Press release: The law that forces women to wear a "veil" or receive punishment is forbidden according to the laws of Islam.
The statement of the International Committee in Support of the Rights of Dervishes and Students in Iran is as following:
The statement concludes: "We Muslims see the insults against the Quran by a bunch of repressors that use the name of Islam and the Quran for their evil intentions - we condemn their acts and announce that the Muslim world knows that “enforced veil” has no place in the Quran. We declare that you should avoid the lies and suppression of free Iranian women that ends up in the name of Islam and the Quran. The verses of Quran stands not only against your shameless tricks like “enforced veil”, but says that the best veil, is “the veil of faith and dignity”.
وَ لِباسُ التّفوَی ذَلِکَ خَیر
“The clothes of piety is the best clothing”
Quran, Surah: Al Araf, Verse: 26
25th of May 2010
The International Committee in Support of the Rights of Dervishes and Students in Iran
The conference “Human rights in Iran - how can we support the freedom movement from Europe?” attracted many guests to Brussels and achieved serious results. There were six speakers on the panel of the Brussels conference and more than 60 guests who liked to discuss and engage for Human Rights in Iran. Both facts were a welcome sign that the conference was needed and staged a necessity of time. Not only exiled Iranians were present but several people from Belgium, The Netherlands, France and Germany helped to achieve some conclusions.
The frame of the conference consisted of three main steps:
1. Trying to define the ruling system in Iran, in order to be able to understand, why the Human Rights situation is utmost alarming.
2. Description of the Human Rights violations in Iran through authentic reports.
3. Putting up proposals how European citizens can support the civil society in Iran.
The speakers in the panel Emile Franck from Amnesty International, Belgium condemned the state of human rights in Iran since the last elections and pointed out that his Organisation constantly bemoaned the violations of human rights in Iran before as well.
Dirk Tieleman, who is an experienced journalist in service of Belgian TV and travelled in the same plane that brought 1979 Ayatollah Khomeini from Paris to Teheran, reported about what he considered as changes in the Iranian society since the revolution. He stressed that many people had learned to read and write and infrastructure had improved. While filming in Iran he had different encounters with some friendly and some fierce watchdogs from the Iranian Ministry for Culture. Tieleman is convinced that the state system would collapse the day there would be no more money left to pay the poor people. The Iranian state has a widespread subsidiary practice for its followers. Some participants confronted him later with statistics of massive drug addicts and unemployed to show that little real improvement has been achieved, but agreed with him there should be no military intervention from the Western powers in Iran.
Ebrahim Nabavi is an Iranian journalist and satirist, who lives in Belgium and assigns himself to the green movement. He publishes for Roozonline and Gooya, which are Iranian Online-Media. Nabavi discribed the green movement as a strong popular movement for civil rights, freedom and democracy in Iran. He indicated, that the subject of the human rights never had a high rank on the political agenda, but became more important through the work of the green movement. He claimed to be proud about the fact that this green movement had managed to bring hundreds of Thousands to the streets who demonstrated peaceful. His main statement: "We want you to help us to secure freedom, human rights and democracy which are not only necessities for the people of Iran but are also a great concern for the whole world....We want to ask you not to sacrifice the issue of human rights for any political or economic game and until now, the governments of the EU and the US have approached the issue of human rights in a rational way. But this is not enough, as the regime in Iran spreads its lies in the world; we need you to listen to the voice of the regime's opposition and to become aware of the situation of human rights in Iran and its continuous violation." Therefore the audience applauded.
Nasser Fakhteh originates from Iran, he lives in The Netherlands where he is an author. He told about his Odyssee when he fled from Iran, just how nowadays many Iranians, especially young journalists, experience. Fakhteh described his personal experiences about growing up in a surrounding that would have liked to control every detail of his life. He was put into prison for investigating too curiously in the field of Philosophy and background informations. His sentence was lifelong, but as he was not 18 years old yet, he was released after a few years for formal reasons of the regime wanting to keep a clean face in front of the world. It did help a lot when BBC investigated and reported about prisons in Iran in his time in jail. The awareness of the foreign countries towards the state of the prisoners in Iran gave him a lot of relieve and hope and courage. Furtheron Fakhteh pointed out that the usage of modern media like twitter and e-mail is subject to many mistakes and misunderstandings, if the content is not being thoroughly checked and passed over to others. The regime in Iran is specialized in distributing lies and starting distracting campaigns. Fakhteh appealed for a clear mind dealing with news from Iran.
