1.	Отказ в доступе к образованию
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4.1	Начальные и средние школы
We find it particularly intolerable that Bah?’? children and adolescents are being subjected to harassment, vilification and severe psychological pressure in primary, middle and high schools throughout Iran – and these abuses are committed by those who should rightfully hold their trust:  their teachers and school administrators.  

Мы считаем особенно недопустимым, что дети и подростки бахаи подвергаются преследованиям, поношениям и серьезному психологическому давлению в начальной, средней и высшей школах на всей территории Ирана – и эти нарушения совершаются теми, кто должен проводить свои права доверия: их учителями и школьной администрацией.


Many students have been forced to state their religion and then insulted, threatened with expulsion or dismissed from school.  Some were pressured to convert to Islam, told that they are apostates (punishable by death in Iran), or taught Iranian “history" using authorized texts that denigrate and falsify their religious heritage.  Many have been singled out or called to the front of the classroom as their Faith was vilified, causing some children to break down in tears.  All those who dared to respond were severely reprimanded.  In the most violent cases, Bah?'? students were abducted, accosted and/or beaten (by adults) on their way to or from school.  The extent and remarkably similar nature of the activity infers an organized effort.  In only two months, January/February 2007, some 150 incidents were reported from ten different cities.  Widespread abuse has continued ever since.  From October 2008 to February 2009, we received reports of well over 100 such incidents in a dozen different localities.

Многих студентов вынудили заявить о своей религии, а затем оскорбляли, угрожали отчислением или исключали из школы. Некоторых принудили принять ислам, их называли отступниками (карается смертной казнью в Иране), либо учили (обучали)  иранской "истории" с помощью официально принятых текстов, очерняющих и фальсифицировавших их религиозное наследие. Многих из них изолировали или вызывали перед всем классом, чтобы обливать грязью (поносить, унижать) их Веру, доводя некоторых детей до слез. Всех, кто осмеливался ответить, ждал строгий выговор. Во время самых жестоких инцидентов, учеников бахаи похищали, к ним приставали и/или избивали (взрослые) по пути в школу или из школы. Масштаб (степень) и удивительно сходный характер деятельности позволяют сделать вывод об организованных усилиях. Всего лишь за два месяца, январь / февраль 2007 года произошло около 150 инцидентов в десяти городах. Широкомасштабное злоупотребление продолжается до сих пор. С октября 2008 по февраль 2009 года мы получили сообщения о более чем 100 таких инцидентах в десятке разных местностей. 

In 2007, the Ministry of Education introduced a new high school registration form with a section on religion.  Some teachers strongly urged Bah?’? students not to declare their religion on this form.  Those who did – and others who identified themselves as Bah?'?s in other ways, for example by correcting misrepresentations of their Faith in class – have since been refused registration or expelled from their schools.  

В 2007 году Министерством образования была введена новая форма регистрации при поступлении в ВУЗ, с разделом о религии. Некоторые преподаватели настоятельно предупреждали студентов бахаи не заявлять о своей религии в этой форме. А тем, кто сделал и тем, кто определил себя как бахаи другими способами, например, путем исправления искаженного представления об их вере в классе – с тех пор было отказано в регистрации или же они были изгнаны из своих школ.  

In parallel, many schoolteachers were being “educated” about the Bah?’? Faith.  The materials provided for them perpetuate the same falsifications of Bah?’? history and teachings used by enemies of the Bah?'?s since their early days in Iran – and are remarkably similar to the defamatory propaganda disseminated through the media over the past five years.  

Параллельно с этим многим учителям давали «знания» о Вере Бахаи. Материалы, предоставленные им, увековечивают те же фальсификации истории бахаи и учений, какие использовались врагами бахаи с их первых дней в Иране – и удивительно похожи на клеветническую пропаганду, распространяемую через средства массовой информации на протяжении последних пяти лет. 

