The Constitution of Iran states that Islam is the official state religion, and the
doctrine followed is that of Ja'afari (Twelver) Shi'ism. The Constitution provides
that "other Islamic denominations are to be accorded full respect," while the country's
pre-Islamic religious groups--Zoroastrians, Christians, and Jews--are recognized
as "protected" religious minorities. However, Article 4 of the Constitution states
that all laws and regulations must be based on Islamic criteria. In practice, the
Government severely restricted freedom of religion.
During the reporting period, respect for religious freedom in the country continued
to deteriorate. Government rhetoric and actions created a threatening atmosphere
for nearly all non-Shi'a religious groups, most notably for Baha'is, as well as
Sufi Muslims, evangelical Christians, and members of the Jewish community. Reports
of Government imprisonment, harassment, intimidation, and discrimination based on
religious beliefs continued during the reporting period. Baha'i religious groups
reported arbitrary arrests, expulsions from universities, and confiscation of property.
Government-controlled broadcast and print media intensified negative campaigns against
religious minorities, particularly the Baha'is, during the reporting period.
There were no reports available on societal abuses or discrimination based on religious
affiliation, belief, or practice.
Although the Constitution gives Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians the status of
"protected" religious minorities, in practice, those who are not Shi'a Muslims faced
substantial societal discrimination. Government actions continued to support elements
of society that created a threatening atmosphere for some religious minorities.
The U.S. Government makes clear its strong objections to the Government's harsh
and oppressive treatment of religious minorities through public statements, support
for relevant U.N. and nongovernmental organization (NGO) efforts, as well as diplomatic
initiatives. Every year since 1999, the U.S. Secretary of State has designated the
country as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) under the International Religious
Freedom Act for its particularly egregious violations of religious freedom.
The Islamic Republic of Iran, with a population of approximately 70 million, is
a constitutional, theocratic republic in which Shia Muslim clergy dominate the key
power structures. Government legitimacy is based on the twin pillars of popular
sovereignty-–albeit restricted--and the rule of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic
Revolution. The current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was not directly
elected but chosen by a directly elected body of religious leaders, the Assembly
of Experts, in 1989. Khamenei's writ dominated the legislative, executive, and judicial
branches of government. He directly controlled the armed forces and indirectly controlled
the internal security forces, the judiciary, and other key institutions. The legislative
branch is the popularly elected 290-seat Islamic Consultative Assembly, or Majles.
An unelected 12-member Guardian Council reviewed all legislation passed by the Majles
for adherence to Islamic and constitutional principles and also screened presidential
and Majles candidates for eligibility. In 2005 hardline conservative Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad
won the presidency in an election widely viewed by the international community as
neither free nor fair. Civilian authorities did not fully maintain effective control
of security forces.
The government's poor human rights record worsened, and it continued to commit numerous
serious abuses. The government severely limited citizens' right to change their
government peacefully through free and fair elections. The government executed numerous
persons for criminal convictions as juveniles and after unfair trials. Security
forces were implicated in custodial deaths and committed other acts of politically
motivated violence, including torture. The government administered severe officially
sanctioned punishments, including death by stoning, amputation, and flogging. Vigilante
groups with ties to the government committed acts of violence. Prison conditions
remained poor. Security forces arbitrarily arrested and detained individuals, often
holding them incommunicado. Authorities held political prisoners and intensified
a crackdown against women's rights reformers, ethnic minority rights activists,
student activists, and religious minorities. There was a lack of judicial independence
and fair public trials. The government severely restricted civil liberties, including
freedoms of speech, expression, assembly, association, movement, and privacy, and
it placed severe restrictions on freedom of religion. Official corruption and a
lack of government transparency persisted. Violence and legal and societal discrimination
against women, ethnic and religious minorities, and homosexuals; trafficking in
persons; and incitement to anti-Semitism remained problems. The government severely
restricted workers' rights, including freedom of association and the right to organize
and bargain collectively, and arrested numerous union organizers. Child labor remained
a serious problem. On December 18, for the sixth consecutive year, the UN General
Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution on Iran expressing "deep concern at ongoing
systematic violations of human rights."
Iranian Muslims turn to Christ despite threat, persecution!
Freedom of Religion 2008
The constitution states that Shia Islam is the state religion and that all laws
and regulations must be based on Islamic criteria. The constitution also nominally
protects other Islamic denominations, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Judaism;
however, the government severely restricted freedom of religion in practice, particularly
the Baha'i faith.
The central feature of the country's Islamic system was rule by the "religious
jurisconsult." Its senior leadership consisted principally of Shia clerics,
including the supreme leader of the revolution, the head of the judiciary, and members
of the Assembly of Experts and the Guardian Council.
