Ethnic and religious minorities unt digital library. Saudi arabia and iran both persecute religious and ethnic. All countries in the world include persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, enriching the diversity of their societies. Pdf ethnic minorities and the politics of identity in. Different countries have different combinations of minorities within their borders. Prison data shows that at least three quarters of irans political prisoners are from ethnic minorities.
Some of these groups, however, have large shia minorities, and the overwhelming majority of persians and azeris are. Ethnic groups seek alternatives to the current situation, either through a change of the political system in iran or, in some cases, by seeking to create their own autonomous and independent state. Irans ethnic minorities include arabs, about 3 million of whom live near the iraqi border in southwest iran. Human rights abuses against the kurdish minority 4 amnesty international july 2008 ai index. In iran, ethnic conflict tied to pakistan, afghanistan time. After installation by ayatollah khomeini of an islamic regime in february 1979, treatment of ethnic and religious minorities grew worse. Half of the population speaks persian, and a fourth is turkic in language and culture and 10% in various dialogues languages.
Persians farsis, azerbaijanis azerbaijani turks, kurds, arabs, loris, beluchies and turkomans have lived in iran for thousands of years. International federation for human rights, iranian league for the defence of human rights, and defenders of human rights center discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in iran july 2010 pdf minority rights group international rights denied. Irans forgotten ethnic minorities the role and plight of ethnic minorities in iranian society tends to receive little attention from western analysts and policymakers. Irans ethnic minorities are not at all happy with their persiandominated central governmentnot, at least, if you go by the number of riots incited, state. For instance, the majority of kurds, baluchis and turkmen are sunni muslims and the armenians are christian, while the state religion in iran is shia islam. Irans current population is over 80 million people who are ethnically diverse poorolajal et al. Pdf selfdetermination, indigenous peoples and minorities. The mazanderani people or tabari people are an iranian people whose homeland is the north of iran tabaristan. Until the 1920s, they all retained and promoted their unique culture, history and language, without harming each others identities. Bijan dabell persians are irans largest ethnic group, but nearly a dozen other ethnicities represent well over a third of the 79 million population. Iran is a predominantly shiite muslim state but contains sizeable ethnic and religious minorities that influence irans foreign and regional policy. The central authority is dominated by persians who constitute 51% of iran s population.
This article focuses on ethnic minorities in iran and their related political issues. The official state religion is shiite islam and the majority of its population is ethnically persian. Irans political, demographic, and economic vulnerabilities. On the other hand, tehrans refusal to acknowledge minority rights may lead to future ethnic insurgencies and uprisings. The new version will be available by the end of 2011. Apr 04, 20 nonpersian ethnic minorities make up roughly 40 to 50 percent of iran s population. The dominant population consists of iranian persians fars, who constitute 51% of. These introductions are then followed by questions and answers in relation to the topics covered by the books. Religious and ethnic minorities discrimination in law.
Ethnic groups in iran such as the azeris, kurds, turkmen, arabs, and baluchis extend beyond the borders of iran. Other ethnicities include kurd 7%, arab 3%, lur 2%, baluch 2%, and turkmen 2%. Ethnic and religious minorities background iran, with an estimated 69 million people, is ethnically, linguistically, and. Violations against ethnic and religious minorities in. He is an iranian turkmen, and speaks fluently both languages. Sardar azmoun, who scored the first goal for iran, is born in gonbade kavus in northeastern iran into a sunni family. The situation of religious and ethnic minorities is a neglected aspect of the human rights picture in iran. Irans harsh treatment of ethnic minorities arab news. Despite some limited gestures of conciliation since the election of hassan rouhani in 20, hopes of a more inclusive and rightsbased approach to irans ethnic and religious minorities have yet to be realized.
In those states in which ethnic, r eligious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with the other. Ethnic cleavages persist in iran but do not provide an easy means of. Teymourian has become the first christian to lead irans. All linguistic minorities except lurs live in the border. Jul 23, 2010 iran is a multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual country. Discrimination against religious minorities in iran cerd august 2003. Ethnic and religious minorities summary iran is home to approximately 70. Iranians speak diverse indoiranian, semitic, armenian, and turkic languages.
