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Au t umn&wi n t e r
2 0 1 4 & 2 0 1 5
DEFENDERS
39
290 members of parliament but despite
the low population of religious minorities
(approximately 200,000) according to the
law five seats have been allocated to them
in the Parliament. According to article 67
of the Constitution, when swearing in,
religious minorities can swear on their own
holy books. • Also minorities in the event
of getting votes are permitted to be present
in town and city councils.1 Furthermore,
the issuing of permits to religious minority
associations and organizations by the Article
10 Commission of the parties of the Interior
Ministry is acceptable that via this method,
most religious minority associations,
organizations, social and cultural groups are
officially active in Iran.
Active cultural participation • In the next
stage by allocating a budget number 503784,
the Islamic government has provided
maximum support for religious minorities
in the Iranian society. Also by providing
specific and general rights and benefits2 and
facilitates the cultural, social and legal rights
of religious minorities just like the rest of
society. For example religious minorities in
Irancanbeactive in the followingcultural and
social arenas: • Having permits for various
publications • Restoring and renovation of
relevant sites • Having schools for minorities
• No restrictions in learning ethnic language
• Freedom to hold religious ceremonies
• Benefitting from government budget
and credit • Facilitation in getting a passport
for leaving the country • Appointment of
religious minorities heads of schools and
their employment as teachers • The teaching
of Armenian Christian lessons in the
Armenian language. • Support and freedom
of these activities and holding of religious
ceremonies in the country’s synagogues
and churches and the right to have special
schools for Zoroastrians are some of the
other supports of the Islamic Republic of
Iran regime for religious minorities. With
regards to publications, Jews, Christians and
Zoroastrians do have their own publications.
Specific social and religious rights • As
well as enjoying official national holidays,
religious minorities can in accordance
with memorandum of 3 Dey 1366 of the
Administrative and Employment Affairs of
the country, enjoy their own special days
such as Eids and other ceremonies, i.e. Yum
Kippor, birthday of Zoroaster, Christmas and
Easter. • The contents of the Tax Exemption
Law for Religious Places of Worship and
Associations (1933) was renewed in 1987. •
The practical necessity to Islamic laws for
Muslim’s recruitment, was changed in the
1995 Selection Law for minorities, and the
application of this law is based to their own
conditions and regulations, and of course
religious minorities must not openly violate
Islamic laws.
Minorities judicial rights issues • With
regards to personal property minorities have
their own religious and customary rights
according to the Constitution: a) freedom
in personal property, b) retirement rights, c)
equality of religious minorities Dia (money
for blood) with Muslims. The Amendment
to the religious minorities inheritance with
the support of 199 members of the Islamic
parliament. • In criminal issues minorities
have the same facilities as Muslims.
According to article 148 of the executive
guidelines of the Prisons’ Organization and
reform and rehabilitation measures (2005)
when a prisoner is accepted in prison his or
her religion is stated in the questionnaire, and
all facilities for their religious ceremonies
and rituals are provided with the assistance
of the Islamic Culture and Guidance
Ministry via prison officials. Articles 149
and 150 of the said guidelines state: “Each
prisoner that belongs to one of the officially
recognised religions of the country can in
public or solitary confinement have his or
her own religious book, prayer book and
facilitation for his or her own prayer rituals.
Any prisoner that belongs to one of the
country’s official religions when necessary
can request for a religious representative to
be present in prison upon the approval of the
warden, and to guide him or her in his or her
religious duties. • Furthermore, towards the
guaranteeing of these rights and freedoms
and the application of the Constitution and
the benefitting of all of the nation such as
minorities from the rights stated in the law in
article 570 of the Islamic Penal Code (Tazirat
and Deterrent Punishments) it is stated:
“Every government official that against
the law, violates the personal freedom of
individuals or deprives them of the rights
as stated in the Constitution, as well as their
employment being terminated, from 3 to 5
years in governmental posts, they will be
sentenced to six months in jail.”
Introduction The
most important
criticism of Iranian
laws regarding
minorities is not the
text of the law, but
it is the application
of the law. In fact
the application of
the law is a general
problem, and is not
solely regarding
minorities in Iran