Dying for an education The Iranian government still refuses to employ anyone of the Baha'i faith,i including professors in the university system. And because declaring one's religion on an application in Iran is as vital as a social security number in the United States, members of the Baha'i Faith have no easy choices, Seysan said. Escaping from Iran is an option only if a person has enough money and the right connections to settle in another country. I saw a friend of mine's father shot, trying to cross the border. Escapees stay only one day in the village and are then taken to several larger cities in Turkey before they go to the United Nations office and are declared refugees.
Escapees then receive passports and visas.
The entire process took Seysan about 18 months. The Iranian government has become less severe in their treatment of escapees who are caught, Seysan said. They usually don't kill now. Raising awareness Power in the government lies with a majority of religiously trained political leaders, Seysan said. Few leaders have degrees in subjects such as economics or political science.