Many of the minorities in iran the arabs, balochs, kurds and turkmen have never. It may also have reinforced longstanding fears among irans leaders that minority communities bordering the same ethnic group in a neighbouring country may want to secede from iran. Irans second goal was scored by andranik teymourian, an iranian armenian. Although no firm statistics exist, estimates suggest that 10 to 20 per cent of the worlds population belong to minorities. Ethnic minorities and the politics of identity in iran. Although irans state religion is shiite islam and the majority of its population is ethnically persian, millions of minorities from various ethnic, religious, and linguistic backgrounds also reside in iran. Violations against ethnic and religious minorities in iran mar. Ethnic and religious minorities recent developments on october 23, 2008, asma jahangir, a u. What follows is an examination of the legal context of undue discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities in the islamic republic constitution. Discrimination against religious minorities in iran. In some cases ethnic minorities have been simply excluded by the majority, a striking example being african americans in the american south during the late19th and 20th centuries.
The aim is to facilitate dialogue between scholars occupied with similar issues. In the spring of 1979, following the shahs overthrow, the islamic republic of iran was proclaimed. This report discusses these minorities, their treatment under the islamic regime, and the reactions of international rights groups. The largest ethnic group, persian, has considerable control over the country. Some of the main ethnic groups in iran are also religious minorities. Iran is a diverse nation with many ethnic groups living therein. For iran, the hard truth is that ethnic persians make up only 51% of the population. The book is highly recommended for students and scholars of iran and of ethnic and nationalist questions, and for all thoughtful iranians. All ethnic minorities, except the azeris, sought autonomy, hoping that tehran would be unable to maintain its grip on the periphery. Ethnic identity and the state in iran, alam saleh, new york.
Irans ethnic, religious and linguistic minority groups, which are typified in iran by. It is not intended to be a general report on human rights conditions. Discrimination against religious minorities in iran cerd august 2003 official status in matters pertaining to religious education, affairs of personal status marriage, divorce, inheritance, and wills and related litigation in courts of law. Treatment of religious and ethnic minorities coi compilation september 2015 this report serves the specific purpose of collating legally relevant information on conditions in countries of origin pertinent to the assessment of claims for asylum. Ethnic groups blame the regime in tehran for their deprivation, and tehran is the chief object of their grievances. Ethnic minorities such as kurds, azeris, lurs, and arabs are discriminated against by the iranian government. Azerbaijani turks also referred to as azerbaijanis, turks or azeris are irans largest ethnic minority and number as many as 15 million.
Nevertheless, ethnic groups in iran militate for the right to use and study their different languages and practice minority religions. Apr 03, 20 irans forgotten ethnic minorities the role and plight of ethnic minorities in iranian society tends to receive little attention from western analysts and policymakers. Irans offici al language is pers ian the persian term. Pdf ethnic minorities and the politics of identity in iran. With the exception of the persecution of the bahai religious minority, little has been. Like the closely related gilaks, the mazanderanis are a caspian people who inhabit the south coast of the caspian sea, part of the historical region that used to be called tabaristan and are currently one of the main ethnic groups residing in the northern parts of iran. A series of recent measures in saudi arabia and iran that gravely violate the rights of religious and ethnic minorities call into question their moral claims of adhering to core faithbased values of mercy and compassion. Marginalized from society, they may choose a path of political apathy. Some of these groups, however, have large shia minorities, and the overwhelming majority. A reference source book, abcclios ethnic diversity within nations series, 2005. Information about human rights violations suffered by ethnic minorities in iran is difficult to obtain and to verify. Nov 04, 2001 religious minorities in iran, by eliz sanasarian new york. Ethnic and religious minorities background iran, with an estimated 69 million people, is ethnically, linguistically, and religiously diverse.
Oct 21, 2009 see times photoessay on the front lines in the battle against the taliban. Unlike iran s persecuted religious minorities, the. The new regime feared that conceding autonomy to one community would lead to the disintegration of the state. Although a great variety of minority situations exist, common to all is the fact that, too often, minorities face multiple forms of discrimination resulting in marginalisation and exclusion. Rasmus christian ellings wonderful book on iran s major ethnic minorities is a unique and brilliant analysis of the changing role of these ethnic groups. Mar, 2018 prison data shows that at least three quarters of irans political prisoners are from ethnic minorities. Overviewiran is an ethnically diverse country, and interethnic relations are. Ethnic identity iran is a multi ethnic religion language nation. Seekingjusticeandanendtoneglectiransminoritiestodayenglishversion. Irans a multicultural and multiethnic society the iranian. Although sunni muslims are accorded full respect by the constitution, some sunni groups have. The dominant population consists of iranian persians fars, who constitute 51% of irans population. These introductions are then followed by questions and answers.
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