BAHA'I SCHOOLCHILDREN IN IRAN INCREASINGLY HARASSED AND ABUSED BY SCHOOL AUTHORITIES
BAHA'I SCHOOLCHILDREN IN IRAN INCREASINGLY HARASSED AND ABUSED BY SCHOOLAUTHORITIESNEW YORK, 5 April 2007 (BWNS) -- Baha'i students in primary and secondaryschools throughout Iran are increasingly being harassed, vilified, and heldup to abuse, according to recent reports from inside the country.During a 30-day period from mid-January to mid-February, some 150 incidentsof insults, mistreatment, and even physical violence by school authoritiesagainst Baha'i students were reported as occurring in at least 10 Iraniancities."These new reports that the most vulnerable members of the Iranian Baha'icommunity -- children and junior youth -- are being harassed, degraded, and,in at least one case, blindfolded and beaten, is an extremely disturbingdevelopment," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'iInternational Community to the United Nations."The increasing number of such incidents suggests a serious and shameful escalation in the on-going persecution of Iranian Baha'is," said Ms. Dugal."The fact that school-aged children are being targeted by those who shouldrightfully hold their trust -- teachers and school administrators -- onlymakes this latest trend even more ominous."Ms. Dugal said the Baha'i International Community has been aware ofscattered reports of abuse directed at school children but has only recentlylearned that young Baha'is are now widely being forced to identify theirreligion -- and are also being insulted, degraded, threatened withexpulsion, and, in some cases, summarily dismissed from school."They are also being pressured to convert to Islam, required to endureslander of their faith by religious instructors, and being taught and tested

on 'Iranian history' in authorized texts that denigrate, distort, andbrazenly falsify their religious heritage," said Ms. Dugal. "They are alsobeing repeatedly told that they are not to attempt to teach their religion."According to Ms. Dugal, one Baha'i has reported that the school-age childrenof a relative in Kermanshah were called to the front of the classroom, wherethey were required to listen to insults against the Faith."Another student, accepted at an art institute, has been followed by theauthorities and on three occasions seized, blindfolded, and beaten," saidMs. Dugal."While a few of these may be isolated attacks, the extent and nature of thisreprehensible activity has led the Baha'is in Iran to conclude that this isan organized effort," said Ms. Dugal.

on 'Iranian history' in authorized texts that denigrate, distort, andbrazenly falsify their religious heritage," said Ms. Dugal. "They are alsobeing repeatedly told that they are not to attempt to teach their religion."According to Ms. Dugal, one Baha'i has reported that the school-age childrenof a relative in Kermanshah were called to the front of the classroom, wherethey were required to listen to insults against the Faith."Another student, accepted at an art institute, has been followed by theauthorities and on three occasions seized, blindfolded, and beaten," saidMs. Dugal."While a few of these may be isolated attacks, the extent and nature of thisreprehensible activity has led the Baha'is in Iran to conclude that this is an organized effort," said Ms. Dugal. Of special concern, she added, was the fact that a high proportion of the attacks against high school students have been against girls."While the attacks reported to have taken place in elementary and middleschools were leveled evenly against boys and girls, those at the high-schoollevel targeted girls to a far greater degree: of 76 incidents, 68 wereagainst Baha'i girls," said Ms. Dugal.The reports of attacks on innocent Baha'i schoolchildren come at a time when a growing number of older Baha'i students seeking to enter Iranian universities have been expelled solely because of their religion.
So far this year, at least 94 college-age Baha'i students have been expelled from institutions of higher education.
That figure is up from 70 as reportedin late February.Since the Islamic Republic of Iran was established in 1979, the300,000-member Iranian Baha'i community has faced ongoing and systematicpersecution. In the early 1980s, more than 200 Baha'is were killed, hundreds were imprisoned, and thousands were deprived of jobs and education, solely
because of their religious belief.

At the present time, more than 120 Baha'is are out on bail and awaiting trial on false charges, solely because of their religious beliefs andactivities. Over the last year, as well, international human rights groupshave expressed concern at the Iranian government's efforts to step-up theircovert monitoring
and identification of Baha'is.

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