Baha'is in Ivel, Iran, have no right to property
Iran's systematic persecution of the Baha'is
The Baha'is in Iran, the country's largest non-Muslim religious minority, have been systematically persecuted by the authorities for the past 40 years. Alarming reports from Iran indicate that the persecution is intensifying. In November last year, a series of raids were carried out around the country to confiscate the homes and belongings of Baha'is. Home raids across Iran indicate alarming increase in human rights violations against Baha'is, says Baha'i International Community
A short history on the Baha’is of Ivel
The Baha’i community in the village of Ivel in northern Iran was founded about 160 years ago. The majority of them are hard-working farmers who earn their living and subsistence solely through the land that has belonged to their families for generations. From the very beginning, they were committed to social, economic and cultural development. Amongst other things, the Baha'is in Ivel built schools and bathhouses. They assisted in earthquakes and in the care of war victims. They have, however, been under constant attack. For example, one attack took place in 1983 when Baha'is were expelled from their homes and barred from returning. Instead, 130 people, including children and the elderly, were locked into a mosque for three days without food or water. In 2010, up to 50 Baha'i homes were burned and destroyed. The homes were razed to the ground with the help of bulldozers and tractors.
Land ownership by the Bahai’s of Ivel has been ruled illegal
On August 1, 2020, a special court issued a final and binding order determining the ownership of the lands belonging to the Bahá'ís of Ivel to be illegal. It is also remarkable how the court decision was made completely without procedural guarantees — without the lawyers of the victims being given the opportunity to prepare a defense or gain access to the documents in the case. Due to the decision, the Baha'is have repeatedly turned to local and national authorities. On October 13, 2020, the Court of Appeal in Mazandaran rejected the appeal of 27 Baha’is and confirmed that their land should be confiscated.
Document och media
- Statement by the author Camilla Läckberg (18 February 2021) (English translation)
- Stop Iran's oppression of Baha'is, Dagens Arena (17 February 2021)
- Open letter by Nobel Laureate Torsten Wiesel (9 February 2021)
- Webinar at the European Parliament (4 February 2021)
- Written answer from Foreign Minister Ann Linde to Member of Parliament Anders Österberg (3 February 2021) (provisional translation from Swedish)
- Statement by Sweden's Ambassador for Human Rights (1 February 2021)
- Written question from Member of Parliament Anders Österberg to Foreign Minister Ann Linde (28 January 2021) (provisional translation from Swedish)