During 2007-2008, anti-Bah?’? leaflets were distributed in schools in at least three different towns, and efforts were made through the school system to identify Bah?’? students of all ages and the members of their families.  For example, a form circulated by the Education Department Management Security Office in Shiraz was to be completed for all students “who belong to religious minorities and the perverse Bahaist sect”. The form required information not only about the student and his/her parents, but also about all of the student’s siblings.  The entry for Religion listed only four options: “Christian”, “Jew”, “Zoroastrian”, and “Perverse Bahaist sect”. 

В течение 2007-2008 годов листовки, направленные против бахаи, распространялись в школах, по крайней мере, в трех разных городах, и были предприняты усилия посредством школьной системы найти учащихся-бахаи всех возрастов и членов их семей. Например, форма, распространенная Департаментом образования Управления безопасности в Ширазе должна была заполняться всеми студентами, «которые принадлежат к религиозным меньшинствам, и порочной секте бахаистов». В форме требовалось указать информацию не только о студенте и его / ее родителях, но и обо всех братьях и сестрах. В поле для записи религиозной принадлежности были перечислены только четыре варианта: "христианин", "еврей", "зороастриец" и "порочная секта бахаистов". 
 

4.2	Высшее образование
Members of the Bah?'? Faith continue to be denied access to higher education.  It is an official policy of the government to expel Bah?'?s from universities and vocational training institutions when they are identified as adherents of this religion.  All the Bah?'? students who have appealed against their expulsions with relevant authorities, and/or through the courts, have seen their cases rejected and dismissed.

Члены Веры бахаи по-прежнему лишены доступа к высшему образованию. Это официальная политика правительства исключать бахаи из университетов и профессиональных учебных заведений, когда они определены в качестве приверженцев этой религии. Все студенты бахаи, которые обратились против их изгнания к соответствующим органам, и / или через суды, видели их дела отклоненными. 

It should be recalled that the government had maintained for decades, as a requirement for entrance to public and private universities in Iran, that Bah?'? students renounce their Faith.  The authorities are well aware that Bah?’?s will not do so, as a matter of principle.  Because of this, an entire generation was denied access to higher education.

Следует напомнить, что правительство поддерживало на протяжении десятилетий, в качестве требования для поступления в государственные и частные университеты в Иране, что бахаи студентов отказаться от своей веры. Власти хорошо понимают, что Бахаи не будем этого делать, а дело принципа. Из-за этого, целое поколение было отказано в доступе к высшему образованию.
  

In 2004 and 2005, Bah?'?s were finally able to take the national university entrance exam without having to declare their religious affiliation.  Over 800 Bah?'?s did so for academic year 2006-2007; 480 passed the exam; but only 289 were admitted.  One by one, those who did begin their studies were identified as Bah?'?s and expelled, with over 160 expulsions by January 2007.  Many of those expelled were told verbally that this had been done because of their religion, but they found it very difficult to obtain written statements to that effect.  However, several official documents indicate that the expulsions constitute official policy.  

Chief among these is a communication from the director general of the Central Security Office of the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, sent some time in 2006 (the exact month and day are illegible on the copy obtained).  Addressed to 81 Iranian universities, the names of which were listed, the letter explicitly instructed them to expel any student who is discovered to be a Bah?’?, whether at the time of enrolment or in the course of his/her studies.   To enrol at these universities, students were required to fill out forms that included a declaration of religion, and during the academic year university authorities frequently asked students to identify their religion.  

The letter stated that the instructions were being promulgated under the provisions of “decree number 1327/M/S, dated 6/12/69 [25 February 1991]”.  This refers to the 1991 memorandum from the Supreme Revolutionary Council mentioned earlier (see page 2).  Among its provisions was the directive:  "They [Bah?’?s] must be expelled from universities, either in the admission process or during the course of their studies, once it becomes known that they are Bah?’?s". 

