A/HRC/28/70 On 14 December 2014, authorities stated that the new bill would be adopted before the 2016 parliamentary elections. H. Freedom of religion or belief 46. Under Iranian law, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is responsible for issuing licences for cultural, artistic and advocacy activities of religious minorities recognized under the Constitution. 39 According to the country’s Law on Parties, religious minorities recognized by the Constitution are allowed to form religious minority societies comprised of volunteers from the same religion with the aim to work on religious, cultural, social and welfare issues of their own community. 40 The Office of Religious Minorities is charged with coordinating and overseeing all ceremonies held by religious minorities, including activities for the observance of religious holidays. Permission from the Ministry must be obtained in order to issue publications, and for foreign missionaries to travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran at the request of churches and religious councils.41 47. Despite pronouncements that the procedure for issuing permits to construct mosques for Shias and Sunnis is non-discriminatory, Sunnis report that they have not been granted permission for the construction of a mosque in Tehran since 1979,42 and authorities have also reportedly restricted the construction of Christian church buildings, including those of Orthodox Armenians and Assyrians, for the past 35 years. 43 Reports about the Government forbidding Christian churches from holding Persian-language services also continue to be received.44 Baha’is 1. 48. Despite statements from high-ranking officials that Baha’is are entitled to citizenship rights, they continue to face discrimination, arrest and arbitrary detention in connection with their religion. Between September and December 2014, security forces in the cities of Isfahan, Tehran, Shiraz, Hamedan, Karaj and Semnan reportedly arrested at least 24 Baha’is, bringing the total number of Baha’is in detention to 100. 49. Discriminatory restrictions increased with regard to the burial of Baha’is in cemeteries across the country. Authorities in the city of Semnan have reportedly discouraged families from inscribing epitaphs on tombstones, and inscriptions are restricted to first and last names and the dates of birth and death. Authorities have also restricted the construction of additional buildings to accommodate burials in the Semnan Baha’i cemetery. In at least three cases, Iranian authorities have also reportedly delayed the burial of Baha’is in the cities of Tabriz and Ahvaz.45 50. Reports indicate that Baha’i students faced discrimination in admission to the institutions of higher education for the 2014/15 academic year. Shadan Shirazi, a Baha’i student who had placed 113th among the estimated 1 million students who had taken the 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 Official website of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, www.farhang.gov.ir/fa/intro/duty. Official website of Parliament, http://rc.majlis.ir/fa/law/show/90226. Tehran Jewish Committee, www.iranjewish.com/Essay/Essay14.htm. International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, 17 January 2012, http://persian.iranhumanrights.org/1390/10/sunni_mps/. International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, “Iran: the cost of faith: persecution of Christian Protestants and converts in Iran” (2013). Available from www.iranhumanrights.org/wpcontent/uploads/Christians_report_Final_for-web.pdf. Ibid. Information submitted to the Special Rapporteur by the Baha’i community in December 2014. 13