Source: Bahá’à World News Service
http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story/660
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his concern over human rights violations in Iran against Baha'is, other minorities, women and juveniles.
In a 20-page document released on Monday, Mr. Ban responded to a request from the General Assembly last December for a “comprehensive report” on the human rights situation in Iran.
While noting some positive achievements, Mr. Ban stated that although Iran’s constitution guarantees a wide range of fundamental freedoms, “in practice there are a number of serious impediments to the full protection of human rights.”
His report expressed concern about the use of torture, a “high incidence of executions,” and “an increase in rights violations targeting women, university students, teachers, workers and other activist groups.”
The report devoted nearly a full page to the situation of Iran’s 300,000-member Baha’i community, which is that country’s largest religious minority. The report points out that Article 14 of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran stipulates “protection for non-Muslims.”
Yet, “reports continue to be received about members of the Baha’i community being subjected to arbitrary detention, false imprisonment, confiscation and destruction of property, denial of employment and government benefits, and denial of access to higher education,” Mr. Ban’s report said.