Mousavi’s 13th Statement: Violence is Not The Solution
09-28-2009
Source: MowjCamp
Without a doubt, the Quds day demonstrations remain a highlight of the events of the past few months. Promising results are expected out of what occurred during this event, which cannot be attributed to one faction or one view. Rather, [these] achievements belong to all of those who have roots in this land, even if some are not able to feel this blessing and this gift due to their own incorrect judgments.
This gift is the gift of the Imam’s [Khomeini's] foresight. He repeatedly told us to establish the right foundations such that when we are gone, they will not be able to destroy them, even if they so desire. Maybe we have not been able to truly act on this advice, but that is the path he always took. He based the pillars of the Islamic Republic on the trust of the people and created opportunities for them to come out [in public] so that no one would be able to destroy them.
Quds day is one such day. With such traditions, people cannot be deterred and forced out of the scene. Without addressing and providing justice inside, [the authorities] cannot invite people to such rallies to protest tyranny in faraway lands. To leave behind no doubts, He [the Imam] declared that this day is not only specific to Palestine, but the day of the oppressed and the day of Islam. We now realize the efforts of that caring father who made sure that people always remain present on the scenes in the millions.
Thirty years ago, our Imam asked Muslims across the world to set aside their differences and come together to rise against a common agony that pains them all. This message is so close to our circumstances today. Islam did not say that we must think alike to be united. The unity to which we are invited is the same as accepting differences, and Quds is a day when Muslims should come together while tolerating the vast differences that exist among them. That is why if this event is attached to one particular political faction, it will lose its glory year after year. It will not achieve its promised vision, and it can no longer be the day of Islam and the day of the oppressed.
The vision of this day is to bring together different colors in one scene. This year, our Quds day did not achieve this [ideal], but it strived for it. In fact, this year on Quds day I was among people who greeted me with tight fists (Mousavi was among the state-supporters in the rally) and who wished my death. On the chaotic road we were marching together, I took a good look at them and realized that I love their faces and I realized that our victory is nothing that will bring about defeat for anyone. We must all achieve prosperity, even though some will realize this prosperity later than others.
In fact, those who felt defeated by this year’s Quds, gained the most. They saw in the clearest sense that three months of unprecedented violence did not have the smallest effect on the presence of the people, and in fact, made it stronger. If not for the opportunity on Quds day, it would have been months from now when they would have been met with their own blunders in the celebrations of Bahman (the demonstrations held in celebration of the revolution in February) and they would have come face to face with the high cost of their own mistakes at a time when it would have been much too late.
Violence is not the solution. Meet all with empathy (as opposed to enmity.) Violence is like a horse that throws the rider to the ground. People have every right to feel angry about hostile security measures and unrelenting provocative propaganda, even if justifiably their righteousness does not change the consequences of their anger. The amount of fruit we harvest from our endurance depends on the amount of patience thoughtfulness that we are willing to maintain. If we move towards unreasonable extremes, it is possible to, in one day, lose the fruit of a week’s or a month’s hard work. Our people deserve better treatment from the authorities because they are alert and thoughtful. And a thoughtful person is he who can not only distinguish between good and bad, but also between good and better, or between bad and worse.
There are still better conclusions that we can arrive at, than those we arrived at on Quds day. At the same time, worse conditions are possible than the ones we are currently suffering from and are subjected to. On the road ahead of us, and in our historical context, there is no clear image of the consequences of acting against the current structure of government. As mentioned in the letters sent to the Marjas, Afghanistan and Iraq act as two big lessons on each side of our land. We should never ignore them. Of course, these lessons do not stop us from demanding our rights, because we have the patience and wisdom to change our destinies for the better without having to pay so high a price.
What can achieve the goal [of peaceful reform] is a commitment to the golden messages that we have chosen. A message that interferes with the friendship and brotherhood of our people will not help us restructure our national unity or our identity. We see the compassionate Islam as a cure for our pain. We see that what the authorities introduce as the banner of religion is a dress worn inside-out.
We demand the unconditional enactment of the constitution and the return of the Islamic Republic to its original ethical foundations. We demand the Islamic Republic, not a word more, and not a word less. To us, anarchists and people who act against the structure are those who avoid the Islamic laws, either with or without an excuse. They are also those who pull the plug on the constitution for their own personal gain.
