem with choosing to study either Islam or christianity as per their parents choice. The Bahai faith believes in progressive revelation and believes all God’s messages have the same divine source. We find it’s natural to study and understand all the holy books. In fact we do this systematically with our friends in interfaith devotional gatherings.

I grew up studying Islam in school while it was known to all my friends and teachers that I’m a Bahai. I was even top of my class in Islamic studies.

The Bahai faith has existed in Egypt for more than 160 years. Bahais have enrolled in Egyptian public and private schools since then facing no problems. Bahais have never requested to have Bahai classes at school. children of Bahai families are brought up as Bahai children at home and study virtues like love, unity, excellence, generosity, truthfulness in Bahai children classes that are open for children of any religious background.

Dr. Basma Moussa, who writes about Baha’i rights at Rose Bouquet, offered her commentary immediately upon discovering the Minster’s comments in the newspaper al Sabah. She says “we all used to attend [school] without conditions”, and questions the fairness of being taxed at the same rate as all Egyptians without being treated the same as all other Egyptians.

She only asks of the Minister of Education Ibrahim Deif to know what exactly are these conditions that Baha’i families must meet in order to enroll their children, and she awaits his response.

The Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights is also eager to know what the Minister’s conditions are, and will strive to not just reveal but to combat them as well.

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5 January 2013- Despite the new year, Egyptian Minister of Education Ibrahim Deif reiterated his old comments about the (lack of) acceptance of Baha’i children in Egyptian government schools in an interview with the Egyptian newspaper “Al Akhbar al Yowm”.

The newspaper asked:

ما موقف الوزارة من أبناء من يعتنقون الديانة البهائية, و هل لهم الحق في الالتحاق بمدارسها بعد اعتراف الدستور الجديد بالديانات السماوية الثلاث فقط؟

What is the position of the Ministry regarding the children of Baha’is, and do they have the right to register in government schools after the recognition in the new constitution of only the three monotheistic religions (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism)?

The Minister of Education, Ibrahim Deif, replied:

 هناك ديانات ثلاث معترف بها، و لن أعتزف بأي ديانة أجري، والتربية الديانية مادة اساسية و إذا استطاعوا استيفاء شروط الالتحاق بالمدارس فأهلا و سهلا بهم، و من لا يرضي بشروطي فلا مكان له عندي لأن الديانات المعترف بها دستوريا هي الديانات السماوية الثلاث فقط ولم يعترف بسواها

[The monotheistic faiths] are only three recognized religions, and no other faiths are recognized.  Religion is a crucial subject in school, and if [a student] is able to full the conditions of enrollment in government schools, then they are welcome. However, there is no place for anyone who does not accept these conditions because the only constitutionally recognized religions are the monotheistic faiths, and no others.

If readers find the tautologically confusing and meaningless response of the Minister of Education frustrating, then so do many others. Professor Basma Moussa, a Baha’i activist in Egypt, has a response of her own to the Egyptian Minister:

I have a question for the Minister. What are these conditions that are required for a Baha’i child to enroll in a public school, a school that we all used to attend without conditions, a school from which we succeeded and went on to hold prominent positions that serve our dear country, Egypt?  According to the new constitution itself, education is the right of every child, so please tell us, what are your conditions for an education so that Baha’i parents can figure out how to enroll their children in Egyptian schools, school that are built from the taxes that are taken from us, like they are taken from all Egyptians without discrimination. Please respond, thank you.

The Minister of Education’s remarks are an echo of his comments to another newspaper on November 30th, where he claimed “State law in accordance with government procedures only recognizes three religions, and the Baha’i faith is not among them. Thus their children do not have the right to register in government schools.” His new comments add unidentified “conditions” to the enrollment of Baha’i children in school, which is in fact more dangerous than closing the door entirely.

By claiming that there is a vague method for inclusion, the Egyptian government has the ability to discriminate against Baha’i children and the entire Baha’i community while claiming that there is nothing inherently discriminatory about their laws. Just like the new constitution affirms that “Freedom of belief is an inviolable right” while denying the legitimacy of any faith other than Islam, Christianity, or Judaism, the Minister of Education’s comments pave the way for a discriminatory policy against Baha’is that is given constitutional legitimacy.

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“Article 43: Freedom of belief is an inviolable right. The State shall guarantee the freedom to practice religious rites and to establish places of worship for the divine religions, as regulated by law.”
-Egyptian Draft Constitution 

On December 15th and 22nd, Egyptians turned out to decide whether they would adopt their new constitution. Although the results have not been formally announced, the draft charter seems to have passed, despite the protests and intense debates that surrounded it. Many aspects of the constitution were discussed, including the role of religion in the state, what powers are granted to the military, and how well the constitution upholds the ideals of the Jan 25 revolution.

