Sixty-eighth
year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Yarsan people
Yarsan
people are continually exposed to pervasive discrimination by Islamic Republic
of Iran. This discrimination applies to all personal and social affairs,
including involvement in political affairs, the right to interfere in the
decision-making organs, the native language education, the labor market,
acquiring government jobs, free education, religious practice, and the right to
create prayer centers.
December
tenth, 1948, Resolution No. 217, which has been prepared by Eleanor Roosevelt
President of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, was approved by The
United Nations General Assembly in Paris, in favor of 48 countries, including
Iran, against 8 abstentions and no votes against. This historic document that
was the result of the end of World War II, was recognized as a common standard
of human rights.
The
announcement is the world's most important event in the history of human
rights, because main international organ determined the most basic rights for
all without distinction. From that date, declaration been used as an important
tool for the study of human rights by member states of the United Nations.
Universal
Declaration of Human Rights in which thirty articles about equal rights for all
people regardless of race, nationality, sex, color, language, political
opinion, or any other social status is determined.
The main
drawback is that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights signatory states
have no obligation to enforce it. Many countries that have dictatorships and
authoritarian, with not respecting the declaration, violate the rights of its
citizens, without this act of condemnation, which is only symbolic, do not
leads to another response by the United Nations and other international
organizations.
But while
sixty-eight years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was passing by,
the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a signatory is known to break many of its
provisions. The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
states that all people are born free and equal in dignity and rights. But the
Islamic Republic of Iran, by ignoring this paragraph of the Declaration, has
ranked its citizens based on religious, language and national affiliation. So,
the followers of "Yari religion" unrecognized religion, and
nationality of the Kurds, are considered as the Iranians most disadvantaged
citizenry. The followers of this religion are known to Yarsan, the population
is estimated to be a half to two million people, mostly Iranian and live in
Kermanshah Province and other western provinces of the country. I think the
main cause of violations of this minority rights, is refusal to acknowledge the
existence of such a religious minority in the Islamic Republic's constitution.
The so-called open all governmental and nongovernmental institutions for
ignoring the rights of the followers of this religion. Among other consequences
of this lack of rights, are denial of employment in public places, lack of
representation in decision-making at the municipal level and national organizations
and academic problems. This discrimination has led to many social problems such
as encouraging religious extremists to suppress, insults and destruction of
holy places is related to the religious minority.
The
behavior of the Iranian government with Yarsan people and other minorities
violates the second paragraph of the declaration as well. The Article states
that anyone can without any distinction as to race, color, sex, language,
religion, nationality, political opinion, and social status benefits all
freedoms mentioned in the Declaration. Unlike Article III of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, Yarsan people and other minorities do not enjoy
the security and personal freedom.
Article V
No one shall be subjected to torture or statement said the punishment or cruel
treatment against their human dignity. Since the Islamic Republic of Iran has
come, torture and rape of honor and dignity of prisoners in Iranian prisons
continued.
In Article
VI of the Declaration states that everyone has the right to recognition
everywhere as a person before the law. As mentioned earlier, the Islamic system
of human rights law is classified based on gender and religion, men have more
rights than women and Muslim and non-Muslim do not have equal right.
From the
perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran's judicial authorities the rights
of religious minorities are far less. This injustice is a violation of Title
VII of the Declaration which states " All are equal before the law and are
entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. They all
are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of
this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination".
In the
Islamic Republic of Iran will not be paying attention to Article IX Declaration
of Human Rights. This Article states, "No one shall be subjected to
arbitrary arrest, detention or exile". Arbitrary attacks and arrests by
state security is a common practice, thousands of innocent people remain in
prison in Iran for many years without conviction.
Iran's
Islamic government policy on the private lives of people also violates Article
XII of the Declaration that states, No one shall be subjected to arbitrary
interference with his privacy, family, home, or correspondence, nor to attacks
upon his honors and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the
law against such interference or attacks. But interference in the affairs of
citizens live has become one of the regimes foundations of power. Regime under
various pretexts, including women dress, where the government sees as a threat
to its existence, determines private lives of all citizens. The regime's strict
censorship on the media and its military presence in institutions and places of
assembly, is denied freedom of expression of citizens, the measure violates
Article XIX of the declaration.
Yarsan and
other minorities in Iran, have not the right to peaceful assembly to demand
their rights that have been violated. This is contrary to Article Twenty of
Declaration of Human Rights, which states that that. Everyone has the right to
freedom of peaceful assembly and association. And no one may be compelled to
belong to an association.
Depriving
citizens of politics and administration of the country because of political
affiliation, national and sexual in Islamic system have been institutionalized
and legally. This violates Article Twenty-One Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. Millions of Iranian citizens for various reasons being deprived to have
a voice in countries political organs. For example, in Article 115 of the
constitution states that the President shall be man and belong the state official
religion (Shia).
Iran's
leaders know very well that if the human rights are respected, the system state
does not meet the wish of the people for social and individual freedom.
Therefore, the government on the pretext that the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights did not consider the concepts of culture and Islamic traditions,
consider it as a flawed document.
Despite the
yearly condemnation of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights and repeated appeals from international human
rights organizations to respect its domestic and international obligations, the
country continued violation of human rights. Perhaps it is time that
international community take serious steps toward implementing the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights. Otherwise, this Declaration has no meaning for the Yarsan
people and other deprived people in society.
Ahmad Moradi
10.12.2016
Yarsanmedia
