Fatwa against Baha'i community prompts concerns for Iran's religious minority

Baha'i temple, Panama City, Panama

Christian Solidarity Worldwide has voiced concern about the future for religious minorities in Iran after a fatwa was issued against the Baha'i community.

The fatwa, or religious edict, was issued by the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khameni, on 31 July. It labels Baha'is as a "deviant and misleading sect" and calls on Iranians to avoid them.

Baha'is account for the largest religious minority in Iran, with over 300,000 followers, but it has been refused legal status and 200 of its leaders have been killed or executed since 1979. Thousands more have been imprisoned. In 2010, seven Baha'i leaders were sentenced to 20 years in prison for "forming an illegal cult". The US Commission on International Religious Freedom puts the number of Baha'is currently being held in prison for their beliefs at 110.

They suffer further discrimination in employment and learning, with Baha'is being excluded from further education and public sector jobs. Read more

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