Qatari authorities are facing accusations of religious discrimination against members of the Baha’i faith, including unlawful detentions, according to Human Rights Watch.

The rights group highlighted the case of Remy Rowhani, chair of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Qatar, who was arrested and detained on April 28, 2025. Rowhani had previously been released from detention in January 2025 after serving a one-month prison sentence.

Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, stated, “The Baha’i community of Qatar has endured decades of government discrimination and intimidation, and authorities have consistently ignored community leaders repeated efforts to engage the government in dialog and seek redress. This state-sponsored discrimination poses a threat to the very existence of the Baha’i community of Qatar.”

Human Rights Watch reports that the government in Qatar has allegedly discriminated against Baha’is for decades through discriminatory policies.The association documented cases from 2003 to 2025 where as many as 14 members of the group were deported for no apparent reason other than their religious affiliation.In other instances, Qatari authorities reportedly terminated the employment of a Baha’i member and denied certificates of good conduct, required for employment, to four members of the group.

Human Rights Watch stated that Qatar’s Interior Ministry did not respond to their requests for information regarding these cases.

According to Human Rights Watch, many Baha’is in Qatar are hesitant to speak publicly about their experiences due to fear of further discrimination and reprisals.

While islam is the official religion of Qatar and the constitution guarantees freedom to practice religious rites, the Baha’i minority allegedly faces discrimination in administrative and legal matters. One now-deported Baha’i reported being told by a high-ranking Qatari religious figure that converting to Sunni Islam could prevent his deportation.

The Baha’i faith, founded in 19th-century iran by Baha’u’llah, promotes the unity of all religions and the human race.

Beyond deportations,Qatari officials have reportedly delayed the reestablishment of a Baha’i cemetery and refused to recognize marriage certificates issued by Baha’i institutions in Qatar.Baha’is have also experienced discrimination in other countries in the region, including persecution in iran and repression in Egypt and Yemen.

In 2021, Rowhani was charged under Law No. (15) of 2014 on