During a side event organized by @cfjusticeorg on the sidelines of Egypt’s #UPR at the @UN_HRC on January 28, @BahaiBIC representative to the UN, @ShaddadHaddad emphasized the need to grant all Egyptian citizens their full rights, regardless of their religion or belief. #EgyptianBahaiRights #حقوق_المصريين_البهائيين #Humanrights #Egypt #Bahai

The @BahaiBIC calls upon Qatari authorities to clear the record of Remy Rowhani, a Qatari #Bahai whose unjust month-long prison sentence just ended, and to cease all forms of discrimination against Baha’is in #Qatar. Our full story: #HumanRights #QatarBahaiRights

The #Bahai International Community appeals to #Qatar to stop unjust actions against its Baha'i citizens—starting with the immediate release of Remy Rowhani. Imprisoned on 23 December 2024, Mr. Rowhani became seriously ill in custody and, before fully recovering, was returned to a prison cell instead of being released. Remy Rowhani is a highly respected Qatari citizen who has served his country with distinction for decades—most recently as Director of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Middle East and North Africa regional office. His case highlights decades of systemic discrimination against Baha'is in Qatar. We urge Qatari authorities to ensure Baha'is are no longer discriminated against, blacklisted, or unfairly expelled, practices that contradict Qatar’s commitments to diversity and inclusion. The Baha'i International Community has long been keen to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Qatari authorities to address issues and possible misunderstandings so that the discrimination of Baha'is in Qatar comes to an end. #FreeRemyRowhani #QatarBahaiRights Read our full statement: @AmiriDiwan @MofaQatar_EN @MBA_AlThani_

The Baha’i International Community (BIC) is appalled at the baseless and unjust imprisonment of senior Baha'i dignitary Remy Rowhani at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar on 23 December. Remy Rowhani is a highly respected Qatari citizen who has served his country with distinction for decades—most recently as Director of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Middle East and North Africa regional office. This action marks an arbitrary escalation after decades of discrimination against the Baha’is in Qatar merely on account of their religion. Read our full story: 

The Baha’i International Community is appalled at the baseless and unjust imprisonment of senior #Baha’i dignitary Remy Rowhani at the airport in #Qatar this morning. Remy Rowhani is a respected Qatari citizen and chairperson of the Assembly of the Baha'is of Qatar who served his country with distinction for decades—most recently as Director of the International Chamber of Commerce’s MENA regional office @ICC_Qatar @iccwbo. In April 2021, a Qatari court framed Mr. Rowhani in a prejudicial case judged in absentia. The ruling was confirmed in May 2022 by an appeals court. Qatari officials had indicated Mr Rowhani’s one-month prison sentence and $27,000 fine would not be enforced and that he was free to travel. Today’s actions mark an arbitrary escalation after decades of discrimination against the Baha’is for their religion. Mr Rowhani must be released immediately and the discrimination must be brought to an end.

Yesterday a senior #Bahai official, Omid Seioshanseian, was forcibly detained and disappeared by #Egypt state security for over 13 hours at Cairo International Airport. His devices were confiscated and he was unable to contact relatives or colleagues. Mr. Seioshanseian was handcuffed, blindfolded, physically mistreated, interrogated and threatened, by agents of the State Security Investigations Service Amn Al-Dawlah, and then filmed under duress to state that he was not mistreated. @BahaiBIC_Rights is raising this outrageous incident—and that of all Baha’is in Egypt—at the highest levels worldwide. Noting in particular Egypt’s legal obligations to the @UN Committee Against Torture. The Egyptian authorities must immediately cease such mistreatment of dignitaries and guarantee non-recurrence and the safety and security of all Baha’is and minorities. #CAT @apt_geneva @omctorg @FIACAT_org @FreefromTorture @P4HR @SwissAmbUN_GVA @UN_HRC @UN_SPExperts & Special Rapporteurs @NazilaGhanea #NicolasLevrat #AliceEdwards @usmissiongeneva @EU_UNGeneva @UKMissionGeneva @GermanyUNGeneva @FranceONUGeneve @SpainUNGeneva @IndiaUNGeneva @BBCArabic #EgyptianBahaiRights #HumanRights #HumanRightsViolations