Today’s political environment is not what Iranians wished for 30 years ago. Now, people are asking themselves: What has stopped us from achieving our ideals and has instead got us here? This is a fundamental question that we should ask of our struggle today and in future. What should we do so as not to face the same question thirty years from now?
We can only be certain [of the right answer] when we base our sociopolitical achievements on our everyday life. In the past century our people have had more than a few of such achievements. However, their achievements have been a result of a [direct] struggle. As long as the environment of struggle and endeavor lasted, these achievements were sustainable. But as soon as people were exhausted or thought they had to return to their homes the fruit of their struggle was lost. To fight [for a cause] is holy, but it is not long-lasting. What lasts is life.
This is a lesson we have learned from those of us who fought in eight years holy defense [against Saddam.] During those years two groups of people would leave for the war fronts. The first group fought during the war and then thought to themselves the time has come to live a life, to pile money and accumulate wealth or to build high-rise buildings one after another. The second group left [to war] for the more exuberant spirituality. They did not go just to make a sacrifice; they went to take part in that spiritual atmosphere.
Digesting these words may not be easy for people who have not experienced that atmosphere, but it is real. Not that they did not make sacrifices, in fact they were our most renowned heroes. But in the light of gems they gained they did not believe they were making any sacrifices. They lived the years of the war and then [after the war] started their own struggle, a peaceful struggle to protect that living experience or at least the memory of it. Without them, we could not have lasted [the war] empty-handed for eight years.
During the election campaign I was proud when a group of them honored me and formed the Isargaran[those who sacrifice for others] committee as one of the most active committees of my campaign. They said we have gathered together hoping to revive the spirituality of our days with Imam [Khomeini] and thus we believe our responsibilities are more burdensome. I doubt there is anyone in our nation who would not be proud of them. They are exactly on the common green intersection that connects us all to one another.
In following them, we should also live The Green Path of Hope, it is only in that case that the miracle they created will also awaits us. The importance of this year’s Quds day was that it revealed that the new life people have chosen is not something temporary and ephemeral. If we had all remained home [during the rally] but this message was [somehow] communicated with this clarity, we would have achieved nothing less.
Living the green path means that every day, while we are busy with our chores at home, at the workplace, in every street or alley, we repeat this message with an authoritative voice (in the same way that we continue to be Muslim, to be Iranian, to be of this age).
Soon after we spoke about strengthening social networks or living the green path, people asked: ‘How?’ The answer is: ‘Merely by being’. We don’t talk about creating a social network that doesn’t exist and strengthening it; we say that the people’s power is embedded in those social networks which exist naturally, based on innate guidance. We should recognize their importance.
This year, Quds day showed that this network is like a toddler who is growing incredibly quickly. This toddler is going to start talking in no time; it will be mature soon, and will compel everybody to admire and respect it. Our task is to nurse this blessed phenomenon by repeatedly expressing the thoughts which come to existence around it and to repeatedly reiterate their importance.
Likewise, when we are talking about living the green path, we don’t mean something complicated, innovative, or new. Rather, it is pointing to something that is currently being experienced. It is also pointing to the fact that our people’s movement nowadays, unlike in the past, is the beginning of a certain type of life. There is great pleasure in being smart and lively; in homophony and communication; in closing an eye to others’ faults, which makes life bountiful.
In addition, there is a power in the awareness of our nation that saves our nation from bearing many miseries. Our people are not afraid to pay the cost to revive their rights because ‘a place in heaven is earned with a price, not based on a desire.’ At the same time, if we want the results of our social movement to last, we better use a mixture of bravery and wisdom.
Now because of the wrong and adventurous foreign policy of a government that people have to bear, the country is on the verge of crises that will hurt the poor the most. If we had a confrontational approach, maybe in our simple minds we would have thought that this is a point for our green movement, but when we want to live through our green path, this [approach] cannot be our approach.
This is our country and these are our lives. It is we who should be concerned about and sensitive to these problems. Based on official reports of this very same government reports, economists announced that tens of billions of dollars of this country’s foreign income has disappeared. Meanwhile, [Judicial] institutions that ought to respond to these absent figures – which can even equip several armies – are ignorant and trapped in political games.