Another official letter, from the Central Security Office of Payame Noor University  to its regional branches (dated 2 November 2006), stipulated that:
“…according to the ruling of the Cultural Revolutionary Council and the instructions of the Ministry of Information and the Head Protection Office of the Central Organization of Payame Noor University, Bah?’?s cannot enrol in universities and higher education centres.  Therefore, such cases if encountered should be reported, their enrolment should be strictly avoided, and if they are already enrolled they should be expelled.” 

A related document (dated 17 March 2007) indicated that the security office of one of Payame Noor University's branches had implemented the instructions.  The office directed the President of that branch to “give the necessary instructions to prevent the enrolment of the Bah?’? applicants” and to “have the names of such applicants submitted to this office for its use”.   

The government has done nothing to reverse or counter these instructions, which were implemented throughout the country.  For academic year 2007-2008:
•	The application form for technical and vocational institutes, which had to be filled out to take the exam in these fields, included a declaration of religion that excluded Bah?'?s.  (The applicant was given only three choices:  Christian, Jewish or Zoroastrian; the form explicitly stated that if none of the boxes were marked, the applicant would be considered Muslim.)  The registration form for other institutions of higher education allowed Bah?’?s to take the exam without declaring a religious affiliation.  
•	Over 1,000 Bah?’? students took the exam in June 2007.  About 800 of these students were later informed that their exam papers would not be graded, and the reason given in all cases was “incomplete file”.  The numbers involved strongly suggest that this was yet another means to bar access to university for students known to be Bah?'?s.
•	Only 237 of those who took the exam were informed that their marks were satisfactory and that they could apply for admittance.  Fewer still – only 121 – were then allowed to select their field of study and admitted to universities nationwide.  By January 2007, of these 121, at least 36 students had either not been allowed to register or had been identified as Bah?'?s and expelled.

Meanwhile, all of the official efforts to identify members of the community finally generated a simple way to seal off access to university for students now known to be Bah?'?s.  Students who took the national entrance exam for academic year 2008-2009 were instructed to go to a specific website to obtain their results.  All those who had previously been identified as Bah?’?s were diverted to a page with the following URL (note the final word): http://82.99.202.139/karsarasari/87/index.php?msg=error_bah, where they received the message:  “Error: ‘Incomplete File. Forward correspondence to the Education Assessment Organization c/o P.O. Box 31535-3166, Karaj’”.  

Many students have written and appealed, using every available means of recourse, but not a single case has been decided in favour of a Bah?'?.  On the contrary, a number of court cases have upheld the government’s discriminatory policy.

Meanwhile, expulsions continue.  In early March 2009, three Bah?'? students were expelled from Sahand University in Tabriz and another, a young woman from Tehran, was expelled from Semnan University, where she had been able to begin her studies.  

We cannot but conclude that the authorities never intended to take the measures required to reverse the long-standing policies that continue to block access to higher education for those identified as Bah?’?s.  Enrolling a tiny, token number can only be seen as a tactic to counter protest and to deceive the international community.  Wasting the time and energy of hundreds of young Bah?’?s put them through serious emotional and financial stress, and it also enabled the authorities to identify them as adherents of the Faith.  

In the late 1980s, members of the community had established the Bah?’? Institute of Higher Education (BIHE), offering classes in private homes, with a number of specialized classrooms, laboratories and libraries scattered throughout the country.  The authorities interfered with the functioning of this institution several times and then, in 2004, ordered the Bah?’?s to suspend all educational activities and specifically to close the BIHE and the Advanced Bah?’? Studies Institute.  

The Bah?’? Faith places a high value on education.  Being denied access to university-level studies is demoralizing, and an erosion in educational levels inevitably leads to impoverishment.  Further information on this issue can be found at:  http://denial.bahai.org/index.php and http://www.bahai.org/persecution/iran. 

2.	Confiscation and destruction of community property
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Bah?’? cemeteries, holy places, historical sites, administrative centres and other assets were seized shortly after the 1979 revolution.  No community properties have been returned, and many have been destroyed.  Seizure of cemeteries in some localities has had particularly painful consequences, as many Bah?’?s are now given access only to areas of wasteland designated by the government for this purpose.  