He called the freedom movement of Iran a social movement with deep roots. He proposed to start a committee in support of refugees from Iran.
The fifth speaker was Prof. Dr. Firouzeh Nahavandi who structured her speech in three parts and stressed that she would speak from a scholars point of view. She described in the first step Iran as the hardest regime in the world. More and more death sentences would receive a religious cause. She talked about the client-politics inside the country and mentioned that there are still incredibly poor people who sell their children because they cannot provide them with food. She reminded of the numerous Iranian women who struggle for more rights of women. In a second step she characterized the green movement as a sponatanously formed movement which MirHosain Mousawi and Mehdi Karoubi had joined without really being their leaders. In her view the green movement has achieved that people in the world talk about what is going on in Iran and people in the whole world saw the true face of the persons in power. She felt it important to really clear how everybody talking about democracy would define this term and if democracy would be possible in a religious system. She did not provide an own interpretation during the conference, though. She finished with her third step in which she demanded a separation of religion and politics and delivered an appeal to the European states to stick to its own values and not to place economic interests before their own values. Professor Nahavandi suggested to european media and politicians to give Iranian dissidents more room to express their thoughts and experiences.
The row of speakers was completed by Dr. Mostafa Azmayesh, who is an Islamologue and religious scientist. On the one hand he pointed out that Iranians could participate in a referendum in 1979 but could only choose between continuing with the shah and a new constitution, whereas Ayatollah Khomeini added the principle of Velayat-e-faghi after the referendum to the new constitution. In so far the calls of the Iranians for a new referendum in Dr. Azmayesh’s opinion are legitimate and one has to trust to the maturity of Iranians that they would bring the system of Velayat-e-faghi to an end. On the other hand he elobarted that there was a cold coup d’état in Iran by a sect that has a messianic ideology and that was named by Azmayesh as the Armaggedonist sect that has come to power in Iran. Officially they would support the system of Velayat-e-faghi behind Khameneii but secretely they install a military dictatorship with clearly fascist features. The essence of the ideology of the Armaggedonist sect according to Dr. Azmayesh is messianic, only true and epansionist. The so called Hojiatieh society stands behind this movement. Other terms for this radical sect are Mahdiists, Mesbahists or the term found by Azmayesh, Armaggedonists. One the powerbrokers and most influential figure in the background is Mesbah Yazdi, who names himself an Ayatollah but represents such radical views on Islam that all pious Muslims regard him as unworthy. Mesbah Yazdi is director of various religious institutes in Qom and receives vast amounts of money from the government. He supports president Ahmadinedjad fully. The chief ideologue of a group that controls the revoltutionary guards called Hadjane Seasineh Sepah, is a man called Dr. Hassan Abassi. He educates the cadre that shall provide the return of the awaited Messiah Al-Mahdi. Normally the Shiite wait for the appearance of the Hidden Imam. Abassi has fulfilled a change of paradigm and has turned the nature of waiting from passive to becoming very active. Abassi holds that the Hidden Imam waits for his believers to create the circumstances under which he can reappear. This switch of paradigm is the incitement for a world revolution, a legitimation for the export of unrest, chaos, disarray, conceivement and bloodshed to Europe and the rest of the world. Therefore Dr. Azmayesh reasoned in the conference is engagement of European citizens and politicians for people and their rights in Iran in the same time an engagement for the rights and the freedom of our children in Europe.
In this spirit all participants felt united and agreed that the conference might only be a start and the newly found coalitions must continue with further actions. One of the participants claimed for a greater involvement of student groups and offered to be an intermediary.
Conclusions In the end there were several ideas about the support of the freedom movement in Iran on the table:
1. Europe! Stick to the values you have proclaimed yourself. Don’t put economical interests before human rights in Iran.
2. Citizens of Europe! Inform youselves about the nature of the political forces that have taken over Iran. It makes you aware of what people in Iran are fighting against.
3. Citizens of Europe! Inform yourselves about the events in Iran, demand from the press more insight in the human rights situation and the violations of simple citizens rights.
4. European countries! Support the representatives of opposition groups building up their own media instead of creating more and more administrative barriers. You don’t even need to invest money in that.
5. Citizens of Europe! Please help to shelter the refugees from Iran from the persecutions of their regime. Support Nasser Fakhteh to build a Committee in support of these refugees.
6. Military! Keep your fingers out of the game. When the human rights situation will find more attention and the freedom movement in Iran will be fully backed from the West, it will deal by itself with the regime inside the country.
