Iran Executing "Iran's Mandela," Dissident Hero Ayatollah Boroujerdi

Shadi Paveh- Gatestone institut

Now that the world's headlines are dominated by ISIS, and while Iran's President Hassan Rouhani is at the UN, the Iran is using these distractions to step up its executions, its mass-arrests of minorities, and now its execution of Ayatollah Boroujerdi -- that is if Iran, by again withholding crucial medical attention, does not passively execute him first.
Iran's Prosecutor of the Special Court, Mohamad Mohavadi, continued that the punishment for these crimes of "anti-government views" is execution, and stated that all those who had a hand in publishing [his] book will also be killed. When Boroujerdi suggested an open, public debate, Mohavdi announced that his office did not participate in debates, just trials and punishments [executions]. Iran has been trying to kill Ayatollah Boroujerdi for the past eight years of his 11-year prison sentence.

The threat of execution comes only one day after Ayatollah Boroujerdi's latest letter to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

Days before Iran's President Hassan Rohani addresses United Nations General Assembly, Ayatollah Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi, the prominent dissident clergy was informed that he will be executed for "anti-government views" -- that is if Iran, by again withholding repeatedly-requested medical attention, does not passively execute him first.

According to reliable sources inside Iran, "Ayatollah Boroujerdi's health condition is worse than ever, and prison docors have said that if the prisoner does not receive immediate medical attention, he will die within days or even hours…." The authorities have been refusing medical intervention.

Ayatollah Boroujerdi, has spoken out against political Islam and been strong advocate of separation of religion and state, for which Iran sentenced him to 11 years as an Iranian political prisoner.

The Human Rights and Democracy in Iran Agency reported that on September 23, 2014, Mohammad Mohavadi, prosecutor of the Special Clerical Court visited Ayatollah Boroujerdi in Ward 325, in Evin prison.

Mr. Mohavdi referred to Ayatollah Bouroujerdi's book and teachings. The prosecutor informed Boroujerdi that the contents of the book were "heresy" against the leadership and insulted the Supreme Leader of Iran.

Mohammad Mohavdi continued that the punishment for these crimes is execution, and stated that all those who had a hand in publishing this book will also be killed. When Ayatollah Boroujerdi suggested an open, public debate with the Special Court regarding his views, Mohavdi announced that his office did not participate in debates, just trials and punishment [execution].

This threat of execution comes only one day after Ayatollah Boroujerdi's latest letter to Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations was published on September 22^nd. In this letter Ayatollah Boroujerdi strongly criticizes the government of Iran for mishandling the country's money by corruption and by financing causes in other Muslim countries, instead of spending money on its own citizens, such as addressing unemployment, rampant poverty and the desperate need for health care.

Boroujerdi, who has an enormous number of supporters and is known worldwide as "Iran's [Nelson] Mandela," has also implored the General Assembly to help the people of Iran for the sake of history and future generations.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has been trying to kill Ayatollah Boroujerdi for the past eight years of his 11 year prison sentence. The authorities have done this through torture, denial of urgent medical care and even a fire set to his ward on July 1^st, 2014. So far, possibly wary of the global outcry that would ensue both inside and outside Iran if Iran's regime were to excute Boroujerdi, the government has refrained from executing him.

However, now that the world's headlines are dominated by the beheadings, mass-murders of ISIS and lightening expansion of ISIS, the Islamic Republic is using these distraction to step up its executions, its mass-arrests of minorities, and now its murder of Ayatollah Boroujerdi.