The statement of Ayatollah Boroujerdi's followers in Iran and Europe

The statement of Ayatollah Boroujerdi's followers in Iran and Europe

in protest against the intensification of detention and repression of the student movement in Iran

Continuing the detention and repression of the students especially massive arrests of the militant students of Polytechnic University during last days, indicates the illegal and undemocratic identity of Iran regime. Inattention to students' demands as the pioneers and intelligentsia ilk of the society shows the despotic entity of Velayat-Faqih regime. There is no hope to establishment of democracy in a society which all its parts are repressed with the worst and harshest imposing methods because of demanding their human and trade rights, unless all parts equate and unite against the oppressive government and eliminate the sinister slogan" our religion is just like our politics" from Iran's culture for ever.
We, the followers of separation of religion and politics and of liberal clergy Ayatollah Boroujerdi, announce our complete unity with Iran student movement and ask for imminent stop of illegal detentions of students by the religious government of Iran and ask all world's Human Rights societies and organizations to help in removing the restrictions and pressures on student's movement.
Representation office of Ayatollah Boroujerdi in Europe
Jahangir Salehi
Wednesday 25 Feb 2009

2008 Human Rights Report: Iran

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
February 25, 2009

In November supporters of dissident cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Kazemeini Boroujerdi reported that prison authorities severely beat him and moved him from Evin Prison to an undisclosed location despite appeals for release on medical grounds. Police arrested Boroujerdi at his home in 2006, reportedly after he had come under increased pressure from the government for his belief that religion and the state should be separated. Boroujerdi has been arrested and imprisoned several times since 1992 and claimed he was tortured and threatened with execution. In October authorities also rearrested nine of 70 of his followers who were originally arrested in late 2006 and released in 2007.
......
he government carefully monitored the statements and views of all religious leaders, including the country's senior Muslim religious leaders. It restricted the movement of several Muslim religious leaders who had been under house arrest for years and continued to detain at least one dissident cleric, Ayatollah Boroujerdi, during the year. The government pressured all ranking clerics to ensure their teachings conformed to (or at least did not contradict) government policy and positions.
Read More...

The release of two followers of Ayatollah Boroujerdi

Yesterday afternoon February 23, 2009 two ladies of Ayatollah Boroujerdi's followers called ladies. Zahra Abdollahvand and Maryam Ghasemi were released after 27 days detention and torture by giving heavy security.
It is necessary to say that each one of the ladies has children and had been detained only because of advocacy of Ayatollah Boroujerdi and protest against continuing the illegal detention of him by the Special court of clergy.
Mrs.Zohreh Sharifi, another follower of Ayatollah Boroujerdi, is still in prison and there is no exact information on her condition.

Two of Ayatollah Boroujerdi’s supporters released

Today on February 23rd, 2009, two of the ladies, Zahra Abdollah-Vand and Maryam Ghassemi, both supporters of Ayatollah Boroujerdi, were released from prison.

 Following a twenty seven day long imprisonment which was both served in solitary confinement and under brutal torture, the two were released on hefty bonds.

 It is worth mentioning that both of these ladies have young children and were only and specifically arrested because they support Ayatollah Boroujerdi whose illegal detention they have both protested. 

Principles for Establishing Peace

Ayatollah Boroujerdi provided the following principles to establish lasting peace in this world.

1. Those seeking to solve social problems and to establish lasting peace, must be willing to accept criticism and they must be patient.

2. People who live in peace and equality are those who have purified themselves from every kind of conceit and selfishness in the stream of humanity.

3. Peaceful persons are the best capital for the present and the future of mankind.

4. It is impossible to create peace and friendship without reciprocal respect.

5. Reform is a primary aspect of peace. The peace flag will be raised in a country where the population follows reforms in their individual and social life.

6. Justice among governments is the key to world peace. Justice among the Super Powers is as essential as the spring rain. The best guarantee for the survival of a government is justice and equity.

