Baháʼís are persecuted in various countries, especially in Iran, where the Baháʼí Faith originated and where a large Baháʼí population still lives. The persecution stems from the traditional Islamic perspective that Baháʼí teachings are inconsistent with Islamic beliefs, including the finality of Muhammad's prophethood, and the placement of Baháʼís outside the Islamic religion. Thus, Baháʼís are seen as apostates from Islam.
The United Nations, European Union, rights groups including Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch (HRW) and scholarship have documented how the Baháʼí community in Iran has been subjected to the denial of civil rights, false imprisonment, torture, unjustified executions and the confiscation and destruction of property. According to HRW, the Iranian government’s long-term, systematic campaign against the Bahá’ís rises to the level of the crime against humanity of persecution. Baháʼís have also been significantly persecuted in Egypt.
