1. Sharaf is an Iranian national. He is Baha’i, a minority religion in a country where Islam is dominant. Sharaf could not apply for an government jobs nor obtain a business license, all because of his religion. Private employers would not hire him, and as a result, he remained unemployed for long stretches of time. Sharaf’s children could not attend the local public school because of their religion and his non-Baha’i neighbors often harassed his family. Because of the difficulty in finding employment, the family was very poor and found it almost impossible to earn a living.
Is Sharaf merely a victim of discrimination and harassment or would his situation rise to the level or persecution? (see pages 178-183)