7. Community of the entire world! Insist on the creation of an independent international commission that surveys the human rights inside of Iran, similar to the commission that surveys the nuclear case.
The conference was finalized with a recitation by Nasser Fakhteh of a poem composed by him about Neda Agha-Soltan, the young woman who was shot dead in the streets and who grew to a symbol of the resistance of the Iranians confronting their regime.
More than one year have passed since the destruction of the Shiite Muslims prayer house belonging to the followers of Nematollahi Gonabadi and the surrounding cemetery in Isfahan. This heinous act to is not only disrespect to the prayer house of the Shiites, but also disrespect to the Muslim cemetery in the famous city of Isfahan (half the world). Insulting news and photos related to this event in have spread through international media and have been translated in Greek, English, Turkish, French, Arabic, Persian and ... This event have not been looked into by the officials in the Islamic Republic and have brought further shame to the ninth regime.
Since justice had lost its meaning in the system during Mr. Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi as the head of the justice department, the voice of the Sufi Dervisches was not heard by the government and all attemts to take action according to the laws of the Islamic Republic faild and this led to the Sufis beeing more oppressed than ever! Inevitably members, supporters, and those interested in the "The International Committee in Defence of Daravish and Students of Iran" to arouse and spread the public opinion around the world (especially for Muslims living in western countries) and have worked for this and held demonstrations and marches and sit-ins in various cities throughout Europe and America and Canada, and have expand awareness around the globe and made contact to relevant authorities in the section of human rights and the international communities.
To have praying houses and to be buried in the cemetery in the city one lives, and preserve the sanctity of these places are basic rights of citizenship all around the world countries and international conventions and agreements related to these cases have been signed by "The Islamic Republic" and inevitably "the regime" is obliged to comply and act according with these cases and otherwise, the international community will ask questions demanding answers from Iran and we witnessed an exampel of this in the Geneva meeting with your brother Mr. Mohammad Javad Larijani.
And for these reasons we request of you as a new steersman in the department of justic to make the right choices and to restore these forgotten rights of the Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufis and to hand out neccesary and urgent orders, especially the reconstruction of the praying house of the Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufi Dervisches in the cemetary of “Takhte Foulad” in Esfahan and the tomb beside it belonging to the late “Mr. Izad Goshap – Darvisch Naser Aly”.
We like to inform you that the members, supporters and those interested in " The International Committee in Defence of Daravish and Students of Iran " will - if all that is requested in not put to action in the end of this year - to make new movments in the new year in a chain of coordinated actions spreading the truth, including sit-ins and hunger strikes in front of the Agency's offices, embassies, businesses and banks buildings affiliated to the regime of Iran around the world, and also hold protests and hand out flyers in front of popular buildings in various, as well as spreading the awareness with meetings, inviting news sections and the famouse international names in various fields. Necessary measures will be taken in order to attract the public opinion to protect the rights of dervishes, to denounce and condemn the perpetrators and the cause for these un-human behaviors.
The Light that shines on the way for the supporters of the " The International Committee in Defence of Daravish and Students of Iran", is the word of the The great third Imam of Shiite Muslims, “Hossein son of Aly” that "even if you do not have any religion, at least be humans"
God is behind those fighting for peace and justice
The International Committee in Defence of Daravish and Students of Iran
During recent years and in particularly during the presidency of Mahmud Ahamedinejad the followers of Gonanabadi Sufi order have been under severe restrictions. Under the reign of this executive branch which places emphasis on hard line Shiite doctrine the Sufis of Gonabadi order have been under consistent attack and threats both physically and through rumours and innuendoes which have support from Ministry of Information. These forces publish and dream up false rumours and innuendoes in order to influence public opinion against Sufis. These attacks provide ammunition to the central and local government authorities and help to mobilize certain hooligan elements within the system, such as Basiji forces, in order to destroy Sufi house of worships in different Iranian cities such as in Qom , Isfahan , Borujerd and Kish . These attacks are cantered against all Sufi places of gathering around the country. These government backed hooligans are funded from large sums of Money that are supposed to go towards helping Islamic brotherhood but instead are used to fund mercenary groups disguised as ordinary citizens with mission to destroy the Sufi movement which stands for peace and tolerance.
Today, those who control power structure within Iran are in effect member of an anonymous cult with non Islamic agenda whose worship is not oriented towards Mecca or Islamic values but instead is oriented towards what they call "Hnysa" and represent value system that is totally in opposition to tolerant Islamic values.
