In 2025, the case of Remy Rowhani, a 71-year-old respected leader of the Baha’i community in Qatar and chair of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is, became an important example of the ongoing religious repression in the Gulf. In fact, Rowhani was arrested by the Qatari authorities on April 28, 2025 and later sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a Doha court on August 13 of the same year, on charges that he “cast doubt on the foundations and teachings of Islam” through social media posts linked to his community’s X and Instagram accounts. These posts, which celebrated Baha’i values and national holidays, were peaceful expressions of religious identity and community life.
International human rights organizations, including the ECDHR, and the Baha’i International Community (BIC) strongly condemned this conviction as a blatant violation of basic human rights. Serious due process violations and the abusive use of vaguely defined charges related to religion and “state security” were highlighted in analysing the charges. It is immediately apparent how his detention fit a broader pattern of discrimination against the Baha’is in Qatar, who have long faced restrictions on residence, family life and the public expression of their faith.
International concerns intensified as United Nation human rights experts warned that Rowhani’s imprisonment exemplified targeted religious persecution. Special Rapporteurs emphasized that courts should never adjudicate belief and stressed that Qatar’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and expression for all, including non-Muslims. They also noted that there is no contradiction between Islamic principles and the protection of these fundamental freedoms, underscoring the incompatibility of Rowhani’s sentence with international human rights standards.
In a remarkable turn of events, an appeal court overturned Rowhani’s conviction on September 30, 2025, ruling that his social media posts did not conflict with Qatari constitutional guarantees of freedom of belief and expression. This acquittal was greeted with relief and cautious optimism by the Baha’i International Community and rights defenders, who saw it as a positive though overdue step toward recognition of religious freedoms.
Remy Rowhani’s ordeal serves as both a warning and a call to action. While his release represents a positive outcome achieved through sustained international advocacy, it also exposes the fragility of religious freedom in Qatar. ECDHR continues to urge Qatari authorities to lift remaining restrictions on freedom of religion or belief and to ensure that no individual is ever again imprisoned for peacefully expressing their faith.