7. Peace, tranquility, and happiness are impossible goals for a people whose government is contaminated by discrimination, betrayal and oppression.

8. Remission (forgiveness) is the most effective way of establishing peace.

9. Establishing peace on earth will assure the survival of Adam and Eve's generation (humankind).

10. A righteous man is one who makes peace and reconciliation among others.

11. Prophets were peacemakers in their own time and making peace among the people was their objective.

12. A society that is peaceful is worthy to serve as a model for other societies in the present and in the future.

13. One who is harsh and spiteful rather than peaceful and tranquil destroys his/her body, spirit, honor and esteem.

14. A prophet’s mission has always been to spread peace and equality among people. The best evidence of pacifism in prophecy is that no prophet was opposed to another, but each prophet confirmed the preceding one and gave glad tidings to the next one. From this we know that it is proper for a prophet’s followers, who are the main part of the world's population, to learn from their leaders to be peaceful instead of breeding fanaticism and enmity.

15. Peace, remission (forgiveness) and philanthropy are my perpetual messages; so many families who were living in devastation found peace and reconciliation and a better situation in life after attending my religious meeting and applying the principles I taught.

16. I believe that to establish peace and international security religious fanaticism based upon outdated and harmful traditions must be abandoned forever.

17. God has created a method of guidance for every nation and no person should ever impose her/his opinion and religion upon others.

18. Contrary to the government clergymen in Iran, I believe in peace and compassion not harshness. I have never gossiped against my malevolent; rather I spoke according to logic and reasoning, even requesting, on numerous occasions, a televised debate with the political Islamic leaders in Iran.

19. Contrary to Iranian government that is opposed to Judaism without any transparent reasons, I respect Jews and accept their religion as a divine religion.

20. Injustice and discrimination are the primary causes of conflict, which prevents peace among nations and peoples.

21. I invite all people in each society to embrace justice and equality and to refuse all forms of fanaticism, discrimination and abuse. I wrote a letter to high ranking officials in the government of Iran and warned them about the increasing oppression and injustice in Iranian society. For example I wrote: “As you know the continuance of each government is dependent upon justice and according to the holy leader’s words: A government that is separate from religion and is just may remain but a government without justice that practices oppression and despotism will be annihilated."

22. There are reports about despotism of Bani Omaye and Bani Abbas though they claim to have a religious government. Unfortunately, the oppression of some of the regime’s authorities who are known as religious persons, has led to destruction of religion, conscience and spirituality in our society and this is an alarm for conscious men to act.Also, I have expressed in these letters; the right to independent thought and a belief in separation of religion from politics but the officials of the Ministry of Information and of Special Court of Clergy have altered my words to create untrue and false charges.

23. I believe that respect for other religions and for other opinions is necessary for global peace and I have taken special actions to demonstrate this belief throughout the world. For example, in 2001 I sent a congratulatory message to Christians all over the world entitled “2001 Salutation to Christ”

24. I believe publicity and cultural activities are the most effective way to promote a cause. I call upon the entire world to refrain from enmity and fighting. I have always promoted peaceful methods for example:I organized a nonpolitical religious meeting to allow people to show that they do not wish to be under a political religious regime but want a traditional religion separate from government.Two weeks before Eid ul-Fitr (an important Islamic feasts), I announced in an interview with Voice of Iran Radio that I'm going to adduce a Eid ul-Fitr prayer on Azadi avenue in Tehran and I invited many followers of the traditional Islamic religion and opponents of political religion. It was estimated that this great unique meeting would be attended by millions of people with this message: “We peacefully deny the authority of the religious government of Iran.” It was primarily for this reason that I was attacked and arrested in order to prevent the occurrence of this meeting.”

With the hope of the expanision of peace and quality in all over the world
Seyed Hosein Kazemeini Boroujerdi

Violating opinion freedoms by Iran government has made bad situation in Iran

111TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION

H. RES. 33

RESOLUTION

.......

