In the end of August 1980, the first national gathering of Baha’is in Iran and two of their colleagues were arrested by unknown agents and taken to a secret location where they were later executed. The details of their arrest, possible harassment and torture, and ultimately the execution of these leaders of the Baha’i community never leaked out and remained hidden in the layers of security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The father of the writer, Dr. Kambeez Sadegh-Zadeh Milani, who was 42 years old at the time, was a member of that gathering and I myself was only thirteen years old. In the first decade after the revolution, in addition to these citizens, more than two hundred other Baha’i citizens were executed in Iran.

What is important for this writing is that, in addition to the execution of Baha’is in various parts of the country (solely due to religious beliefs), other prominent human rights violations were also imposed on this group of Iranians, such as expulsion from all government positions and departments, expulsion of all Baha’i students, professors and intellectuals, cutting off their retirement benefits, and of course long-term imprisonment, among others. None of these issues were reflected in domestic media and foreign newspapers, and most human rights activists and media personalities generally avoided addressing the problems and difficulties of Baha’is from a human rights perspective. The reality was that any support for Baha’is and reflection on their human rights violations made the media cautious about addressing these issues.

“این تصویر یک گلدان با گل‌های رنگارنگ در پشت پنجره نشان می‌دهد.”

This image shows a vase with colorful flowers behind a window.
Committee meeting of the Right to Education Activists in Kermanshah – 1388 (2009) – Photo from the archive of Human Rights Activists in Iran.

“The Human Rights Activists in Iran” was the first human rights group to focus on news related to the violation of the rights of Baha’is in Iran. The history of the group’s activities is well known to all readers; a group of student activists who were imprisoned for their civil efforts and citizen activities, and were unjustly burdened with heavy costs for their actions, decided to start specialized human rights work in Iran. They believed that effective communication was the key to success in this regard. The group’s executive decision regarding news coverage of violations of the rights of Baha’is and citizens was a significant breakthrough. Clearly, unbiased reporting on the human rights of Baha’i citizens and the violation of their civil and citizen rights was a new and unprecedented activity. This type of work required the emergence of a new generation of Iranians who were free from previous prejudices and biases against Baha’is, and could reflect the human rights news accurately.

The group of human rights activists in Iran, due to this taboo-breaking, incurred high costs and a large portion of the false accusations and poisonous media propaganda against this group of free-spirited youth was due to their pursuit of citizen rights for the Baha’is, which sparked anger and animosity from the security apparatus. Future generations will conduct thorough and just research on the growth and manifestation of the group’s self-initiated efforts to reflect the human rights situation of the Baha’is in Iran. Such research is not currently suitable for publication due to the security situation in Iran, but what is worthy of attention is that this type of activity requires the emergence of a new generation of Iranians. A generation that has rid their minds of prejudice and negation towards others.

“Analyzing the correct activities of the organization in the field of Bahai rights, of course, requires mentioning the important efforts of those deprived of the right to education, especially those deprived of Bahai education. This important activity of the organization has various dimensions in a sensitive period in the Education Rights Committee. This writing is not the place to introduce all these dimensions, but the meetings related to the right to education, which were held with the presence of various spectrums of those deprived of education and civil activists in different cities, indicated the depth of human rights violations in this regard. The remarkable activity of this section of the organization, which made decisions and took action regardless of religious beliefs and was present all over Iran, showed the growth and development of the culture of human rights and demonstrated a healthy approach to addressing violations of citizenship rights and creating solidarity in group work.”

The group of human rights activists in Iran, despite all the difficulties, challenges, and severe security measures against them, continues its important and positive activities, which deserve the attention and appreciation of all Iranians. Currently, various groups at different levels are involved in reporting on human rights, and all of these dear individuals deserve the recognition and respect of the civil society and all Iranians. The core of this important movement, both inside and outside of Iran, have incurred heavy costs for their actions and raising awareness. Some of these dear individuals have been forced to leave their homes and become refugees, some have been unjustly sentenced to long-term imprisonment within Iran, and others have lost their lives in this struggle. The names of all these dear individuals will remain eternal in the history of enlightenment and the establishment of a human rights culture in Iran.