SOME BAHA'I RECEIVE IDENTITY CARDS, MOST MUST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 002371 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM KIRF IZ SUBJECT: SOME BAHA'I RECEIVE IDENTITY CARDS, MOST MUST PROVE THEY ARE NOT MUSLIM REF: BAGHDAD 0767 Classified By: Political Counselor Robert Ford for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: On July 12, President of the Bahai National Spiritual Assembly in Iraq, Abdul Razaq Abaychi and assembly- member Sermid Moqbel said that since May 15, the Iraqi government has issued national identification cards or "jensiyya" to four members of the Baha'i faith. The jensiyya cards were proof of the Ministry of Interior's (MoI) positive action to overturn a Saddam-era regulation that previously prevented the Baha'i from obtaining identification cards needed to register in schools, obtain passports, or even get married legally. Abaychi said that most Baha'i still need more help from the MoI to receive their jensiyya cards, because under the Saddam-era rule, official records were changed to identify them as "Muslim," and today, MoI officials who issue the jensiyya cards insist those individuals cannot "convert." Abaychi noted Baha'is are still not included in the Non-Muslim Endowment, despite the Ministry of Human Rights' (MoHR) support. He also described anti-Baha'i targeting occurring within the last year. End Summary. -------------- FOUR BAHA'I RECEIVE IDENTITY CARDS -------------- ¶2. (C) On July 12, Baha'i National Spiritual Assembly President Abaychi and assembly-member Moqbel said that on May 15 the Iraqi government issued the first jensiyya card indicating a person's Baha'i identity, since a July 24, 1975 regulation (rule number 358) prohibited the registration of jensiyya for those claiming the Baha'i faith. Showing POLOFF his new jensiyya, Moqbel said he was the first Baha'i of four, who have received their cards since May 15. He noted that the four Baha'is who have received the cards include Abaychi's wife, Moqbel's sister, and a woman, who is unrelated to the other jensiyya recipients. Abaychi confirmed in April he had been able to appeal directly to Interior Minister Jawad Bolani to cancel rule 358 with the help of MoI Director of Passports and Nationality Yaseen Taher Al- Yassiri, the Ministry of Justice, and the MoHR (reftel). ¶3. (SBU) With Minister Bolani's approval, permission to issue the jensiyya was granted through an April 4 letter written by Al-Yassiri that canceled rule 358. Rule 358 had caused immediate hardships such as being unable to obtain passports and jobs and marry legally for Iraqi Baha'is, which according to Abaychi, currently has an estimated 1,000 members. ¶4. (C) Moqbel said that when the MoI officer who handled his jensiyya application asked his supervisor whether "Baha'i" is a legitimate identity, the supervisor confirmed to him that the MoI had issued a memo permitting Baha'is to receive national identity cards. Moqbel said that he received his jensiyya a week after applying, which according to locally-engaged staff is longer than the typical turnaround time of two days. -------------- -------------- BAHA'I RECORDED AS "MUSLIM" CANNOT GET "BAHA'I" ID'S -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) Abaychi and Moqbel said that although the MoI canceled rule 358, many Baha'i still cannot obtain identity cards indicating they are "Baha'i," because after July 24, 1975, their records were changed to say they were Muslim. They reported that those Baha'is still face resistance from MoI officials who insist that they cannot convert from Islam. (Note: Under Iraqi law, there is no criminal penalty for religious conversion, although under Islamic law, converting from Islam is a BAGHDAD 00002371 002 OF 003 capital offense. End note). Abaychi and Moqbel noted that during Iraq's 1957 national census, the government counted and recorded members of the Baha'i community; therefore, having cancelled the July 24, 1975 rule, the government should change the identification records that were recorded as "Baha'i" before July 24, 1975, back to "Baha'i." They said that the MoI Passports and Nationalities Office still needs to issue guidance to officials clarifying that this change would not constitute a "conversion", but rather recognition of a pre-existing identity. ¶6. (C) They said that some Baha'is who have never registered as Muslims still cannot receive jensiyya cards indicating they are Baha'i, because at least one of their parents' records had been changed to "Muslim" after July 24, 1975. Moqbel explained that because his wife's parents' records were changed to Muslim after 1975, his wife and their four children cannot apply for Baha'i jensiyya. Moqbel further explained that because his wife's parents were registered as "Muslim," the Interior Ministry would count her as a Muslim if they attempted to register their marriage. He said his children would also be considered Muslim, because in Iraq, if one parent is Muslim, then the government considers the child to be Muslim. -------------- -------------- BAHA'I STILL NOT RECOGNIZED BY NON-MUSLIM ENDOWMENT -------------- -------------- ¶7. (C) Abaychi said that despite the cancellation of rule 358, the Baha'i were still not included in the Non-Muslim Endowment; however, the MoHR in March had written a letter to the Chair of the Non-Muslim Endowment, Abdullah Hermiz, in support of the Baha'i's inclusion. Abaychi said that they met several times with MoHR's Director General of Research and Study Saad Fathallah, who was consistently supportive. Abaychi reported that he and Moqbel last met with Hermiz to advocate for Baha'i membership in the Non-Muslim endowment on May 19, and Hermiz told them he was still seeking evidence that the government recognizes Baha'ism as a separate religion. (Note: Hermiz previously reported that Shia Endowment head Sheikh Saleh al- Haidari, arguing that Baha'ism emerged through a split from Shia Islam, had reportedly opposed Baha'i inclusion in the Non-Muslim Endowment(ref A). End note.) Moqbel said he presented his jensiyya as evidence of the legality of Baha'ism to Hermiz, who indicated his surprise. Abaychi said he would ask the MoHR for Hermiz's response to the ministry's letter supporting the Baha'i's petition to join the endowment. -------------- -------------- WHY RECOGNITION BY THE NON-MUSLIM ENDOWMENT MATTERS -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C) Abaychi emphasized that being included in the Non-Muslim Endowment matters, because it would support the Baha'is' main goal -- gaining official recognition of their legitimacy. He noted that endowment membership, in addition to the government's new willingness to issue Baha'is jensiyya cards, may smooth future political acceptance within the Council of Representatives for repealing Law 105 of 1970, which prohibits the Baha'i faith; however, this would not be realistic in the foreseeable future. He added that membership would allow the Baha'i to seek the endowment's help with the return of thirteen Baha'i places of worship -- eleven in or near Baghdad, one in a village near Diyala, and one in Basrah -- that were closed, demolished, or appropriated many years ago. Per Abaychi, today, BAGHDAD 00002371 003 OF 003 the Baha'i worship in their homes. -------------- TARGETING OF BAHA'I -------------- ¶9. (C) Abaychi said that there was targeting of Baha'i during the last year, explaining that he abandoned his home in Baghdad and moved his family to Dohuk after receiving a threat letter with an enclosed bullet in October 2006. He noted in May, there was a Baha'i teacher that was kidnapped in Baghdad, and no had heard from the teacher again. Moqbel said that although he was happy to have received his jensiyya, he is careful not to call attention to the fact he is a Baha'i. Per Abaychi, Iraq's relatively small community of Baha'i is spread in numerous locations such as Baghdad, Mosul, Dohuk, Basrah, Diyala, Suleymaniyah, Irbil, Baqubah, and Tikrit. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶10. (C) The issuance of four Baha'i jensiyya cards, although modest in number, is a breakthrough overcoming a prohibition that for nearly 32 years seriously impacted Baha'is' civil rights. The Interior Ministry's positive action repealing rule 358 is commendable. Post will press the MoI Passports and Nationalities Office on the need for guidance allowing corrections to records that will allow more Baha'i to benefit from the cancellation of rule 358. END COMMENT. CROCKER