Whereas a number of senior Shi’a religious leaders who have opposed various Iranian government policies on political or religious grounds have also been targets of state repression, including house arrest, detention without charge, trial without due process, torture, and other forms of ill treatment; Whereas the Iranian Parliament is considering a new law that would impose serious punishments, including the death penalty, on converts from Islam, as although the Government of Iran has applied the death penalty for apostasy in the past, it has not been explicitly codified; ....

Click here To Continue

Call for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Seyyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi.

For Urgent Attention of:

UN High Commissioner of Human Rights
EU Human Rights Commission
International Committee of the Red Cross
Amnesty international

From: Members of the Swedish Parliament and the political party (Folkpartiet Liberalerna)

Subject: Call for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Seyyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi.

We, the members of Swedish Parliament from Liberal Party (Folkpartiet Liberalerna), inform you that the liberal cleric Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi’s life is in critical danger.
This prisoner of conscience advocates the separation of religion from state and the establishment of peace and justice. He was arrested on 8 October 2006 by security forces in Tehran after a month long siege. He stood trial behind the closed doors of the Special Court of Clergy without access to legal representation. In addition to being defrocked, he was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment in Tehran and 10 years exile in a prison located in the province of Yazd, hundreds of kilometres away from his family. His house and all of his belongings were confiscated.
According to published reports and statements by human rights organizations, as result of being subjected to physical and mental torture, his physical and mental conditions have deteriorated critically.
We demand the authorities mentioned above send a team to Iran without delay to investigate and report on the condition of Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi. We also demand that these authorities appeal to the Islamic Republic of Iran to:

1- Abide by its obligations under the UN Charter of Human Rights;
2- Publicly announce the formal charges brought against him Ayatollah Boroujerdi;
3- Allow an internationally reputed lawyer to have access to him;
4- Provide conditions for his lawyer to investigate and have access to all documents in his dossier; and,
5- Provide international media access to him.

We shall be at your service for any additional information that you may require.
Birgitta Ohlsson, Member of the Swedish parliament/ Member Committee on Foreign Affairs
Erik Ullenhag, General Secretary of the Liberal Party
Cecilia Wigström, Member of the Swedish parliament, from the Liberal Party
Avni Dervishi, Chairman of International Affairs, Liberal Immigrant Organization
Anita Brodén, Member of the Swedish parliament, from the Liberal Party
Fred Saberi, President of Iranian International Liberal Association in Sweden
Gunnar Andren, Member of the Swedish Parliament, representing the Liberal Party.

February/16/2009 Stockholm/Sweden

The detention of a family of Ayatollah Boroujerdi's followers

A follower of Ayatollah Boroujerdi, her husband and child were detained and transferred to an unknown point by security forces.
Yesterday morning February 17, the officials of Special Court of Clergy and of Ministry of Information referred to the house of lady.Zohre Sharifi, a follower of Ayatollah Boroujerdi, and detained her, her husband called Mohammad Ansari and her 5-year-old child( Amirmahdi) and confiscated and took some of their belongs. There is no information on their condition as yet.
It is reminded that lady.Zohre Sharifi had been detained along with ladies. Zahra Abdollahvand and Maryam Ghasemi opposed to Special Court of Clergy on January 28, but was released after first investigations.
The pressures on Ayatollah Boroujerdi who is detained in solitary confinement in Yazd prison, and also on his followers have been intensified during last weeks.
Human Rights Activists in Iran

Farhang Jahanpour, another Very Confused Academic

By Azarmehr888

I just managed to get to the last session of a seminar on broadcasting to Iran, organised by the Next Century Foundation. The four panelists included former Iranian diplomat Mehrdad Khonsari, Foreign Office Spokesman Barry Marston, Journalist Nazanin Ansari and Oxford academic, Farhang Jahanpour.

