Iran, the Second Largest Nation in the Middle East, Has a Population of More Than 80 Million, of Which (On Paper at Least) 99% Are Identified As Muslim
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Iran Iran, the second largest nation in the Middle East, has a population of more than 80 million, of which (on paper at least) 99% are identified as Muslim. The Muslim majority includes a Shia majority (90%) and 9% Sunni Muslims (Turkmen, Arabs, Baluchis and Kurds). The remaining 1% of non-Muslim population are identified as Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Sabean-Mandaeans, Zoroastrians, and Yarsanis. A considerable part of the Muslim population practice Sufism. Iran experienced a far-reaching Islamization of law and society after the Islamic revolution in 1979. Hassan Rouhani has been the president since 2013. Constitution and Education and Family, Freedom of government children’s rights community, expression society, religious advocacy of courts and humanist values tribunals Religious Expression of non- Expression of core authorities have religious views is Humanist supreme authority severely principles on over the state persecuted, or is democracy, State legislation is rendered almost freedom and largely or entirely impossible by human rights is derived from severe social brutally repressed religious law or by stigma, or is ‘Apostasy’ or religious highly likely to be conversion from a authorities met with hatred or specific religion is The non-religious violence outlawed and are barred from Government punishable by holding figures or state death government office agencies openly ‘Blasphemy’ or marginalize, criticism of harass, or incite religion is hatred or violence outlawed and against the non- punishable by religious death It is illegal to It is illegal to register an advocate explicitly secularism or Humanist, atheist, church-state secularist or other separation, or non-religious NGO such advocacy is or other human suppressed rights It is illegal or organization, or unrecognised to such groups are identify as an persecuted by atheist or as non- authorities religious Constitution and Education and Family, Freedom of government children’s rights community, expression society, religious advocacy of courts and humanist values tribunals Religious or Systemic religious ideological privilege results in instruction is significant social mandatory in all discrimination or most state- Government funded schools authorities push a with no secular or socially humanist conservative, alternative religiously or ideologically inspired agenda, without regard to the rights of those with progressive views Religious control over family law or legislation on moral matters There is an Discriminatory established prominence is church or state given to religious religion bodies, traditions State-funding of or leaders religious institutions or salaries, or discriminatory tax exemptions Legend Constitution and government The constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran contains provisions which should protect freedom thought, religion or belief (Article 23 in particular forbids “the investigation of individuals’ beliefs”, stating that “no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.” However, this guarantee is frequently ignored in practice. Similar Article 20 guarantees equality before the law, but qualifies that this equality is subject to “conformity with Islamic criteria”, which in practice means that many groups face discrimination in law and the application of law. In reality, freedom of religion or belief, and the freedoms of expression, association and assembly in the Islamic Republic of Iran are all severely restricted. Iranian law bars any criticism of Islam or deviation from the ruling Islamic standards. The authorities sometimes use these laws to persecute religious minorities and government critics. Religious minorities The constitution declares that Islam (Ja’afari Shiism) is the state religion. Articles 12 and 13 divide citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran into four religious categories: Muslims, Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians. Nonbelievers are effectively left out and precluded from certain legal rights or protections: Iranians must declare their faith in one of the four officially recognized religions in order to be able to claim a number of legal rights, such as the capacity to apply for the general examination to enter any university in Iran. The authorities classify Yarsanis as Shia Muslims practicing Sufism, although Yarsanis identify Yarsan as a distinct faith. Similarly, Sabean-Mandaeans do not consider themselves as Christians, but the government classifies them among the Christian groups. According to the constitution, the main Sunni schools of Islam have to be “accorded full respect”. However, all religious minority groups, including Sunni Muslims, face harassment, restrictions and discrimination in employment, education and housing. The Baha’i faith is not recognized and is routinely described by authorities as a heretical variant on Islam, against the self-identification of the Baha’i community as a distinct religion which encompasses multiple traditions. Its members face immense discrimination. The members of the Baha’i community are generally prevented from burying their dead according to their traditions and many cemeteries have been destroyed. Their community is prohibited from officially assembling. Authorities often prevent Baha’is from leaving the country and has disregarded their property rights. Some religious leaders state publicly that Baha’is are “unclean” and that conducting business with them is forbidden. Several Baha’i leaders remain in detention. The members of the Baha’i minority face substantial societal discrimination. As in some other Islamic states, the law authorizes collection of “blood money” or diyeh as a form of restitution to families when Muslims or members of recognized religious minorities are wrongfully killed or murdered. Baha’i families, however, are excluded from this provision, which has led to concerns that Baha’is effectively have reduced protections in cases of violent crime. This law also reduces the diyeh for recognized religious minorities and women to half that of a Muslim man. <state.gov/documents/organization/281226.pdf> Sufism is similarly denounced by Shia clerics in public statements. Security services harass and intimidate prominent Sufi leaders and the government restricts Sufi activities. Non-Muslims are not eligible to become members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (the Iranian parliament) through general elections. However, Article 64 of the Constitution grants 5 Parliamentary seats to the recognized religious minorities. According to this provision, two seats are reserved for Armenian Christians, one for Assyrian and Chaldean Christians together, one for Jews, and one for Zoroastrians. By law, non-Muslims may not serve in the judiciary, the security services, or as public school principals. <state.gov/documents/organization/281226.pdf> Religious powers Article 110 of the Constitution lists all the powers granted to the Spiritual Leader (a Muslim religious and political leader), appointed by his peers for an unlimited duration. Among others, the Spiritual Leader exercises his control over the judiciary, the army, the police, the radio, the television, but also over the President and the Parliament, institutions elected by the people. Article 91 of the Constitution establishes a body known as the “Guardian Council” whose function is to examine the compatibility of all legislation enacted by the Islamic Consultative Assembly with “the criteria of Islam and the Constitution” and who can therefore veto any and all legislation. Half of the members of the Guardian Council are appointed by the Spiritual Leader and the other half are elected by the Islamic Consultative Assembly from among the Muslim jurists nominated by the Head of the Judicial Power (who is, himself, appointed by the Spiritual Leader). The Guardian Council exercise a double control of any draft legislation, with two different procedures: conformity with the Constitution (all 12 elected members vote, a simple majority recognizes the constitutionality) and conformity with Islam (only the six religious leaders elected personally by the Spiritual leader vote, and a simple majority is required to declare the compatibility of a draft legislation with Islam). Consequently, four religious leaders may block all draft legislation enacted by the Parliament. The Guardian Council and the Supreme Leader thus centralize all powers in Iran. Only Muslims are able to take part in the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and to conduct public affairs at a high level. According to the Constitution, non-Muslims cannot hold the following key decision-making positions: President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who must be a Shi’a Muslim (Article 1156); Commanders in the Islamic Army (Article 1447); Judges, at any level (Article 163 and law of 1983 on the selection of judges 8). Iran operates a harsh form of Sharia—Islamic law—under which a wide range of political, social and moral offenses may be punishable with flogging, amputation, or execution. Amendments to Iran’s penal code in 2013 eliminated execution by stoning. However, Iran still carries out hundreds of executions by hanging every year. Many executions are for the crime of “enmity against God” (moharebeh). It is sometimes argued that Moharebeh applies only in cases of armed aggression against the state, however there are reports that this law is sometimes used against political opposition, religious minorities and protesters where terrorism or armed conflict are not necessarily present; or where there are instances of alleged