Human Rights Watch Accuses Qatar of Decades-Long Discrimination Against Baha’i Minority

Human Rights Watch has accused Qatar of longstanding discrimination and intimidation against the Baha’i religious minority, warning that such state-sponsored actions threaten the community's survival in the Gulf nation. Between 2003 and 2025, Qatar deported as many as 14 Baha’is, often without clear justification beyond their religious affiliation, including an Iranian Baha’i born in Qatar who was expelled under vague charges. The group’s leader, Remy Rowhani, chair of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Qatar, was arrested under Qatar’s cybercrime law for social media posts and had previously served a one-month prison sentence. Beyond arbitrary detentions and deportations, Baha’is have faced systemic marginalization, including job rejections and denial of official documents critical for employment. Despite repeated efforts by community leaders to engage with the government for redress, authorities have largely ignored these calls, exacerbating fears within the community of further reprisals. Qatar’s official religion is Islam, and while its constitution guarantees religious freedom, the Baha’i community continues to endure institutional exclusion and discrimination.