I had never heard of Farhang Jahanpour before, but it wasn't long before he got into the meat of his speech that 'I got hold of the telephone receiver- gooshi dastam oomad', as we say in Persian, meaning I understood where he was coming from. Later when I got home and googled his name, sure enough it confirmed my radar for these kind of people is still well and truly tuned in. Amongst many pages that came back by the search engine, just being amongst the supporters of Iranians for Peace, a CASMII type sister organisation, was enough to confirm my trusted gut feelings…..

Click here To Continue

Two Followers of Ayatollah Boroujerdi Detained Incommunicado

Boroujerdi Held in Solitary Confinement

(12 February 2009) Iranian authorities should immediately release Maryam Ghasemi and Zahra Abdollahvand, two followers of Ayatollah Boroujerdi who were arrested by order of the Special Court for Clergy in Tehran on 28 January 2009, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. 

Relatives of the detainees informed the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Ghasemi (32), Abdollahvand (31), each of whom is a mother of two, and Zahra Sharifi went to the Special Court for Clergy in Tehran along with other followers of Ayatollah Boroujerdi on 28 January 2009. The group inquired about Boroujerdi’s condition in Yazd Prison, and protested about his solitary confinement. They  were subsequently interrogated by the Court. Ghasemi and Abdollahvand were transferred to Section 209 of Evin Prison for further interrogation, while Sharifi was released at 8 pm the same day. The detainees’ families have received no news from Ghasemi or Abdollahvand since their transfer. 

Ayatollah Boroujerdi has formally requested Giti Pourfazel, an independent lawyer, to represent him. But the Special Court for Clergy has denied his request, and Boroujerdi has no independent legal representation.

Regarding the detention of Ghasemi and Abdollahvand by the order of the Special Court for Clergy, Pourfazel told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, “Any order by the Special Court for Clergy applying to ordinary citizens is not legal. It is an extrajudicial action.” 

Ayatollah Kazemini Boroujerdi was arrested on 8 October 2006, prosecuted by the Special Court for Clergy behind closed doors, and sentenced to 11 years in prison, 10 of which must be served in exile in the city of Yazd. Boroujerdi was moved to solitary confinement in Yazd Prison on 27 January 2009, despite the fact that he suffers from serious health problems.

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran considers Ayatollah Boroujerdi a prisoner of conscience as his detention is based solely on his beliefs about the freedom of religion and expression as well as his criticisms of the state’s execution and stoning orders.  According to Giti Pourfazel, Boroujerdi was transferred to solitary confinement because he became friends with Baha’i detainees held in the same prison, an action not tolerated by authorities. 

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran calls on the judicial authorities in Iran to abolish the prosecution of clergies in a Special Court and order a review based on national and international fair trial standards of all cases in which clergy have been sentenced by these courts. 

Click here To Continue

Lack of information on the situation of two women of Ayatollah Boroujerdi's followers

Ladies.Maryam Ghasemi and Zahra Abdollahvand have illegally been detained for 17 days and there is no information on their state.

The reiterate referral of their families to Special Court of Clergy and to Evin prison to visit and get information on their situation has no result as yet. The authorities of the court refused every kind of explanation in addition to humiliating behaviors, in reply to insistence of the families.

The authorities of Special Court of Clergy have threatened the families of these two accuseds because of following up the situation of them. This judicial reference has threatened Mrs.Fatemeh Abdollahvand (Zahra's sister) who has been detained and imprisoned for two times, to detain.

It is necessary to say that Special Court of Clergy denied the detention of these two opinion prisoners at the first days.

 Human Rights Activists in Iran       

Iran Buries the Past

Amnesty International has called for the Iranian government to cease its destruction of the graves at Khavaran and investigate the massacres that occurred there, but conducting an investigation and bringing those responsible to justice is a tall order. There is no high ranking official in the Islamic regime who was not directly involved in the massacre: from the supreme leader who served as president during the massacre to so called 'reformers' like Saeed Hajarrian, a senior political advisor to President Khatami who was a high ranking official in the Intelligence Ministry at the time. Khatami has remained silent. He has never acknowledged the massacres, let alone considered bringing those responsible to justice.

