First Name and Last Name:
Hamid Reza Moghaddam-Far
Witness Accounts of Alleged Violations and Crimes:
When he was the Managing Director of Fars News Agency and the Deputy Commander of Cultural Affairs for the IRGC, Hamid Reza Moghaddam-Far was responsible for deliberately provoking hatred and incitement to hatred against the Bahá’í faith through the content in Fars News.
The Fars News Agency is close to the powerful IRGC and is said to receive financial support from them. The impartiality and independence of this news agency is in serious doubt.
In its October 2011 report titled “Inciting Hatred Iran’s Media Campaign to Demonize Bahá’ís”, the Bahá’í International Community described contents published by Fars News as:
“Some 64% of the articles surveyed by the Bahá’í community contain language branding the Bahá’í Faith as a ‘deviant, misguided sect’ and even as ‘Satanists’…. Other articles strive to make a more explicit connection, referring to the “satanic goals” of Bahá’ís, or calling Bahá’ís part of a ‘satanic system’… often uses graphic images that portray Bahá’ís as fiendish ghouls or agents of Israel…”
It is believed that propaganda in the media could lead to increased discrimination against the Bahá’í community and promote a social context of violence and hatred against them solely based on their religious beliefs.
Supporting documents:
- An interview published in a volume of Iran Pak monthly, in which Moghaddam-Far emphasises his position as the Managing Director of Fars News Agency: http://dchq.ir/html/images/iranpak/khordad88/17-03.pdf
- The following documents in which the official position of Moghaddam-Far within the Islamic Republic administration is clearly stated: http://www.digarban.com/node/2291
- An article exploring the main reason for Moghaddam-Far’s departure after five years in his position at Fars News Agency:
http://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/3814
- The following selection demonstrates the pro-Ahmadinejad tone of Fars News Agency:
- http://www.entekhab.ir/fa/news/78501
- A report dated 4 Aban 1388 (26 October 2009) by Rooz On-line about Fars News Agency:http://www.roozonline.com/persian/archive/archivenews/news/archive/2009/october/26/article/-6553442ad5.html
- References to the role of Fars News Agency and the incitement of hatred against the Bahá’ís:
http://www.bic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/inciting-hatred-appendix-ii.pdf
http://www.bic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/inciting-hatred-book.pdf
http://www.bic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/Inciting%20Hatred-P.pdf
http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8908010672
http://news.bahai.org/human-rights/iran/semnan/incitement-hatred
http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8711130808
- Wikipedia entry about the background of Mahnaz Raoufi:
http://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%85%D9%87%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B2_%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%88%D9%81%DB%8C
