The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to bother Baha'is in times of grief

Hengaw _ Saturday, May 24th, 2025

The Islamic Republic of Iran continues its discriminatory treatment of Baha'is – even after death. In Rafsanjan, Baha'i families were forced to pay large sums of money in order to obtain funeral permits for their late relatives. These actions violate fundamental human rights, including religious freedom, dignity and the right to observe religious rituals at the time of death.

According to reports from the Hengaw organization for human rights and based on photo and video evidence, deep trenches were dug around the only Baha'i cemetery in Rafsanjan. These trenches seem to be aimed at blocking access to funeral sites – an act of systematic harassment and an attempt to isolate the Baha'i community.

Hengaw announced a local source that Baha'is in Rafsanjan is not allowed to use traditional corpse facilities. As a result, they are forced to wash and prepare bodies of the Behesht Zahra Cemetery in the open reason. This violates international human rights standards, in particular Article 18 of the International Federation for Civil and Political Rights, which also protects religious freedom at the time of death.

The report also states that families have to pay around 20 million tomans for a death certificate and a funeral permit, although they have not received any proper services in return.

Since March 2018, Golestan-E Javid Cemetery in Kerman, who was used confidentially by the Baha'i community, has been sealed by government commands. Since then, the cemetery in Rafsanjan has been the only tomb that is available in the region in Baha'is.

In a public meeting, Rafsanjans said Friday prayer leader Abbas Ramazani-Pour that Baha'is was seen as “impure” by Fatwas by Shiite clergy. Such statements refuel discrimination and justify the rejection of the most fundamental rights of the Baha'i community – also in mourning times.

Hengaw releases serious concern about the continued suppression of Baha'is in Iran and calls on the international human rights authorities – in particular the UN special rapporteur about religious freedom or belief – to react to these ongoing violations.

Source: Stall