Wednesday, December 18, 2024 | | | Rising support at UN General Assembly resolution criticizing Iran for persecution of Bahá'ís | | NEW YORK — The United Nations General Assembly has rebuked the Islamic Republic of Iran for its human rights violations, including against the Bahá'í community, saying in a new resolution that Bahá'ís and others faced "ongoing severe limitations and increasing restrictions" on the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief.
Eighty countries voted in favor of the resolution, with 27 against and 68 abstentions.
The vote marks an increase in General Assembly support for the annual resolution—which in 2023 received 78 votes in favor.
The resolution, sponsored by Canada and co-sponsored by 49 Member States, first adopted by the General Assembly's Third Committee in November, also calls on Iran to amend Articles 499 bis and 500 bis in its penal code.
The articles criminalize non-Muslim religious expression—exposing both recognized minorities and unrecognized religious minorities such as the Bahá'í community to baseless criminal charges. Bahá'ís have been arrested, tried without evidence of wrongdoing, and jailed, through these articles.
Bahá'ís have been targeted with hate speech and propaganda, restrictions on education and employment, and the arbitrary confiscation and destruction of property, the resolution says.
The Bahá'í community has been "subjected to a continued increase and the cumulative impacts of long-standing persecution, including attacks, harassment, and targeting, who face increasing restrictions and systemic persecution by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran on account of their faith and have been reportedly subjected to mass arrests and lengthy prison sentences, as well as the arrest of prominent members and increased confiscation and destruction of property," according to the resolution.
"The Bahá'í International Community is pleased to see this crucial United Nations resolution once again be confirmed by the UN General Assembly," said Bani Dugal, Principal Representative of the Bahá'í International Community to the UN.
"The international community must always remain firm in its duty to uphold human rights. Iran's government has never acknowledged the validity of these concerns, nor has it upheld its own human rights obligations under international law, and we can see the grim results. The Bahá'ís and all vulnerable minorities in Iran deserve the right to live their lives in dignity and freedom and the Iranian government must respect these rights," she added.
During the November vote at the Third Committee, Brazil's Mission to the UN said it "remains concerned by reports of violations against women, human rights defenders, and religious and ethnic minorities. We reiterate our support to the rights of the Bahá'ís, and other minorities to exercise their faith freely and peacefully without any discrimination."
The United Kingdom, meanwhile, citing recent calls across Iranian society for gender equality, called the "increased targeting of Bahá'í women" an "alarming escalation."
And Ghana championed the rights of "all segments of the Iranian society, including the adherents of the Bahá'í Faith who continue to report adversely on the promotion of protection of their rights."
Australia, Canada, Israel and the United States also called on the Iranian government to respect the rights of all religious minorities in the country. | | | | | UN resolution renews call to end Iran's persecution of Bahá'ís | | | | | | UN experts condemn Iran's persecution of Bahá'í women | | | | | | Iran's government must end "crime against humanity of persecution," says Human Rights Watch | | | Follow BWNS for regular updates | | Dear Edward Lorilla, you are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS) at news.bahai.org/subscribe/.
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