July 30, 2014

Apostasy_Cover_Thumb_801567951(New Haven) — Today, the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC) released a detailed report, Apostasy in the Islamic Republic of Iran, explaining the jurisprudential as well as the legal context in which apostasy cases are prosecuted in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The report takes an in-depth look at a number of apostasy cases involving a diverse range of defendants, and provides an account of the legal and religious issues raised in each case. A full version of the report is accessible here.

Although apostasy is punishable by death in Iran, the Islamic Republic has never codified the crime of apostasy. Instead, relying on the Iranian Constitution, the Islamic Penal Code authorizes the enforcement of certain Islamic laws known as hodud crimes even when the crime is not specifically mentioned in the criminal code. The fact that apostasy is not explicitly proscribed by the Iranian legal framework, and the differences in interpretations of Islamic law regarding apostasy, contribute to a lack of legal certainty for those living under Iranian laws.

Apostasy in the Islamic Republic of Iran relies on witness interviews, media reports and court documents to demonstrate how Iranian authorities have handled apostasy cases. This report also describes how the Iranian government violates its international obligations with respect to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as well as the right to life.

“Religious freedom has been a pressing human rights issue in Iran since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979. The Iranian government has systematically discriminated against Christian converts, Bahá’ís, Sunni Muslims and others,” said Gissou Nia, the Executive Director of IHRDC. “Apostasy in the Islamic Republic of Iran looks at religious persecution from a different angle and contributes to a better understanding of this topic.”

The Persian translation of the report and full testimonies of witnesses interviewed for the report will be published in upcoming weeks.

For further information, please contact:
Gissou Nia
Executive Director
Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
Email: GNia@iranhrdc.org
Phone: +1 203 654 9342

Author: Impunity Watch Archive