A new United Nations report says religious minorities are being targeted in Iran’s crackdown on women’s rights protests. The protests have been ongoing since the arrest and subsequent death of 22-year-old Zina Mahsa Amini. Iranian morality police reportedly arrested her for violating rules on how to properly wear the hijab.
Reports say Christian PostThe UN report said “crimes against humanity” had been committed and that the Iranian government had launched a “disproportionate” crackdown on Kurdish and Baloch ethnic and religious minorities in response to the protests.
The report cites a range of abuses, including unlawful deaths, extrajudicial executions, unnecessary use of lethal force, arbitrary arrests, torture, rape, enforced disappearances and gender-based persecution.
A report published in 2023 by Open Doors, Article 18 and other religious freedom groups warned of increased persecution of Christians, particularly converts, in the wake of the protests. The report described how at least five people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the protests and further charged with “apostasy” after authorities discovered they were Christian.
Henrietta Bryce, CEO of the charity Open Doors UK & Ireland, has called for an international response to protect religious and ethnic minorities in Iran.
“A recent UN report vividly illustrates the severe and targeted repression faced by religious minorities in Iran,” she said.
“These findings resonate deeply with the plight of Christians in the region who continue to endure intense persecution for their faith.”
“Open Doors stands in solidarity with all those who suffer from these injustices. We call on the international community to take immediate action to protect these vulnerable people and uphold their fundamental human rights.”
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