Their extremists views will not stop at destroying places of worship of Muslim brothers and will not end with destruction of cultural, geographical Patriotic centres and value systems. These people who are able to simply wipe a historical place such as (Beydokht - Gonabad) from the map of the country and Geography books, will not be able to safe guard the geographical boundaries of the country.
International Committee for Student and Sufi rights in Iran , while condemning such actions on the one hand, with all seriousness also demands an end to the destructive actions of this extremist cult. It asks those who are in the Iranian power structure to compensate the Sufis for material, moral and emotional damages they have suffered as results of threats and physical abuses they have suffered. They demand permanent halt to all forms Human Rights violations. It also asks those in power to respect all the international community standards and rights for all and Iranian citizens and put a permanent stop to all forms of oppression.
Some of the demands of Sufis in Iran that has reached the committee for support of student and Sufi rights in recent years are as follows:
1 – To compensated the Sufis for the physical, emotional and financial hardship they have suffered from assaults that they and their families have endured as result of plainclothes thugs who are supported by Basijis and funded by the Iranian government ;
2 – To allow Issuance of building permits for rebuilding of Hosseiniehs (Sufi House of Worship) in the cities of Qom, Borujerd ,Kish and Isfahan which belonged to Gonabadi Sufi order and were subsequently destroyed by plane clothed thugs and hooligans backed by the regime. 3 – Compensate the Sufis for the cost of rebuilding the above houses of worships.
4 - Eliminate the ban on Sufis from being buried in the cemetery Gonabad;
5 – Reinstate the name of town of Beydokht and Gonabad in geographical maps and textbooks;
6 – Stop the social discrimination of Sufis and recognise their rights as citizens and allow them to hold positions in public schools and universities especially in the fields of social and religious education 7 – Allow permits for development of Mazar-e Soltani and extension of pilgrim area around the site. 8 – Allow Defence lawyers to represent the rights of Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufis and allow lawyers who are Sufis to practice the law. 9 – Prevent spreading and issuance of false rumours and innuendoes against the Gonabadi Sufis and stop funding anti-Sufi movements within the local and central governments departments.
10 - Eliminate all travel restrictions on Sufis within the country especially on Sufi masters and the Grand Master: Nour Ali Tabandeh. Also remove the restrictions in place on Nour Ali Tabandeh visiting and living in his hometown of Beydokht in Gonabad;
The Committee to protect the rights of students and Dervishes
In order to implement and impose the doctrine of “Absolute Supreme Leader” or “God’s Viceroy on Earth” in every corner of the land, the oppressive regime in Iran, over night and without any legal or moral basis, bulldozed the Hosseinieh (Gathering Place) of Nematollahi-Gonabadi Daravish (Sufis) in Takhte-Fulad, Isfahan and desecrated their burial place. This catastrophic event was one in a sequence of a grand and organized events thoroughly planed many years in advance, to eradicate Sufis and Sufi school of thought in Iran and Iranian culture. Previously they had closed and destroyed many of their centers in Iran from Qom to Bojnourd, Charmahin and Kish among many others. But as much as they abhor violence and aggression, Sufis are committed to defending right and justice. (They are unified as a single shield). Last year on 3rd of Esfand, 1387, while the atmosphere of oppression and despair had dominated every aspect of Iranians, the Nematollahi-Gonabadi Sufis, despite grave danger facing them, rallied from all across Iran to the capital. They protested in front of the Parliament against the systematic and continual oppression, violence and injustice bestowed upon them for many years. Numbering in tens of thousands they demanded justice and retribution. In the stifling atmosphere of fear and despair, against a powerful system that skillfully had for many years crafted a culture based on superstition devoid of slightest remnants of rational thinking, basic standards of fairness and justice, the Darvishes’ movement laid the foundation for hope. Hope for a nation, of resistance against physical, cultural, emotional, and spiritual violence that had been imposed on them for decades. According to official reports eight hundred and fifty people were arrested on that day. Many spent months in the infamous Evin prison subjected to daily violence and torture. But they resisted their captors , honoring and preserving their principles and their pact with their God. Remembrance of this day matters because it symbolizes the principles of altruism, fight for truth, justice and freedom for all, without resorting to violence. May the Darvishes (Sufis), through their teachings, writings, struggles, and perseverance help all Iranians to reach their long overdue right – Freedom, Democracy, Peace and Prosperity.
