Elchin Hatami – February 21, 2013
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| Elchin Hatami |
Language goes beyond being a mere means of communication; it is a fundamental element of human and societal identity. The right to education and learning in one’s mother tongue is recognized as one of the most basic and fundamental principles of human rights worldwide. However, in some countries, these basic human rights are still being violated, with systematic discriminatory policies implemented by governments to erase the mother tongues of oppressed peoples and minorities. Iran is among these countries. From the establishment of the Pahlavi monarchy to the present day, both the Pahlavi and Islamic Republic governments have developed directives, policies, and programs aimed at negative assimilation of the peoples living in Iran and the eradication of their mother tongues. Persian has been imposed on them as a replacement for their native languages through coercive means.
Currently, the majority of Iran’s population—millions of non-Persian citizens, including Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Baluchs, Lors, Gilaks, and Taleshis—are deprived of the right to education in their mother tongues and suffer from systemic governmental discrimination and oppression.
According to Article 15 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Persian is the official language and script of the country, and official documents, correspondence, and textbooks must be in Persian. Although this article mentions the freedom to use local and ethnic languages in the press and mass media and to teach their literature in schools, there is no guarantee or obligation on the part of the Iranian government to support education in the mother tongues of ethnic groups. Even school and university textbooks must compulsorily be in Persian. Not only does the Iranian government fail to support the right to education in mother tongues, but it also views ethnic and linguistic diversity as a threat to its existence, national security, and territorial integrity. Linguistic rights advocates and civil activists from Iran’s ethnic groups face baseless accusations such as separatism, acting against national security, and propaganda against the regime, leading to their persecution by the Islamic Republic’s security forces. Today, advocating for the use of mother tongues is deemed separatism, and a significant portion of Iran’s political prisoners are linguistic rights defenders.
Although the Islamic Republic of Iran’s constitution formally recognizes the right to education in one’s mother tongue, the government has not provided any implementation guarantees. Over 34 years since the constitution’s adoption, no individual, institution, or private entity has been allowed to establish schools or educational centers for teaching ethnic languages or promoting their mother tongues. The Iranian government actively blocks the formation of such institutions. In the Iranian regime’s perspective, defending the right to education in one’s mother tongue is treated as a crime.
The international community acknowledges the importance and necessity of mother tongue education and recognizes it as a fundamental human right. Various treaties and declarations from international organizations, particularly the United Nations, have explicitly affirmed individuals' rights to education in their mother tongues and specified positive and negative obligations for states. Positive obligations refer to the responsibility of governments to create conditions and provide the necessary support to ensure access to this right. Negative obligations prohibit governments from interfering with or violating these rights.
Key international instruments include Article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (adopted December 16, 1966), Article 30 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (adopted November 20, 1989), and various provisions, such as clauses 3 and 4 of Article 4 of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious, and Linguistic Minorities (adopted December 18, 1992). Additionally, the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights (1996) with 52 comprehensive articles, and the three-pronged clauses of UNESCO’s Mother Tongue Charter (1996) emphasize the right to education in one’s mother tongue and the obligations of states. However, the Iranian government has not adhered to any of these international treaties concerning mother tongue education; instead, its policies and programs directly contravene them.
Since the establishment of the Pahlavi regime, international treaties and laws regarding the right to mother tongue education have been consistently violated. Successive governments have pursued comprehensive policies and programs to eradicate mother tongues and cultures of the peoples living in Iran. Simultaneously, efforts to promote and develop the Persian language have served as tools for the cultural genocide of Iran’s diverse populations, aimed at assimilating them into Persian language and culture—an evident example of racial and ethnic discrimination.
Given the discriminatory and inhumane policies of successive Iranian governments over the past 90 years against the languages, identities, and cultures of ethnic groups, it is clear that these actions lack any legal or ethical justification and constitute flagrant violations of human rights. The argument that these measures are necessary for national security or territorial integrity cannot justify depriving millions of non-Persian citizens—who form the majority of Iran’s population—of their right to education in their mother tongues. Cultural diversity and linguistic pluralism are not threats but invaluable assets. Linguists and sociologists emphasize that respecting and valuing these attributes are essential for the comprehensive development and sustainability of multi-ethnic societies like Iran.
Without addressing the cultural and linguistic demands of Iran’s ethnic groups, achieving lasting peace, development, progress, and unity within the country appears unattainable. Recognizing and valuing the languages, cultures, and identities of Iran’s peoples can enhance their participation in shaping their political, cultural, and social futures, fostering solidarity among the nation’s diverse communities. Such a goal is feasible within a democratic framework aligned with contemporary standards. However, under Iran’s current authoritarian and non-democratic regime, which views all societal challenges through the lens of security threats and conspiracies and remains a major violator of human rights globally, addressing the issue of ethnic rights and the right to mother tongue education seems improbable.
The link to the original article in Farsi on Asre-nou:
ممنوعیت تحصیل به زبان مادری از مصادیق بارز نقض حقوق بشر