Iran condemns UN report alleging ‘atrocities’ in 1980s and persecution of Bahais

Jul 24. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Iranian government on Wednesday condemned a recently published report by a United Nations rapporteur in which he denounced “atrocities” in the 1980s that included crimes against humanity and a “genocidal intent” against members of the Bahai minority.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Naser Kanani has “harshly” criticized the report by the UN rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, and stressed that “it is an attempt by Iran’s enemies to damage the image of the Islamic Republic.”

Kanani has criticized Rehman for “using the last days of his mandate” to “pursue the agenda of a terrorist group,” referring to the People’s Mujahideen Organization of Iran (PMOI), while stressing that the accusations “have no legal basis.” “This person easily abuses his position at the United Nations and spreads fake news,” he said.

“United Nations officials, in particular those of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, have a legal responsibility to prevent the misuse and application of personal or group agendas with a bias against countries,” it said in a statement published on its website.

In this regard, he stressed that “Iran reserves its legal right to oppose this illegal process,” adding that “the enemies of the Iranian people, who failed to subdue the nation through terrorism, sanctions and other harmful measures, will not succeed in cleaning up their dark record and their inhuman and terrorist actions by taking advantage of international institutions and falsifying the facts.”

Kanani’s comments came two days after Rehman published a report in which he said Iranian authorities had carried out summary, arbitrary and extrajuducial executions between 1981 and 1982 and in 1988 against opposition members and members of minorities.

Among those executed were women, some of whom were raped before being executed, and “many children,” according to the report, which notes that these crimes against humanity also include torture and forced decisions.

“Bahais were targeted with genocidal intent and were subjected to persecution,” Rehman said, adding that “persecution against members of religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities, as well as political opponents, has continued with total impunity since the first decade of the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979.”

The Bahai faith is monotheistic and was founded in Iran in 1863 based on the teachings of Bahaula, whom they consider their prophet. This religion, considered a heresy by the Iranian Muslim authorities, contemplates a respect for the Torah, the Bible and the Koran, considering them to be part of a series of successive revelations from God.

Bahaullah was one of the disciples of Ali Mohamed, who two decades earlier claimed to be the ‘gate’ to the hidden imam, the Mahdi, and founded Babism. After years of persecution, he eventually escaped into exile and settled in Haifa and Acre – then in the Ottoman Empire and in present-day Israel – although he was eventually captured and shot in 1850 in the Iranian city of Tabriz.

Rehman denounced “a failure to ensure justice and accountability in Iran” and added that “the continued concealment of the whereabouts of thousands of political opponents and their remains amounts to a crime against humanity through forced disappearances.”

“There should be no impunity for such serious human rights violations, regardless of when they were committed. The Iranian regime and its leaders must not be allowed to escape the consequences of their crimes against humanity and genocide,” he said. “It is absolutely essential to have an independent international investigative and accountability mechanism for Iran.”