The International Committee in Defense of Daravish and Students of Iran
the committee for freedom of Sufi and students announced that at 11 p.m. local time, on 5th of May 2009, 11 Sufis and 5 students of Amir Kabir universities who were arrested illegally were freed. The freed Sufis were:
1. Mohammed Ali Taban, 2. Firouz Bedabad 3. Gholam Ali Baghstani, 4. Mohammed Hamrahi, 5. Reza Shali, 6. Nasser Popy, 7. Payman Amraie, 8. Abufazl Salehie, 9. Hamid Rahmani, 10. Heshmat-allah Vafie, 11. Abdulmanf Gholamy. Currently there are still four remaining Sufi being held illegally of the original 15 who were arrested. The remaining illegally imprisoned Sufis are: Moslem Sanaat-Parast, Yadallah Shams Khani, Mechiel Ghorbany, Esmail Sanaat-Parast In addition to the 11 freed suits on the previous day 5 students of Amir Kabir universities were also set free. 1. Esmail Salmanpour, 2. Nariman Mastoufy, 3. Yasar Turkman, 4. Koroush Daneshyar, 5. Hussein Turkashavand.
The committee for freedom of Sufis and students will continue its protest against all arrests that are in violation of individual human rights. It will also continue to highlight threats that violate individual freedom. This committee sees all these violations of human rights as affront to Islamic values stated in the Koran, and will continue its struggle to free the remaining prisoners and to bring forth all violations of human rights, threats and tortures that are carried out by the Iranian regime to the attention of world press and authorities.
Freedom-lovers, Human Rights activists and Democracy seeker Iranians, had a political manifest in front of Denmark’s Parliament yesterday 29Th April 2009. By holding a banner, spreading fliers, and collecting signatures they demand release of Political prisoners from Notorious jails such as Evin and elsewhere and also declare their disgust against violations of HUMAN RIGHTS in Iran by It’s mullacracy government.
In an interview, They also declare and demand release of religious minorities such as Sunnis, Sufis, Behaiis, Reporters, Students and Others from torture and prisons. This group is going to continue its political manifest until release of prisoners from Mullah jails, respect of Universal Human Rights , Brotherhood, Equality, Freedom, Liberalism and True DEMOCRACY in Iran
Amsterdam, according to an exclusive report from Inside of Iran, a political manifest was carry out at the Dam Square, on Saturday 18Th April 2009 from 12:00 to 16:00pm. The aim of this political manifest was a demand for releasing Students, Reporters and Sufi detainees from Mullah jails and also a stop for demolition of gathering places and violation of Universal Human Rights and suppression of religious minorities in Iran. The committee of defence of Students and Sufi rights in Holland declared also if the pressure and suppression against Sufis, students, Sunnis and other minorities does not come to an end it will carry out similar manifestations again.
The Committee activists and also human right activists by holding a banner, spreading fliers and flowers, and collecting signatures demand release of Political Prisoners from notorious jails such as Evin and elsewhere and also declare their disgust against violation of HUMAN RIGHTS in Iran by It’s mullacracy government
In an interview with radio Zamaneh, the speaker also declared and demand an end to oppression of religious minorities and release of Political Perisoners from torture and prisons. This group is going to continue its political manifest until release of all prisoners from Mullah jails, respect of Universal Human Rights, Brotherhood, Equality, Freedom, Liberalism and True DEMOCRACY in Iran.
Copenhagen, according to an exclusive report from Inside of Iran, a political manifestation was carry out in front of the Municipal building ( Rådhuset), in the heart of Copenhagen City, today Friday 3rd April 2009 from 8am to 8pm.
The aim of this manifestation was a demand for releasing students and Sufi detainees from Jails and also a stop for demolition and violence against human rights and religious minorities in Iran. The committee of Students and Sufi practitioners in Denmark announced also if the pressure against Sufis and students does not come to an end it will carry out similar manifestations all over Denmark
The demonstration in support of Neymatallah Sufis was successfully completed on 2nd April 2009 in London . The supporters of Students and Sufis expressed their protest against the treatment of Sufis and Students in Iran by placing green bushels of wheat as form of protest in front of Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi London head quarters.
