In Response To Wiesenthal Center’s Query: U.N. Investigation Finds No Evidence Of Religious Minority Dress Code In Iran

May 25, 2006

In Response To Wiesenthal Center’s Query:  U.N. Investigation Finds No Evidence Of Religious Minority Dress Code In Iran

Last week, the Simon Wiesenthal Center asked the Secretary General of the United Nations to investigate a National Post op-ed piece written by Amir Tahiri stating that religious minorities would be required to wear color patches delineating their religions. 

A letter received today by Wiesenthal Center Dean, Rabbi Marvin Hier, written by Alicia Barnena, Acting Chef de Cabinet, on behalf of the Secretary General, said: “The Secretary-General, who is currently traveling in Asia, was disturbed by this report and asked me to look into this matter immediately.  I have now done so, and an analysis of the law by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Tehran finds that there are no suggestions or clauses within the law that refer to religious minorities and their dress, or that would support the serious concerns raised in the National Post story.”

“We are pleased that the United Nations is now involved in the matter and has confirmed that the current law does not have any dress codes for minorities,” said Rabbi Hier.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS and the Council of Europe.

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