The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has condemned the abysmal state of religious freedom in Iran throughout 2023, urging its designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
Their annual report, released on May 1st, 2023, details numerous instances of repression by the Islamic Republic:
- Crackdowns on girls and women for not adhering to the compulsory hijab.
- Executions based on religious beliefs.
- Suppression of religious minorities both within and outside Iran.
The commission recommends the US government:
- Designate Iran as a CPC due to systematic and egregious violations of religious freedom.
- Sanction Iranian officials and institutions responsible for these violations, including asset freezes and travel bans.
- Facilitate financial and technical aid for Iranians seeking freedom of expression through peaceful means.
- Collaborate with international partners to monitor the suppression of dissent in Iran.
- Support the Truth-Finding Committee in Iran and pursue an International Criminal Court investigation into potential crimes against humanity.
The report highlights the continued protests against the “Hijab and Chastity” plan and the brutal response by security forces, including:
- Systematic harassment, arrest, imprisonment, sexual harassment, rape, and torture of protesters, including minors.
- Increased pressure to enforce the mandatory hijab, with increased surveillance and covert financing of “hijab watchers.”
- Failure to investigate the gas attacks on female students and suppression of their families seeking answers.
At least eight protesters were executed on religious charges in 2023, including two men for “blasphemy” in May. Five others faced trials in December on charges like “corruption on earth” and “war against God.”
Security forces also violently suppressed weekly Sunni protests in Zahedan and arrested several Sunni religious leaders.
The Baha’i minority faced continued persecution, with members of the “Yaran-e Iran” association receiving lengthy prison sentences.
The report further condemns the Iranian government’s repressive measures abroad, including the persecution of religious dissidents and targeting of Jewish centers. It details foiled attacks planned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against Jewish communities in Greece, Cyprus, and Brazil.
