A/HRC/31/69 Baha’i-owned businesses appeared to follow their voluntary closure by owners in observance of a religious holiday the day before. In its response, the Government alleges that Baha’is in the Islamic Republic of Iran live under “normal” conditions despite “the history of their cooperation with the Shah’s regime and their involvement in the suppression of people and their role in the management of the dreaded intelligence service, SAVAK”. The Government also asserts that the shutdown of several Baha’i-owned businesses in Mazandaran province was related to “administrative issues”. 58. Discrimination against the Baha’i community in the Islamic Republic of Iran derives legal sanction from the lack of constitutional recognition of the faith and the absence of legal protections for its adherents. This situation is perpetuated by open attacks on the community by State officials or individuals close to the State. On 16 October 2015, for example, the deputy of the parliament’s National Security Commission, Mr. Haghigharpour, called the Baha’i faith “a wayward sect created by Britain” and compared Baha’is to Wahhabis, who he said sought to increase tensions between Shias and Sunnis in the region. 53 In its response, the Government notes that given the history of century-old cooperation between the Baha’i sect and the Shah’s regime and its intelligence service, historical facts could not be overlooked, in the same way that “nobody can stop criticizing Nazism in Germany”. 59. The Special Rapporteur also expresses his concern at the treatment of Iranian Christians from Muslim backgrounds, who continue to face arbitrary arrest, harassment and detention despite the fact that article 12 of the Constitution recognizes and protects adherents of the Christian faith. The Special Rapporteur notes that many of these individuals are often accused of acting against the national security or “propaganda against the State”, and that under the law, individuals, including Christians of Muslim backgrounds, can be prosecuted for the crime of apostasy. Dozens of persons were reportedly detained in prisons in the Islamic Republic of Iran as of January 2016, many for involvement in informal house churches. The Special Rapporteur received reports in December 2015 that an allegedly Shia “religious group” in Tehran had confiscated land belonging to an Assyrian Chaldean church. In an interview with Shargh newspaper, the head of the church also complained of broader legal discrimination against religious minorities, including in the country’s civil code.54 In its response, the Government notes that the operation of house churches is unlawful because they have not acquired the necessary permits from the authorities, that the establishment of house churches is unnecessary because there are more than 20 active, half-active and historical churches in the country and that Christians have not requested permission to build new churches. The Government also characterized the situation regarding the Assyrian Chaldean church as “a dispute between two Iranian citizens”. 60. In a positive development, news outlets reported in September 2015 that President Rouhani had appointed a Sunni Kurd, Dr. Saleh Adibi, as Ambassador to Viet Nam and Cambodia. Mr. Adibi is believed to be the first Iranian Sunni to be appointed as ambassador since the founding of the Islamic Republic. 55 Sunnis, who constitute the largest religious minority in the Islamic Republic of Iran, have long complained that the authorities do not appoint or employ them in high-ranking government positions such as cabinet-level ministers or governors. They have also raised concerns regarding reported restrictions on the construction of Sunni mosques in Shia-majority areas, including the capital, and the execution or imminent execution of Sunni activists who the government alleges were involved in terrorist-related activities. In its response, the Government notes there are more 53 54 55 See http://icana.ir/Fa/News/286516 (in Persian). See www.radiofarda.com/content/f14_iran_church_christians/27458286.html (in Persian). See www.bbc.com/persian/iran/2015/09/150902_l03_iran_diplomat_sunni (in Persian). 17