Iranian state media has accused recently-arrested Christians of engaging in espionage, in what Article 18’s director Mansour Borji has called a “clear example of hate speech”.
Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence arrested over fifty Christians in the month following the conflict with Israel, later announcing that they had been detained on account of their “anti-security activities”.
A video report released over the weekend accuses the detained Christians of links to foreign entities, collaboration with opposition groups and attempts to undermine national security, and shows footage of some of them attending a gathering in Turkey, alleged surveillance recordings of Bibles being “smuggled” into Iran and screenshots of confiscated items including New Testaments, other Christian literature and copies of the Alcoholics Anonymous handbook – all in an attempt to fabricate security cases against Christian converts.
The last part of the video shows some of the detainees making “confessions” in which they admit to travelling abroad to receive religious instruction, and images of what the report describes as “a shipment of weapons”, without any independent evidence.
The report featured in a news programme broadcast on Iran’s state-controlled media corporation Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and was produced and broadcast by IRIB Channel 2. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), an NGO that protects and promotes human rights in Iran, described it as “part of an ongoing campaign of case fabrication and pressure against Christian citizens in Iran”.
Reaction
Mansour Borji described the report as “a very clear example of hate speech – not just against the fifty-plus Christians who have been arrested, but against the entire evangelical Christian community, which accounts for the majority of Christians in the country”.
He went on to say, “The clear suggestion being made here is that all evangelical Christians are associates of Mossad and the notorious ‘interrogator journalist’ levels all kinds of accusations against these Christians, which have not been proven in any court of law.
“Even if any legal basis existed for the claims, the Christians have yet to have their case heard, and therefore proclaiming their guilt on state TV is a clear violation of their rights as citizens. Arrested Christians are often forced to go on camera to make such statements, but they are rarely shown on national TV, and the accusations being made here are of the most serious kind. If the Iranian government was sure about their accusations, they would allow an international delegation to interview the subjects and find out the truth for themselves.
“The aim of this propaganda is to tarnish the face of Christians and Christian activities and also to appease the authorities. Once again, the Ministry of Intelligence is trying to justify its incompetence in dealing with a conflict with a foreign entity by going after the usual scapegoats: the weakest members in society, including Persian-speaking Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities.”
The UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech defines hate speech as “any kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour, that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are, in other words, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, colour, descent, gender or other identity factor.”
Reacting to the broadcast, HRANA commented, “The Islamic Republic’s use of forced confessions and televised documentaries to legitimise repression of religious minorities and dissidents has long been condemned by human rights organisations. Broadcasting such confessions is a blatant violation of defendants’ rights, including the right to a fair trial.
“The release of this documentary comes amid intensifying security and psychological pressure on Iran’s Christian community and efforts to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. In recent years, many Christian converts have faced similar charges and have been handed heavy sentences, including imprisonment, exile, or social deprivation.”
(Article 18, Human Rights Activists News Agency)
Image: Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Logo (Public Domain via Wikipedia)