The destruction of the cemetery in Yazd in 2005 has already been mentioned above.  Other Bah?'? cemeteries were attacked and extensively damaged from 2006 to 2008, some partially or entirely demolished.  Desecrations of Bah?’? cemeteries or graves were reported in 19 different localities.  The Bah?’? cemetery in Darzikola (near Ghaemshahr) was attacked three times in four months in 2008.  The graves were repeatedly desecrated, and on 19 January 2009 officials came to the cemetery again and razed it.  Also in January 2009, government workers entered a cemetery in Tehran and destroyed a section known as the burial ground of “infidels”.  Among the graves were those of a number of Bah?’?s, prominent members of the community killed by government agents during waves of persecution in 1980, 1981 and 1984.

In January 2004 a sacred site in Babul was destroyed that had great religious significance to all Bah?’?s:  the resting place of Mulla Muhammad-'Ali Barfurushi, known as Quddus (the most holy).   The destruction was carried out with full cooperation from the authorities, despite appeals and intervention by local Bah?’?s, who were even prevented from retrieving the sacred remains.  

In June the same year, another sacred place was demolished:  the house in Tehran that had belonged to the father of Bah?'u'll?h, a site associated with an important period in the history of the Faith.  Following instructions issued by Ayatollah Kani, demolition was carried out in the presence of the Ayatollah’s sons and Intelligence Ministry officials.  The Iranian Bah?’?s found out that the mayor’s office had received written instructions not to interfere with events pertaining to the building.  They also talked to a few reporters, who discovered (through a computer search) that the demolition of this house was included in the list of topics about which they were not permitted to report. 



3.	Confiscation of property belonging to individual Bah?’?s
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The property rights of individual Bah?’?s are generally disregarded in Iran.  Bah?’? homes are frequently searched and personal belongings are seized.  Most of those arrested during the past four years have had their homes raided and numerous items confiscated, in particular personal computers, copying machines, and all books, photos, printed material or other possessions related in any way to Bah?'? activities.  

Since 1979, officials have confiscated a large number of private and business properties, homes, farms and shops belonging to Bah?'?s throughout the country.  Some cases were taken to court, but the judgements handed down demonstrated that the authorities continue to consider the Bah?'? Faith as an illegal movement and to legitimise human rights violations against Iranian citizens who are members of the community.  

4.	Denial of employment, pensions and other benefits
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The Iranian government has been carrying out a multifaceted scheme – well organized, widespread and systematic – to deny Bah?'?s the right to employment.  In hundreds of cases over the past four to five years, officials have acted in many and various ways to make it impossible for Bah?'?s to earn a living, following the implementation of government orders to identify all members of the community.  Official documents prove that these abuses are government policy.  

One of these documents is a letter dated 9 April 2007, in which the Public Places Supervision Office (Province of Tehran) gave orders to the commanders of police and heads of public intelligence and security throughout its region.  The letter specified restrictions to prevent members of the “perverse Bahaist sect” (as well as members of anti-revolutionary political organizations and other illegal groups) from engaging in certain occupations.  The orders stipulated that Bah?’?s are to be denied work permits or licences for over 25 kinds of business, specifically listed, and also to be barred from all “high-earning businesses”.   

Furthermore, an official form is to be filled out and signed by all who apply for business licences, requiring the applicant to declare his/her religion and undertake to: 
…adhere to and uphold the moral principle of the law and regulations of the Public Places Supervision Office and the laws and authority of the Islamic Revolution… [and accede that] …in the case of the slightest wrongdoing, the [same] Office has the authority to impede my activity without adhering to any legal or administrative proceedings, and I, consequently, do not have grounds for any objections.
In this manner, the authorities are attempting to deny legal recourse to those targeted by the discriminatory regulations.

