UN Reports Highlight Systematic Discrimination Against Baha’is in Egypt
UN Reports Uncover Discrimination Against Baha’is
GENEVA—On February 23, 2026, a series of United Nations reports have brought to light the ongoing and systematic discrimination faced by Baha’is in Egypt. These reports, released this month, criticize both civil and religious authorities in Egypt for their long-standing persecution of this religious minority and urge for the recognition of their rights.
Dr. Saba Haddad, the Baha’i International Community's representative at the UN in Geneva, expressed that the simultaneous release of three reports underscores the escalating persecution faced by Baha’is, indicating a critical juncture in their suffering.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, highlighted in his report the continuous discrimination against Baha’is, calling for an immediate cessation of these practices. Despite constitutional guarantees for freedom of religion, Baha’is are not recognized legally, which exacerbates their plight.
The report emphasizes that due to their lack of legal status, Baha’is are unable to register marriages, participate in community cultural activities, and face numerous other restrictions. In attempts to marry legally outside Egypt, they found that the Ministry of Interior had enacted a bylaw preventing them from certifying these unions.
Additionally, after previously being allowed to change their marital status on identification documents, Baha’is discovered in 2022 that the Ministry of Interior had begun to block these changes, reverting their status back to 'single' upon renewal.
The human impact of this discrimination is severe. For instance, a child of a Baha’i father has been denied education at various schools due to his father's faith. Furthermore, a single mother of two faces deportation and separation from her children because she is denied citizenship despite fulfilling all governmental criteria.
Reports from the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nazila Ghanea, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Nicolas Levrat, also addressed the Baha’i situation in Egypt ahead of the upcoming UN Human Rights Council session. Dr. Ghanea noted that the Baha’i Faith has been banned since a 1960 decree, preventing them from acquiring cemetery land and forcing them to bury loved ones in overcrowded conditions.
Dr. Levrat pointed out that Baha’is are prohibited from declaring their religion on official documents, violating international human rights agreements. He emphasized that the discrimination they face must be condemned and halted immediately.
Dr. Haddad called for international solidarity, stating that the acknowledgment of the Baha’is' plight by UN officials signifies the urgent need for Egyptian authorities to reverse decades of discriminatory laws. She noted that some regional countries are making strides toward promoting coexistence and inclusive citizenship.
The Egyptian authorities have also intensified arbitrary security interrogations and detentions of Baha’is. Dr. Ghanea's report indicated that fatwas from Al-Azhar University have further marginalized Baha’is, blocking their access to public cemeteries. In April 2025, eleven UN experts sent a letter detailing the persecution faced by Baha’is, which the Egyptian government denied, a claim contradicted by the community's experiences.
Dr. Haddad concluded by urging the international community to support the recommendations made by UN officials and to hold Egypt accountable for its human rights obligations, while also calling for an end to the surveillance and coercive tactics employed against the Baha’i community.