GENEVA - A group of UN human rights experts* today expressed serious concern at the alleged arbitrary arrest and detention of Remy Rowhani and the deportation and blacklisting of Wahid Bahji and others, which appear to be part of a broader and disturbing pattern of disparate treatment of the Baha'i minority in Qatar.
Remy Rowhani, a 71-year-old Qatari citizen, who serves as Chairperson of the National Assembly of the Baha'is of Qatar, was arrested on 28 April 2025. He remains in detention pending trial based on an alleged offense under the Cyber Crime Prevention Law No. 14 of 2014. Authorities have referred to an X social media account representing the Baha'i community of Qatar and indicated that the allegations are considered a state security matter. Rowhani had his most recent court hearing on 18 June 2025, and his case was subsequently delayed until 6 August 2025. This is the second spurious case raised against Remy Rowhani on grounds of religion.
"We are seriously concerned that the arrest and detention of Mr. Rowhani appears to be arbitrary and part of a broader and disturbing pattern of discrimination against individuals based on their religion or belief," the experts said. "The mere existence of Baha'is in Qatar and their innocuous presence on X cannot be criminalised under international law," they said.
In January 2025, Qatari authorities issued a deportation order for Wahid Bahji, a resident of Qatar since his birth in that country and a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is in Qatar, for "disrupting public order." Bahji had never had any legal issues whatsoever with the government and was not provided with any justification regarding his deportation. He left Qatar on 22 March 2025 and was told by officials that he was blacklisted, barring him from re-entry.
"We are concerned that the deportation and blacklisting of Wahid Bahji appears to be based merely on his adherence to a minority religion," the experts said. "It is reported that his case follows a series of deportations and blacklisting of Baha'is of various nationalities - British, Malaysian, American, and many others - by Qatari authorities for over 20 years," they said.
Throughout the decades since its independence, the Qatari Government has consistently refused to recognise the Baha'i community in Qatar or even to designate a governmental intermediary to liaise with the community on its basic and essential functioning. This has caused numerous challenges for Baha'i citizens and residents of the country, especially their efforts to appeal or intercede against the pattern of disparate treatment and discrimination they increasingly face. These two reported cases are the most recent examples of this disturbing pattern.
"We are concerned about the relentless restrictions on freedom of religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of assembly and association, and the right to take part in cultural life of members of the Baha'i religious minority by the Qatari authorities," the experts said.
"These violations appear to represent a continuous pattern of targeted discrimination and persecution of this community and its members based on their religious affiliation and identity," they said. "We also express concern about the notable chilling effect of the allegations described on other Baha'is," they said.
The experts have previously raised concerns on this matter with the Qatari Government.
