Qatar: Baha’i Leader Sentenced to Five Years for Exercising Religious Freedom

Court Ruling Against Baha’i Leader

GENEVA—On August 15, 2025, a Doha court imposed a five-year prison sentence on the chair of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is in Qatar, Remy Rowhani, aged 71. This ruling, made on August 13, 2025, was criticized by the Baha’i International Community and Human Rights Watch as a violation of his rights to freedom of speech and religion. They urged Qatari authorities to overturn the conviction and secure his release.

Rowhani faced charges under article 259 of the penal code for allegedly promoting a doctrine that undermines Islamic teachings. Additionally, he was accused of violating social values through information technology, as per article 8 of the 2014 Cybercrime Prevention Law, and for disseminating materials that allegedly advocate for 'destructive principles' under article 47(b) of the 1979 Law on Publications and Publishing, according to court documents reviewed by Human Rights Watch.

Saba Haddad, representing the Baha’i International Community at the UN in Geneva, stated, 'The imprisonment of Remy Rowhani on such unfounded charges related to his religious identity is a significant violation of human rights law. This act against Rowhani is an affront to all Baha’is in Qatar and to the principle of freedom of conscience.'

The Baha’i faith promotes unity among all religions and people, yet its followers often face discrimination in the region, particularly in Iran.

The charges against Rowhani were linked to an X account and an Instagram account associated with the Qatari Baha’i community, which were connected to his contact information. Human Rights Watch examined the posts, which primarily celebrated Qatari and Muslim holidays and Baha’i values. The Baha’i International Community noted that these posts emphasized principles like justice, gender equality, respect for parents, and the importance of good deeds.

Qatari authorities alleged that Rowhani's promotion of Baha’i values on social media violated public order and social norms, as indicated in the court documents reviewed.

According to the Baha’i International Community and Human Rights Watch, Qatari authorities routinely vilify Baha’is based on Islamic interpretations that may incite animosity towards them.

Rowhani was detained on April 28, 2025, and has remained in pretrial detention since. A source informed Human Rights Watch that Rowhani's lawyer was denied access to court documents detailing the charges against him. Furthermore, during an initial hearing on June 18, the court did not permit Rowhani's lawyer to defend him or access necessary legal documents.

The court also claimed that Rowhani had collected donations and transferred funds without proper authorization for the benefit of Baha’i individuals and organizations abroad, a situation already known to the authorities. Previously, Rowhani had been arrested on December 23, 2024, fined 50,000 Qatari rials (approximately US$13,700), and sentenced to a month in prison for collecting funds in 2013 and 2014 without the required permissions.

This charge stemmed from Rowhani's collection of voluntary donations, a religious duty central to the Baha’i faith. The right of Baha’is to practice their religion freely, both publicly and privately, is safeguarded by article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Qatar has a documented history of discriminating against Baha’is, including deportations, hindering the community's efforts to restore a Baha’i cemetery, and refusing to recognize marriage certificates issued by Baha’i institutions in the country. Baha’is have also encountered discrimination in Egypt and Yemen, and have faced persecution in Iran.

UN experts on religious freedom and related rights have expressed serious concerns regarding the discrimination faced by the Baha’i minority in Qatar, as well as Rowhani's arbitrary arrest and detention, in a joint statement released on July 31.

Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, remarked, 'This shocking verdict indicates that Qatar is intensifying its crackdown on Baha’is, despite its attempts to portray itself as open and inclusive. Qatari authorities must uphold fundamental freedoms and release Rowhani immediately.'