Some in Iran, however, have been willing to speak up. Grand Ayatollah Hussein Ali Montazeri, who had been a designated successor to Khomeini, was removed from political power partially because of his opposition to Khomeini's fatwa. Ayatollah Hussein Kazemayni Boroujerdi, who is in jail for openly calling for separation of religion and state, issued a message from prison: "How sad it is (to see) the official celebration and pride that government controlled official media in Iran demonstrate on the occasion of the anniversary (of the Islamic revolution) while a whole nation is drowning in an ocean of misery, prisons are overflowing with innocent prisoners, and the regime is busily building more prisons to house them." The massacre victims' families, in shock of from seeing their loved one's unmarked graves being overturned, easily identify with the dissident Ayatollah.

Click here To Continue

Iran in Orbit

By MICHAEL LEDEEN

Low oil prices offer an opportunity to counter the mullahs' delusions .
Last week Iran put its own telecommunications satellite into orbit. U.S. officials in the White House, the State Department and the Pentagon were certainly right to warn that this shows that the mullahs have now mastered the technology needed to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles. But the terror masters in Tehran believe the satellite has an even greater significance -- another step toward the return of the Shiite messiah, or Mahdi, the long-vanished 12th Imam.......
The Obama administration wants to talk to the Iranians, and some reports suggest they have been talking for months. American negotiators should take every opportunity to call for respect for human rights -- on behalf of the labor leaders demanding that salaries be paid, women demanding equal rights, students asserting their freedom to criticize, and even dissident ayatollahs, such as Montazeri and Boroujedi, who have branded the regime as heretical. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would seem an ideal champion for these victims....
Click here To Continue

A plan to assassinate Ayatollah Boroujerdi's character

Following continuing and following up by news agencies and Human Rights defenders, Ayatollah Boroujerdi's family got an opportunity to visit him for a short time.
In the morning of Feb,3, 2009 when the members of Ayatollah Boroujerdi's family referred to central prison of Yazd to visit him , at first they were led a special part in prison where had been equipped with comfortable equipments , by the prison authorities. Coincident with arrival of Ayatollah Boroujerdi's family some reporters of mass media like: Broadcasting organization and Jam-e-Jam newspaper took film and report of this visitation. His relatives believe that the presence of media and film taking of his visitation with his family in an equipped and comfortable place is an effort and a plan to show facts reversely and to assassinate his character.
According to news received from the prison; after this uncommon visitation Mr.Boroujerdi was again returned to isolation cell.
It is necessary to say that Human Rights defenders, his lawyer and his family had expressed their concern on the improper situation of this opinion prisoner and the pressures on him, during last days as involved various reactions in media.
Human Rights Defenders in Iran

Juvenile, Bahman Salimian has less than 48 hours to live!

Dear Friends, Activists and Journalists,
I would like to bring your attention to Bahman Salimian, a juvenile on death row, who will be executed on February 5th in Iran. (Photo Attached)
Mohammad Mostafaei, a prominent lawyer working on child execution cases reported that Bahman Salimian, a minor on death row, is in imminent danger of execution. He is scheduled to be executed on February 5th in Iran. Stop Child Executions has informed the appropriate mechanisms at the United Nations, EU and other parliaments internationally. Within Iran, 150 lawyers have written an open letter to Iran's head of Judicary Ayatollah Shahroudi demanding a stay of execution for Bahman as well as an end to executions of juveniles.
Bahman Salimian is accused of killing his grandmother in 1996 at the age of 15. He repeatedly claimed in his trial that his 70-year old grandmother talked of committing suicide so he killed her to minimize her suffering.
According to Bahman's attorney, he was not in a normal state of mind at the time of the offence that he even attempted suicide shortly after he realized what he had done.
The trial judge had Bahman psychologically assessed. Expert concluded that he was suffering from a mental disorder therefore, his sentence was reduced to 5 years imprisonment and the payment of blood money. Other members of his grandmother’s family appealed the decision wanting retribution. Bahman was sentenced to death after 12 year imprisonment. Bahman is now 27 years old and kept in Isfahan prison.
His execution had been scheduled to take place on 28 August 2008 but was halted a few days prior by judicial authorities to allow for further reconciliation attempts in order to negotiate a pardon from the only relative who still insists that the execution is to go ahead. Two of his uncles had pardoned him, but the third uncle did not.
Please send your urgent action by phoning or faxing the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations:

