A/HRC/34/40 insulting the Supreme Leader. Two other labour rights activists, Mahmood Salehi and his wife, were prosecuted for propaganda against the regime at a trade union congress in France. Mr. Salehi was reportedly sentenced to nine years in prison. 65. Families of human rights defenders are also reportedly subjected to harassment. In July, the daughter of Nasrin Sotoudeh, a prominent lawyer, was reportedly prevented from travelling abroad. Such a travel ban violates the right to freedom of movement and the ability to leave the country, pursuant to article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Members of Ms. Sotoudeh’s family had previously faced similar restrictions in 2012. 66. Invoking charges related to national security against individuals for merely expressing their opinion or participating in peaceful assemblies not only endangers their physical integrity but also undermines their work as human rights defenders and instils fear in society. The Secretary-General recalls that the ongoing harassment of and professional ban on human rights activists and lawyers, who are instrumental in representing their clients and safeguarding the rule of law, is a setback for the Islamic Republic of Iran as a whole. 67. The Secretary-General reiterates his call to the Iranian authorities to release political prisoners, including human rights defenders and lawyers, detained solely for legitimately and peacefully exercising their rights to freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly. F. Treatment of religious minorities 68. Members of religious and ethnic minorities have continued to endure abuse and discrimination and face persecution, including arrest and imprisonment, expulsion from educational institutions, denial of economic opportunities, deprivation of the right to work, the closure of businesses and the destruction of religious sites, such as cemeteries and prayer centres. 69. As highlighted in the most recent report of the Secretary-General’s predecessor, Baha’is have been considered by special procedure mandate holders as the most severely persecuted religious minority in the Islamic Republic of Iran (see A/71/374, para. 64). In a joint press statement issued in June 2016, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran expressed concern at speeches made in May and June by 169 religious, judiciary and political officials inciting hatred of the Baha’i community and reflecting extreme intolerance of them. The Special Rapporteurs also stressed that 72 Baha’is were in prison solely because of their religious beliefs and practices. During the period covered by the present report, the Baha’is were the target of similar hate speech and numerous arrests and detentions took place. 70. In many previous reports, the Secretary-General’s predecessor has expressed concern over the denial of access to university to members of the Baha’i community. In July 2016, the Court of Administrative Justice confirmed a decision of the Educational Measurement and Evaluation Organization Sanjeh denying two adherents of the Baha’i faith, Ms. Fanaian and Mr. Rahmani, entry into university for the academic year 2014/15. In October, at least 129 Baha’i students who had satisfactorily completed their university entrance examinations were reportedly excluded from admission. 71. The Secretary-General is concerned about the serious violations of the right to education, work and an adequate standard of living, to which members of the Baha’i community continue to be exposed. Between June and November 2016, at least 150 businesses owned by Baha’is across the country were shut down by the authorities. The Secretary-General urges the authorities to repeal all legal provisions which allow discrimination against the Baha’is. 72. The continuous discrimination against and persecution of other religious minorities also remains of concern. In December, five dervishes of the Sufi Gonabadi Order were arrested in the city of Dezful. They were reportedly initially arrested at an exhibition 12