Equality and Religious Freedom in Iran
For security reasons Registration is essential - RSVP: 17 November 2014
The Iranian authorities’ ongoing repression of members of religious minorities in the country must come to a halt. Instead the authorities should adhere to their international human rights obligations and end discrimination and repression of religious minorities in the country, said Association des Chercheurs Iraniens (ACI) and Amnesty International.
The call by the two organizations coincides with a seminar they are co-sponsoring to expose the experiences of different members of religious minorities in Iran. Prominent scholars and human rights experts will discuss the international human rights framework on religious freedom and how Iran is failing its many minorities.
Iran, which is a predominantly made up of Shi’a Muslims, has historically been home to a number of other religious and ethnic minority groups, including Ahl-e Haq, Baha’is, Christians and Christian converts, Jews, Sunnis and Sunni converts, Zoroastrians and Zoroastrian converts; as well as Ahwazi Arabs, Azeris, Baluchis, Kurds and Turkmen ethnic groups. In Iran, the question of religion and ethnicity is intertwined for a number of groups. As members of religious minorities have been arrested, arbitrarily detained, denied fair trials, barred from employment, and limited in their cultural and social rights, a growing number have fled the country and claimed asylum on grounds of religious persecution.
Representatives of religious groups will present an up to date picture of life in Iran, with provide a snapshot of the situation of minorities since President Hassan Rouhani took office in August 2013.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ahmad Shaheed, will lead the international panel looking at international instruments that protect minorities against discrimination based on religion or belief.
There will also be a dedicated Q & A section at the end of the presentations.
Speakers in alphabetical order include: Professor Payam Akhavan, Shahin Bekhradnia, Dr Nazila Ghanea, Hamid Sabi, Dr Ahmad Shaheed, Monireh Sulemani, Chrissy Taylor
Order of the day: 13:15 – 14:00 Registration
14:00 – 15:30 Snapshot of Iran: Equality and religious freedom
15:45 – 17:00 International Standards
17:15 – 19:00 Q and A, conclusion and recommendations
Areas of focus: Equality, religious freedom and Gender issues; Education system and an official religion; right to Conversion; right to Recognition
Further information and contact:
Roya Kashefi, Head of Human Rights Committee – ACI
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +44 7960945970
Nassim Papayianni, Campaigner, Amnesty International
Email: [email protected]
+44 (0) 20 3036 5842
http://www.aciiran.com/erf_program.htm
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/063/2014/en https://www.facebook.com/events/397957983694427
The seminar will be broadcast live on ACI and Amnesty International’s portals