These demonstrations were organised by the committee for support of rights of students and Sufis who wish to highlight the treatment of students and Sufis in Iran under the current Islamic regime. The supports gathered in front of the Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi London head quarters for two hours and showed their support for Sufis and Students by shouting slogans in support of love, peace, tolerance, fair and just treatment of Students and Sufis in Iran . At the end of the demonstration a statement was read in support of Sufis and students and stressed if the current regime and Ayatollah Nasser Makarem continue with their ill-treatment of Sufis and students the committee for support of students and Sufis will continue its protest through future demonstrations
The Committee for the support of rights of Sufis and Students has requested that friends and supporters of human rights to gather on 2nd April 2009 from 12:00 noon to 2 pm outside the head quarters of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi in London; in order to protest against his extreme views and open support for destruction of Sufi sacred sites and house of worships in Iran. We hope that by showing your open and boisterous support we can not only show our distain for Ayatollah’s views but put a stop to his open support for persecution of Sufis and other minority groups in Iran . By supporting this open protest you will also be supporting the rights of students and Sufis who are tortured and imprisoned without charge or justification in Iran . We hope you can all join us in this important protest in support of Human rights.
The Committee for defense of Sufis and Students
Date of Protest: 2nd April 2009 Time: 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm Location: 856-8 Harrow Road Wembley, Middx , HA0 2PX
The Committee for Defense of Rights of Sufis and Students of Iran
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Committee for Defense of Rights of Sufis and Students of Iran has issued an open letter announcing the success of its photos and slide show exhibitions in different cities of Europe .
These exhibitions were shown concurrently in several cities such as Brussels , Koln, Lyon and Strasbourg . The exhibitions were well received by many concerned and compassionate Europeans. These enthusiastic visitors have requested for the continuation of these kinds of displays and revealing programs, which would break the silence against the brutality and oppression of the Iranian government toward Iranian Sufis and students.
These presentations clearly portrayed the level of destruction of the Sufis’ sacred places, and prayer centers (Hosseiniehs), in various cities of Iran , such as Qom , Isfahan and Boroujerd. These exhibitions also provided documentation and ample evidence related to apprehensions and tortures of Sufis and students.
Moreover, these exhibitions showed the pictures of the destroyed Sunni mosques and schools in the city of Zabol and other cities in Iran as well; followed by informative discussions among various Sunni groups. A collection of photos depicting mass demonstrations by University and college students in places such as Tehran , Shiraz and Isfahan were shown to the interested and peace loving audience.
Because of the enormous interest shown by visitors, the committee is planning to conduct similar chains of informative exposes in different cities of Europe such as Stockholm , Copenhagen , Malmo , Amsterdam , Rotterdam and London
The Committee for Defense of Rights of Sufis and Students of Iran
The demolition of the Nematollahi Goanabadi Prayer center, “Hosseinieh”, in Isfahan , Iran took place on Tuesday February 24th 2009, at 12 A.M. This destruction happened in the middle of the night unexpectedly and without any prior warnings. Later on that day, when Sufis gathered for the prayer around their shattered prayer center, they were faced with the brutal attacks from the special governmental forces. The intensity of these atrocious acts against the peaceful Muslims have stunned the people all around the world, particularly, since no provocation, harsh remarks and wrong gesture were initiated by Sufis. This recurring oppression toward Sufis is taking place in violation of the mandate issued by Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamehnei on protecting the rights of all Muslims.
A few days later, the City Officials in Isfahan announced that the demolition was in accordance with the Ruling of #100 of the city commission! This act was absolutely at odds with all previous agreements regarding preservation of this Hosseinieh, which is located next to the mausoleum of Dervish Nasser Ali in Takhte Foulad cemetery, as a place of the Cultural Heritage. As such this Hosseinieh were to be protected and immune from and zoning by laws. Hence, the demolition of the Hosseinieh and suppression of Sufis have turned into a very complex situation.
On Wednesday March 12, 2009, the mystery unfolds itself and we found out the reasons this puzzling issue. Javad Arian-Manesh the representative from Mashhad and Kalat in Majlis [parliament] said:
Link:http://www.insideofiran.com/en/?p=985
Defending Baha’ism, Wahabism and Sufism in Islamic Republic of Iran is a Non-Issue.
On the other hand Kazem Jalali, the speaker from the National Security and Foreign Policy: Link:http://www.insideofiran.com/en/?p=984
Promoting Baha’ism, Wahabism and Sufism is the enemies approach to confront the Islamic regime.
The two parliamentarians have independently expressed their views to Rasa News Agency (political news division), stating that the oppression of Sufis and the destruction of their prayer centers are legal and legitimate acts. Because in the Islamic Republic of Iran Sufis have no legal rights not even as a religious minority or a sect of Islam. Although religious minorities have representatives in the parliament such as Zoroastrians, Assyrians, Christians, and Jews have representatives in the parliament, however, the followers of Sufis are denied the right to have a prayer place and to perform their prayer services.