Mohammad Khazaee, Ambassador and Permanent Representative
622 Third Ave. New York, NY 10017
Tel: (212) 687-2020 / Fax: (212) 867-7086
E-mail: iran@un.int

And writing to the Head of Judiciary in Iran
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri,
Tehran 1316814737,
Islamic Republic of Iran
Phone: [00 98 21] 391 1109
Fax: [00 98 21] 390 4986
Email: Shahroudi@Dadgostary-tehran.ir

Salutation: Your Excellency

Thank you for your continued help and support,
Nazanin Afshin-Jam
President and Co Founder
Stop Child Executions
http://www.stopchildexecutions.com/

Seventh day of absolute unawareness regarding Ayatollah Boroujerdi's state

After passing one week of Ayatollah Boroujerdi's transferring to isolation cell, there is no information on his situation.
Following the transference of Ayatollah Boroujerdi from general section of Yazd Prison to isolation cell on Juanary, 26, 2009, and forbidding visiting and phone calling for him by related authorities , in spite of his family's following up, there is no news or information on this prisoner clergyman so far . Special Court for Clergy and related authorities refuse to present the information regarding to the situation of this ideological prisoner to his family. Ayatollah Boroujerdi's statements before his transference to isoltion cell contaning the lack of security for him in prison have intensified concern of his family and relatives on his state.

Human Rights Activists in Iran

The unity message of Ayatollah Boroujerdi to all Human Rights defenders and parties Before transferring to special isolation section

To all human rights defenders, reformists and justice spreaders
Please accept the greeting of a religious leader who is detained in the chains of religious despotism. The bone of this prisoner who has been captured by dictators, who are the claimers of religion, is breaking, his eyes are being blindness and his respiratory system is being obstructed. Untimely old age has changed the spring of his life to the autumn, his spirit has been withered, his family has been taken hostage by murderers and his parents have been sacrificed in love altar.
I'm passing the third year of my unjust imprisonment while I had no crime but revealing governmental religion and have said no world but opinion freedom and thought independence and have no demand but removing the thought restriction , opinion inquiring and censorship from press. My observations from isolation, general (209, 240) and 500 special sections of Evin and military and temporal sections of Yazd prison are hard sorrows and killing memories which burn the conscience of each one who claims humanity and also shock and shake the current history. One who has concern for humanity, will be tormented and annihilated in prison even without tortures when watches these situations.
O'my dears who are the zealous children of country and are the gardeners of justice, peace and freedom;
I ask you to help each other and have unity and help your oppressed nation without attending to opinions, ideas and styles and give your under oppression country life with your movement and campaigns . Now these innocent and oppressed people are in the worst economical, social and psychological situation as the number of victims of oppression, suffocation, violence and discrimination are being increased. Surely you are the peacemakers and saviors of the current calendar in this miserable country , the pure souls of the people of Iran ask all world's liberals and seekers of truth to help and reflect Iran's suffers and to be as a rain on its burned heart.
At the end I ask you who are the sympathetic to this country to not forget me.
Thank the ceaseless efforts of militants of resistance and stand front.
Seyed Hosein Kazemeini Boroujerdi\ Feb 2009