Iran Accused of Using Courts to Persecute Baha’i Minority
Sharp Rise in Reported Rights Violations
Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Baha’i International Community (BIC) have accused Iran’s government of increasingly using its judicial system to target members of the Baha’i religious minority. According to a joint report released on Wednesday, authorities have intensified discriminatory practices through arrests, prosecutions, and harsh court rulings.
The Baha’i community represents Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority. However, the report states that institutional discrimination against Baha’is has continued for more than four decades.
Persecution Cases Triple in One Year
Between June and November 2025, the BIC documented 750 acts of persecution against Baha’i individuals across Iran. This figure is three times higher than the number recorded during the same period in 2024, the report said.
These actions included arrests, property seizures, travel bans, and legal harassment. Human rights groups warn that the growing scale of these measures reflects a coordinated effort to pressure the community.
Allegations of Unfair Trials
HRW highlighted serious concerns over Iran’s legal process. The organization said courts reopened cases against Baha’i defendants even after acquittals. In other cases, judges issued harsh sentences despite Supreme Court orders for retrials or overturned convictions.
“These proceedings fall far short of fair trial standards,” HRW said, adding that Iran’s judiciary continues to use legal tools to suppress religious freedom.
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