In their statements, these two representatives of the parliament (Javad Arian-Manesh and Kazem Jalali) have placed the Sufis, Baha’is and Wahabis in the same category. This is in line with the chief public prosecutor standing accusing Baha’is as spies and Wahabis as terrorists. Also the Imam Jom’ah of Rasht has called the Sufism a deviation and a diversion of Islam and grouped them as satanic devil worshipers.
At the minimum, we hope these writings will inform the people around the globe that Sufis are peaceful individuals, not guilty of any wrongdoings and are not responsible for any public disorder. They have not disobeyed any laws and there have not been any dispute or any problems over their “Namaz Khanehs” with any governmental agencies in the past.
Today, it is apparent that the systematic oppression of the Sufis in Iran is based on a political agenda. The aim of this plot is to wipe out all the Sufis inside of Iran particularly the Nematollahi Goanabadi Sufi order. Their master plan was published in a book by Mehdi Emadi, one of the ideologists of the Islamic Republic, called “Hassan Basri” the provocative face of Tasavof.
Therefore, in order to defend their legal and civil rights of worship as Iranian Shia Muslims, all Sufis and in particular the Nematollahi Goanabadi Sufis call on all the international Human Rights Organizations and Dr. Asma Jahangir the Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights to stop these inhumane atrocities that are affecting the lives of more than two million people in Iran. We are requesting their outmost effective use of power and tools necessary to bring a stop to this eradication of ideas and beliefs against our Sufi fellow countrymen.
The Committee for the Support of Sufis and Students
06/03/09 According to the latest news, Judicial and the Intelligence apparatus of the Islamic Republic of Iran have begun releasing more than 8500 of the Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufis who have been detained in the Evin prison in Tehran, since Saturday February 22nd 2009.
Sufis driving licenses were taken, salary stubs were withheld along with their birth certificates. They had to submit to a legal oat consent and agreement that they shall appear before the judge, and in some cases a bail, close to100 millions of Tomans, were set before they release. However, there are thirty other Sufis remain in solitary confinement in Section 240 in the Evin prison.
The Dervishes have been interrogated repeatedly and systematically and tortured severely. The inhuman treatments of these innocent Sufis resulted in a sudden heart attack for Mr. Ali Akbar Bonakdarpour who was rushed to the intensive care unit by his tormentors. The rest of the people who are being held in single cells are denied contacts and visitation by their family members and are being brutally mistreated.
The lawyers have not been granted permission to meet with their clients since their arrests. The Sufis are being held without committing any crimes or any wrongdoings what so ever and they are not being told why they have been arrested for.
Unfortunately, we do not have access to the complete list of the names of people in prison, but those who were recently released, have provided us the following names:
Ali Bonakdar Hasan Kashani Parviz Shams Firouz Bidabad Behrouz Bidabad Amin Karampour Mohammad Sadegh Moradi Sarvestani Mehdi Dajm Sayf Abadi Mohammad Ali Taban Ismael Sanatparast Mehrdad Sanatparast Mikhail Ghorbani Ahmad Jamali Heshmatallah Vafaie Shoar Mohhamad Hamrahi Abufazl Salehi Mehrdad Karami Hamid Nazari
The Objectives of Torture and Interrogation of Sufis:
The first goal of detention and questioning of the jailed Sufis is to obtain information.
The second goal is using the procedure called “Tavab Sazi”. This approach of forced interrogation is designed by the Intelligence apparatus to fabricate lies and plan a scheme by compiling false confessions in the name of the detained Sufis, in order to make a case against the Gonabadi Dervishes. Eventually, this will further their plan to wipe out Sufism from Iran.
The third goal is implementing a detailed plan for shattering and destroying the activities of all the non-profit organizations affiliated with the Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufi path.. The arrest and the torture of Mr. Ali Akbar Bonakdarpour in this case clearly demonstrate the official interrogators intent to find out more about the charitable and non- profit “Reza Organization”.
The fourth goal is to put a stop to all the web sites and the internet activities related to the Sufis. The police and the Intelligence services have failed in their repeated attempts to stop the internet sites by filtering, hacking and blocking methods. In order to compensate their unsuccessful attempts at sabotage in these matters, the Intelligence group continue to arrest and torture those whom they think are responsible. They are trying to find a clue as who the sources behind the internet web sites are.
