Human Rights Watch Labels Iran's Treatment of Baha'is as 'Crime Against Humanity'

For the first time, a leading international organization has officially recognized Iran's systematic persecution of the Baha'i minority as a crime against humanity, urging increased international pressure.

• Human Rights Watch reports decades-long systematic repression of Baha'is in Iran, including arbitrary arrests, property confiscation, and denial of education and employment opportunities.
• The persecution, labeled as a crime against humanity, falls within the scope of the International Criminal Court, highlighting severe deprivation of fundamental rights.
• Iran's official policies and laws systematically discriminate against Baha'is, denying them recognition and equal rights in society.
• Senior Baha'i community figures, including a 71-year-old poet and a 61-year-old, are currently serving 10-year jail sentences, exemplifying the harsh treatment faced by the community.
• UN member states are urged to support national prosecutions under the principle of universal jurisdiction and renew the UN Fact-Finding Mission's mandate to investigate human rights violations in Iran.

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