Iranian Baha’i citizen Mahsa Foruhari has been denied completing the university admission process and continuing her higher education for the tenth consecutive year.
In the past ten years was denied entry to universities despite successfully passing the national admissions tests.
The test is a national matriculation exam required for admission to Iran’s universities.
This year, she tried to enroll in some universities that do not take the test and accept students based on their educational records.
However, she was barred from entering the university again.
When Mahsa Foruhari logged on to the unicersity’s website, she received an error message informing her that her files were “incomplete.”
Iran is party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights which obligates it to make higher education equally accessible to all without discrimination. Iran is also a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 18 of which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
According to unofficial sources, there are more than 300,000 Baha’is in Iran, but the Iranian regime does not recognize the Baha’i faith. For this reason, the rights of Baha’is in Iran have always been systematically violated and they have been persecuted as a matter of state policy since the revolution in 1979. Baha’is in Iran cannot practice their faith in a public manner.