Due to their ignorance, they will not succeed in their deceitful ways. Sufis’ actions are based on their true faith and their responsibilities toward spreading the True and Spiritual Islam. This struggle will not be stopped by harassing and detaining Sufis. Hundreds and thousands will step forward, raise the flag of true Islam, and walk on the path of God.
The Committee for Defense of Rights of Sufis and Iranian Students calls all the International Human Rights Organizations to join forces and support us for the immediate release of the these innocent Sufis imprisoned by the government.
The Committee for Support of Rights of Sufis and students
Dr. Ekmel eddin Ihsan Oghlu The secretary general of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Honorable Dr. Ihsan Oghlu,
Asallam Alykom,
As you are informed by now, Darvishes in Iran are being constantly under direct and systematic oppression by the Iranian government. As of now there have not been any legal discourses, laws and rules under the Islamic Republic judicial systems to protect the dervishes and their civil rights. The destruction and the demolition of their place of prayers (Namaz Khaneh) in addition to the endless suppression of the Darvishes are becoming widespread and ordinary practices in today’s Iran. This is an unprecedented dangerous heresy that may cause and bring about unfortunate and regrettable devastations.
The suppression of Sufis in Iran has been rapidly increasing for the past few years which include many different incidents that are stated in enclosed attachments for your kind consideration. These oppressions include the destruction of the Prayer places in the different cities namely, Tehran, Qom, Boroujerd, Esfahan, Shahr-e-Kord, and Kish Island, and arresting, detaining and jailing Sufi followers in these cities.. In addition, the Iranian government is disregarding and violating the Darvish’s basic legal rights. As soon as the government finds out about an individual’s affiliation with Sufism he/she is immediately stripped of their job and is faced with many difficulties. There have been instances of disbarring of licenses of the lawyers defending Sufi clients. i.e., Mustafa Daneshjoo, Omid Behrouzi, and the expulsion of college students ,such as Mohammad Ismail Salahi, who were studying in the University and other educational institutions, thereby breaking the barriers of respect and disrespecting the sufi masters and the elders of Darvishes and imposing house arrest on them, unable to travel or even reside in their own hometown, as well as illegal entry into their houses, taking their belongings and sealing off their property and possessions across the country..
Considering that the Islamic Republic is one of the signatories and participants of the international conventions intended to respect and uphold the right of religious and ethnic minorities, their oppressive approach towards the minorities on one hand and the silence and the lack of objection of the legal and the justice system of Iran on the other hand and also the lack of freedom of speech and the obligatory silence on the part of the independent religious scholars on these situations is clearly at odds with the convention’s rules and regulations. It is such a hypo racy that the same people, who have no regards for human rights or the right of each ethnic and religious minority within Iran, claim that the rights of Shi’ia and Islamic faith have been violated by protesting and writing to the media outlets.
What the Iranian government is doing to its fellow Shi’ia citizens is against the Islamic laws and the international rules and policies. Continuously, there have been daily programs of widespread and systematic atrocities throughout the country for destroying the holy places of worship through issuing Fatwas by a group called ” Amerin”, so-called government proxies.. They have destroyed the many “Namaz Khaneh”, insulted, attacked the people as they were praying during the month of Moharam, in the city of Qom, and arrested one twelve hundred fifty innocent individuals. They expelled the Imam Jamaat (Mohandes Amir Labaf) from his home town, and detained him for more than five years, which is clearly against the teachings of the Koran according to the verse:: “ان الصلوه تنهی عن الفحشاء و المنکر و لذکر الله هو اکبر”. Attacking and beating people while they are praying leads to more violence, destruction and moral decay of the society..
Even though some the followers of Sufism have invited these fundamentalists to participate in a group discussion to discuss these problems, there have not been any responses as of now. Ironically, these atrocities are happening now that the Human Right organizations mandate countries to recognize the individual rights of each citizen in their home countries by providing them protection against fundamentalism and extremism.
Surely the OIC will not be silent against these violent attacks and will do what is necessary to provide unity and harmony for all followers of Islamic faith.
We are requesting your outmost cooperation in this dire situation. If the government of Iran is not willing or capable of stopping this small group of extremists who are against the rest of the Islamic world, then there should be another solution to resolve this matter. We are hoping that these unresolved cases will be investigated by proper authorities and the outcome will be documented for the public view. Thank you very much.