However, one conversation has been given little room in the context of the larger debate; should this constitution be passed, what would its effects be on the status of Egypt’s Baha’i minority?

Despite the fact that the constitution proudly declares “The individual’s dignity is an extension of the nation’s dignity”, the general consensus is that the Egyptian constitution fails to protect many individuals, mainly its minorities. There are no explicit protections against legal discrimination against women, and although the authority of Christians and Jews is recognized “for their personal status laws, religious affairs, and the selection of their spiritual leaders” (Article 3), it is still established that “principles of Islamic Sharia are the principal source of legislation.

” (Article 2).

In the case of the Baha’is, they are not recalled in the constitution at all. Without even the minimal protections granted to Christians and Jews, the implementation of the constitution would likely continue the present marginalization of the Baha’i community. This lack of formal recognition has far reaching consequences. The Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights already revealed the Minister of Education’s remarks about denying Baha’i children educationin government schools. In addition, because the consitution does not grant protections to the Baha’i community, any Baha’i religious activity could potentially be prosecuted under Article 44, where “insult or abuse of all religious messengers and prophets shall be prohibited.”

The constitution in general gives much more room for established Islamic institutions such as al-Azhar to influence judicial decisions. Despite the presence of Article 43, which affirms “freedom of belief”, the constitution repeatedly establishes the role of the government in promoting Islamic and family values. At the very least, religious practices other than Islam will receive no support from the government, and likely will even be actively suppressed. For example, the phrasing of Article 215, which lays out the guidelines for the National Media Council, explicitly says that it will “observe the values and constructive traditions of society.” When mainstream Islamic scholars and long-standing institutions are the ones who influence the values and traditions of society, Article 215 leaves open the possibility that Baha’i media may be subject to censorship for failing to uphold the “constructive traditions of society.”

In essence, the draft constitution follows the lead of the Mubarak era in that it does nothing to protect the rights of Egypt’s Baha’i citizens. Unless all groups are explicitly allowed to fully function in society as equals, with the full right to Egyptian schools, media, and religious practice, then the demands of the January 25 revolution, for freedom and dignity for all, will go unfulfilled.

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Semnana Prison, Iran -  Zahra Nik-A’in and Taraneh Torabi are Baha’i women who have been sentenced to 20 and 23 months of prison respectively despite being mothers to small infants. Nak-A’in’s infant is 11 months old, and Torabi’s child is only 5 months old.

Both mothers and both children are allegedly in need of immediate medical care, which is not being provided in the Iranian prison system.

Foad Khanjani

Zahra Nik-A’in and Taraneh Torabi are not the only ones neglected in Iran’s prisons. Denial of medical care is a frequent tactic of intimidation used by Iranian guards, one that has been condemned by many organizations around the world. Former student Foad Khanjani was denied medical care for a cyst in his abdomen despite having permission from the authorities, and Afif Naimi wasn’t transferred to the proper medical facilities for five years, since his arrest in May 2008 to his transfer in November 2012.

A researcher for Amnesty International said that:

The bottom line is that delay and denial of medical care as a means to put pressure on prisoners in Iran, and the ones we deal with are mainly political prisoners, is documented, we’ve spoken openly about it, we’ve campaigned on it.

The denial of crucial medical treatment is meant to silence the voices of those who are lost in Iran’s prisons, particularly those of political prisoners, and Iran must be held accountable. In the case of Zahra and Taraneh, it is not only their lives but also the lives of their children that are at risk. Because those of the Baha’i faith are particularly vulnerable to excessive and unfair imprisonment in Iran, the denial of medical treatment in prison is an issue that strongly affects the Baha’i community.

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Much has changed in Egypt, but much has stayed the same. On November 30th Egyptian education minister Ibramim Deif gave an interview to the Egyptian newspaper al-Sabah. Amidst talks of Egypt’s changing education policy, one question affirmed the long standing legacy of marginalized minority religions such as the Baha’i faith across Egyptian society.

The newspaper asked:

“ما موقف الوزارة من ابناء من يعتنقون الديانة البهائية وهل لهم الحق في الالتحاق بمدارسها؟”
What is the position of the ministry regarding the right of Baha’is to enroll their children [as Baha'is] in school?

His response was:

“قانون الدولة وفق الأحوال المدنية لا يعترف سوى بثلاث ديانات ,البهائية  ليست منها  ولذا فأبناؤها ليس لهم الحق في الالتحاق بمدارس الوزارة.”
State law in accordance with government procedures only recognizes three religions, and the Baha’i faith is not among them. Thus their children do not have the right to register in government schools.

 

It is highly telling that the Egyptian policy of deep-rooted discrimination is reflected even these short lines from a casual interview. In order to truly reform in a more democratic direction, the Egyptian government must reform these laws that keep Egypt’s religious minorities on the margins.

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