Baha'i Community in India Distressed by Persecution of Iranian Baha'is

The Baha’i community in India has been deeply distressed by the war in Iran, which has seen an uptick in persecution of Iranian Baha’is. Many Indian Baha’is originally came from Iran and continue to have relatives in that country. With the Islamic Republic regime tightening its grip and brutally crushing any internal opposition during the conflict, the crackdown has been harsh on Iranian Baha’is, the country’s largest non-Muslim minority community.

“There’s a history of persecution of Iranian Baha’is that became a systematic state policy after the 1979 Islamic Revolution,” says Nilakshi Rajkhowa, representative of the Baha’i office of public affairs. “Whenever there is a crisis in Iran, Baha’is are made scapegoats. The Islamic Republic constitution doesn’t even recognise the Baha’i faith, and there was even a 1991 memorandum that called for blocking the development of Baha’is from all sides. ”

The Islamic Republic has long denied Baha’is basic rights such as access to education, govt employment, and even cemeteries to bury their dead. During the latest conflict, dozens of Baha’is have been detained, charged or prosecuted without due process. They include cousins Peyvand and Borna Naeimi. According to Iran Human Rights, 30-year-old Peyvand was arrested on Jan 8 in Kerman. He was accused of encouraging other Iranian youth to protest, wasn’t given a lawyer, and was reportedly subjected to torture in detention, including mock executions. Borna was arrested on March 1 and similarly subjected to torture. The authorities extracted forced confessions out of the cousins under extreme duress for the killing of three security personnel, according to the Baha’i International Community and Amnesty International.

The most common allegation levelled against Baha’is in Iran is espionage at the behest of Israel. “This is complete nonsense. The founder of the Baha’i faith, Baha’u’llah, was exiled in the 19th century, and his final resting place is near Haifa in modern-day Israel. The Islamic Republic regime keeps linking Baha’is to Israel because of this. But modern Israel didn’t even exist back then, it was part of the old Ottoman Empire,” says Farah Motallebi, who was born and raised in Tehran. “Last July, my mother-in-law passed away in Shahrood in eastern Iran, where she was denied burial. They had to carry her body 300 km to another city for burial. This is the consistent persecution we have faced for 40 years.”

Another Iranian-origin Indian Baha’i, Romina (name changed), details her family’s tribulations. “My sister was arrested and jailed along with her one-month-old baby in 1980. She also had a two-year-old child at the time, whom she had to leave at home all alone. My sister’s crime? She was accused of teaching children – the Iranian regime treats Baha’is as ungodly, and therefore, they are barred from teaching, especially value education classes. ”

“Yes, the regime recognises Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism. But not any faith that has come after Islam,” says Motallebi. “Baha’is, therefore, are automatically excluded by the regime, making them easy targets for scapegoating.” Romina adds, “Our faith teaches us to be faithful to the country and govt of our residence. Iranian Baha’is want to help Iran. But the Islamic regime doesn’t see Baha’is as equal citizens. ”