RECOMMENDATIONS

To the government of Iran:

* The Iranian government should take steps to remove all provisions from its constitution that contravene its obligations in international law to uphold the principle of the right to equality before the law for all its citizens.

* All Iranians should be entitled to effective legal guarantee of the basic right of non-discrimination and should have the right to an effective remedy if they fall victim to discrimination.

* All articles of legislation that explicitly or implicitly discriminate against non-Muslims, or that are ambiguous with regard to the principle of non-discrimination, should be repealed.

* All legal rulings and judicially enforced penalties should be arrived at on the basis of codified laws, not on the basis of the personal interpretations of individual religious judges.

* In accordance with its international obligations, the Iranian government must uphold the rights of individuals to have or adopt a religion or belief of their choice, to change their religion, including converting from Islam, and to practice their religion.

* The government should cease its policy of persecution of the Baha'i community. All prisoners currently deprived of liberty solely for their beliefs, or for practicing their faith, should be released immediately.

* The government should cease its persecution of Protestant Christian churches. Protestant congregations should be allowed to carry out their services in public, free from threats and harassment.

* The government should publish the results of any and all official inquiries into the causes of death of prominent Protestant pastors. The government should make concerted and transparent efforts to bring those responsible for these killings to justice.

* The government should not obstruct the right of the Sunni Muslim community to have access to mosques and Sunni religious leaders of their choosing. As a matter of urgency, Sunni mosques should be allowed to open in Tehran to serve the large population of Sunnis living in the capital.

* The killings of prominent Sunni Muslim leaders should be fully investigated, and the results of these investigations should be made public. The government should make concerted and transparent efforts to bring those responsible for such killings to justice.

* The government should remove all obstacles to language instruction and to the publication and dissemination of newspapers and books in minority languages.

* The government should ensure that there is no discrimination against ethnic minorities in their access to higher education and to positions of authority in public life.

* Ethnic minorities should be given an effective voice in their own affairs, including the right to form peaceful political organizations and to vote for elected representatives of their own choice.

* No one should be subject to persecution for the non-violent advocacy of the rights or interests of minority religious or ethnic groups.

To the international community:

* Urge Iran to open its doors to international human rights monitors from the United Nations and independent nongovernmental organizations.

* Encourage and facilitate contacts between the international community and Iranian individuals and organizations concerned with issues of political and civil rights.