A/HRC/31/69 discriminatory provisions that can potentially lead to other human rights violations. For example, according to article 9 of the bill, which is proposed by 53 members of the parliament with the aim of encouraging marriage, employment in all governmental and non-governmental sectors shall be granted to individuals in the following order: married men with children; married men without children; women with children. According to article 10, hiring “single individuals to faculty positions in all public and private education and research institutions will be prohibited for five years after the date that the act goes into effect”. Only the absence of qualified married applicants would permit the hiring of single individuals, and the approval of the highest-ranking authority in the relevant organization would be required. Article 19 of the bill reportedly mandates the bar association and the Centre for Judicial Advisers, the country’s two major bar organizations, to reform and redefine procedures for settling divorce disputes so that “establishing peace between couples would take precedence over divorce”. Under article 20, the judiciary would grant bonuses to judges in divorce cases that lead to reconciliation between the married couple. 55. On 15 December 2015, Brigadier General Teymour Hosseini of the Tehran traffic police announced that officials had recorded more than 40,000 cases of “bad hijab” since March. In most cases, the cars of the women concerned were impounded and the women were referred to the judiciary, which could impose fines. Earlier in the year, Mr. Hosseini and other officials warned that women who loosened their hijab or who were not wearing one could lose their vehicles. 50 In its response, the Government notes that regulations regarding the hijab are a question of culture, philosophy and faith. The statistics cited on the number of women whose cars were impounded are “odd” and unsubstantiated. E. Rights of ethnic and religious minorities 56. The Special Rapporteur expresses serious concern at the continuing systematic discrimination, harassment and targeting facing adherents of the Baha’i faith in the country. On the morning of 15 November 2015, Intelligence Ministry agents reportedly arrested 20 Baha’is in Tehran, Isfahan and Mashhad. Authorities failed to provide information about the charges against these individuals, and their families were not informed of their whereabouts for several days. At least 80 Baha’is were reportedly detained as of 31 December 2015 in connection with the peaceful exercise of their faith. In its response, the Government asserts that followers of the Baha’i cult enjoy the rights of citizens pursuant to the country’s laws and that allegations presented to the contrary in the report are baseless. In January 2016, a revolutionary court in Golestan province reportedly sentenced 24 Baha’is to a total of 193 years in prison in connection with the peaceful exercise of their faith.51 57. In addition to reports of arbitrary arrests, detentions and prosecutions of Baha’is, the Special Rapporteur continues to receive troubling reports that the authorities continue to pursue activities that deprive Baha’is of their right to work, reportedly in line with a directive issued in 1991 by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. 52 These policies include restrictions on the types of businesses and jobs Baha’i citizens can have, closing down Baha’i-owned businesses, pressure on business owners to dismiss Baha’i employees and seizures of businesses and property. On 15 November 2015, the Bureau of Public Places in Mazandaran province shut down 23 businesses belonging to Baha’is, including in the cities of Sari, Ghaem Shahr, Tonekabon and Babolsar. Actions to close 50 51 52 16 See www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/thousands-of-women-in-iran-have-carsimpounded-for-not-wearing-hijab-properly-a6774366.html. Information received by the Office of the Special Rapporteur. See http://news.bahai.org/documentlibrary/TheBahaiQuestion.pdf.