“As Egyptians, why don't we have a law that treats us all equally?” In a powerful @BBCArabic interview, an Egyptian Baha'i reveals the harsh realities of discrimination faced by the Baha'i community, who are denied basic rights solely because of their faith. #EgyptBahaiRights لماذا لا يوجد لدينا، كمصريين، قانونًا يعاملنا جميعًا على قدم المساواة؟” في مقابلة مؤثرة مع @BBCArabic، يكشف بهائي مصري عن الواقع القاسي للتمييز الذي يواجهه المجتمع البهائي، حيث يُحرم من أبسط حقوقه بسبب معتقده الديني. #حقوق_البهائيين_المصريين @USCIRF @FCDOGovUK @HRW @EIPR

The Baha'i International Community’s UN office in Geneva recently welcomed the 2024 cohort of the Minority Fellowship Programme—where the group learned about the BIC's global efforts and longstanding relationship with the UN, especially in the area of human rights. The 29 fellows, from 26 different countries, and four senior fellows from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, joined the BIC for a meaningful consultation on building more inclusive and thriving societies around the world.

A dangerous new front: Baha'i International Community expresses concern over involvement of Egyptian authorities in targeting Baha'is In a disturbing escalation, the Baha'i International Community (BIC) today issued a statement making public concerns at the policies of Egyptian authorities to systematically persecute the Baha'i religious minority in the country. Baha'is in Egypt—of whom there are probably several thousand—face harassment, denial of civil rights, family separations, and invasive surveillance by state security agencies. “Today the Baha'i International Community is taking the grave step of exposing, in public, our profound concerns at six decades of discrimination and persecution against the Egyptian Baha'i community, a situation which is getting worse.” — Dr. @ShaddadHaddad , Bahá’í International Community Representative to the United Nations Please read our full statement:

في تطور لافت للنظر: الجامعة البهائية العالمية تعرب عن قلقها من تورط السلطات المصرية في استهداف البهائيين. في تطور لافت للنظر، أعربت الجامعة البهائية العالمية اليوم عن قلقها إزاء تصعيد وتيرة سياسات الإضطهاد المنهجي التي تمارسها السلطات المصرية ضد المواطنين البهائيين. حيث يواجه البهائيون في مصر— والذين يقدر عددهم ببضعة آلاف — العديد من المضايقات، والحرمان من الحقوق المدنية، وتفريق العائلات، والمراقبة المكثفة والحثيثة من قبل أجهزة الأمن في مصر. يرجى قراءة نص البيان كاملا :

On November 11, 2024, Dr. Saba Haddad @ShaddadHaddad , the Baha’i International Community (BIC) representative to the UN, addressed the Minority Fellowship Program’s opening session at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Speaking to participants from 26 countries, alongside human rights leaders Mr. Dimiter Chalev and Mr. Hernan Vales of the OHCHR, Dr. Haddad emphasized that inclusion, representation, and respect for diversity are fundamental to a peaceful, thriving society. “Every individual possesses inherent dignity, and humanity’s strength lies in its diversity, which is essential for global progress,” she shared. Dr. Haddad encouraged minority communities to embrace “constructive resilience” in the face of challenges, becoming powerful contributors to the betterment of society. The BIC remains steadfast in its commitment to the rights and well-being of all communities through ongoing dialogue and collaboration. #HumanRights #MinorityInclusion #Diversity #GlobalCommunity #BIC

Thank you to the European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights @ECDHRbxl for highlighting the persistent systemic discrimination against Baha’is in Qatar.

The Bahá'í International Community representative to the UN, Dr. Saba Haddad, in co-sponsorship with the Permanent Mission of Luxembourg to the UN @LUinGeneva, hosted a panel discussion titled “Looking Beyond: Promoting an Inclusive Society for a Peaceful Yemen" on the sidelines of the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The panel discussed the diverse constituents of Yemeni Society, including the Bahá’í community, and explored fundamental principles and effective strategies to foster an inclusive society and cultivate a spirit of unity and collaboration among all Yemenis. In her remarks, Dr. @ShaddadHaddad stated: “Despite the diversity of the [Yemeni] Bahá’í community... [it] has been subjected to discrimination and persecution in recent years.” Read our full story: #HRC57 @LuxembourgUN