Apostasy was punishable by death according to Shari'a law. There were no reported
instances of the death penalty being applied for apostasy during the year. On August
20, Intelligence Ministry officials in Mashhad arrested Ramtin Soodmand, a Christian
preacher, and took him to an unknown detention center. Authorities released Soodmand
in November, and at year's end he was awaiting trial on charges of "promoting
antigovernment propaganda," although his family maintained he was arrested
solely for expression of his religious beliefs. The government executed Soodmand's
father in 1990 for apostasy due to his conversion 30 years earlier from Islam to
Christianity.
The government continued to repress Baha'is and prevent them from practicing their
religion by closing their places of worship. It banned them from government and
military leadership posts, the social pension system, and public schools and universities,
unless they concealed their faith. The courts also denied Baha'is the right to inherit
property and refused to recognize Baha'i marriages or divorces. According to the
law, Baha'i blood is considered "mobah," meaning Baha'is may be killed
with impunity. The government repeatedly pressured Baha'is to recant their religious
beliefs in exchange for relief from mistreatment.
According to human rights groups, all seven members of the Baha'i national leadership
body and a total of at least 40 Baha'is were imprisoned at year's end.
On December 28, authorities on Kish Island arrested and interrogated Faegheh Rafeie
and eight of her relatives, including several minors, for discussing their Baha'i
faith with a local shopkeeper. Authorities released some members of the group the
following day but held others for two to three more days.
All religious minorities suffered varying degrees of officially sanctioned discrimination,
particularly in employment, education, and housing. In 2006 the UNSR for adequate
housing visited the country and reported that rural land, particularly that belonging
to minorities including Baha'is, was expropriated for government use, and owners
were not fairly compensated. Inheritance laws favored Muslims over non-Muslims.
According to human rights activists, the government continued to grow increasingly
intolerant of Sufism.
On November 16, a court sentenced Amir Ali Mohammad Labaf to a five-year prison
term, 74 lashes, and internal exile to the southeastern town of Babak for "spreading
lies," based on his religious practices as a member of one of the country's
largest Sufi sects, the Nematollahis or "Gonabadi Dervishes." Security
agents reportedly arrested numerous other Gonabadi Dervishes during the year in
other cities, including Isfahan and Karaj.
On December 30, security services arrested five members of the Sufi community without
official charges in Hormozgan province and confiscated their books and computer
equipment.
During the year clerics in Qom accused the Sufi community of "opposing Islamic
ideas." In 2006 police in Qom arrested approximately 1,200 Sufis and closed
a major center of Sufi worship.
With the exception of Baha'is, the government allowed recognized religious minorities
to conduct religious education of their adherents, although it restricted this right
considerably in some cases. The law required all Muslim students to take Islamic
studies courses.
Proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims was illegal. The authorities have been increasingly
vigilant in recent years in curbing proselytizing activities by evangelical Christians.
The government carefully monitored the statements and views of all religious leaders,
including the country's senior Muslim religious leaders. It restricted the movement
of several Muslim religious leaders who had been under house arrest for years and
continued to detain at least one dissident cleric, Ayatollah Boroujerdi, during
the year. The government pressured all ranking clerics to ensure their teachings
conformed to (or at least did not contradict) government policy and positions.
Societal Abuses and Discrimination
Government actions continued to support elements of society who created a threatening
atmosphere for some religious minorities.
Sunni Muslims and Christians encountered societal and religious discrimination and
harassment at the local, provincial, and national levels. Some Mandeans reportedly
fled the country in previous years to escape discrimination.
The government's anti-Israel stance, in particular the president's repeated speeches
decrying the existence of Israel and calling for the destruction of its "Zionist
regime," coupled with the perception among many citizens that Jewish citizens
supported Zionism and Israel, created a threatening atmosphere for the community.
Government officials also continued to make statements and organize events during
the year designed to cast doubt on the Holocaust.
On June 2, President Ahmadi-Nejad said that Israel "will be wiped off the pages
of history" and on August 24 that "the celebration of the elimination
of Zionism and destruction of the arrogant will soon be held."
On August 17, the president made remarks in which he referred to the Holocaust as
a "historical lie" perpetuated to justify Israel's existence.
On September 26, a Holocaust denial book by student members of the Basij was released.
The cover depicted a hook-nosed Jew dressed in traditional Jewish clothing drawing
outlines of dead bodies on the ground. Inside pages pictured bearded Jews leaving
and re-entering a gas chamber with a counter reading 5,999,999. Another picture
showed a hospital patient covered in an Israeli flag and on life support, breathing
lethal Zyklon-B gas used in the Holocaust.
In previous years several programs broadcast on state-run TV reportedly espoused
anti-Semitic messages; a domestic newspaper held a Holocaust denial editorial cartoon
contest; and the government sponsored a conference focused on denial of the existence
or scope of the Holocaust.
In recent years the government made the education of Jewish children more difficult
by limiting distribution of nonreligious Hebrew texts and requiring several Jewish
schools to remain open on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. There were limits on the
level to which Jews could rise professionally, particularly in government.
For a more detailed discussion, see the 2008 International Religious Freedom Report
at www.state.gov/g/drl/irf/rpt.