Which of these [institutions] can we expect to attend to the grief they have inflicted on the people? If we do not react to the things that disrupt life in our beloved country, nobody will. Our economists are alone in their objections because they fear the same fate as those who protested the shameful conduct that took place during confinements in detention centers. There was a time when missing twenty thousand dollars in the treasury was enough for a government [of this country] to fall. Now, warning cries for the loss of such a high figure are not even grounds for the slightest reaction.
Recently, a group of Iranian professors abroad provided their analysis and interpretation of the Green Path of Hope. They confirmed that the goals of this movement will indeed protect the interests of the nation. As a result, they have suggested that while sending our gratitude to other nations for their support in the last few months, we should ask them not to impose any sanctions against Iran. I liked their idea and I support it. Sanctions would not actually act against the government – rather, they would only inflict grave distress against a people who have experienced enough disaster in their own melancholic statesmen. We are opposed to any types of sanctions against our nation. This is what living the Green Path means.
However, this is just an example. No one has informed those who have offered this suggestion about the necessity of living the Green Path. Whether the rest of us are aware of this necessity or not, we are all naturally guided towards it. As a result, it is not necessary to indoctrinate each other with these values. It is enough just to be aware of them and to attend them.
Life goes on, and individuals are [living] in the interim. Any crowd or community that bases its very existence on one individual will be disappointed – at least when that individual is lost. [History shows] that whenever people have afforded unnecessary advantages to their ordinary companions, they have inevitably relinquished their intellectual opinions. Moreover, this has allowed the opportunists to become increasingly avaricious.
People who want to be independent and experience a congenial life should prevent the very first steps that lead them to failure. My birthday is not the 7th of Mehr (September 28th), it is the day that I got to know you. Even if I was born the 7th of Mehr, it would not have been appropriate for your movement to deteriorate with personalities. I hope you see that these words stem from my sincere concern and not from false modesty.
Your Brother,
Mir Hossein Mousavi
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=671
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The Letter of Ayatollah Taheri Esfahani to Grand Aytollah Montazeri
The Letter of Ayatollah Taheri Esfahani to Grand Aytollah Montazeri
09-23-2009
Source: Nowrooz
In The Name of the Great God,
Honorable Islamic Juror and Marja, Grand Ayatollah Mr. Montazeri,
May God allow you to continue your service,
With highest regards and best wishes for the blessed Eid al-Fitr. With hopes for your health and your fulfilling life,
I find myself obligated to inform you of my deepest gratitude and support (as well as the support of the erudite and conscientious clergy) regarding your courageous and lucid statement about the horrifying events of recent months. You, sir, are a knowledgeable pragmatist, a founding father and a mujahid of the Islamic movement and among main companions of the departed Imam (may God bless his soul) before the victory.
It is undoubtedly difficult and disappointing for you (and for anyone else who has sacrificed their life, their well being, and their loved ones) for the sake of opening the doors of compassion, justice, freedom and prosperity in this land) to witness these uninvited, ravenous guests; those people who are suddenly busy stealing the religion and corrupting the dignity of the nation, the country and the establishment as well as the pure blood of the martyrs and the struggle of the Muslim nation, post-revolution. With their sensitive souls, with their hearts, their voices, their writings, and their concerns, those who have made sacrifices have constantly been trying to reform and to salvage. With difficulty, they attempt to both restore the path [of the Revolution] and return to it; to the original principles that it had espoused. It is devastating that the authorities have caused a catastrophe by alienating the revolutionaries, the companions of the Imam, the real inheritors of the system and replaced them with opportunists, sycophants and hypocrites. It is devastating to see that the armed forces are allowed to meddle in politics and anger, hostility and hate is chosen over common sense, good council, and wisdom. They have intimidated and insulted the nation for the sake of some time in power. Such a disaster has been produced that cleansing its detrimental effects from the establishment and the clergy is not only very hard, it’s almost impossible.
Regretfully, individuals who are by the rules of law, Sharia, and wisdom, required to practice self-discipline and restrict their commanding and aggressive behavior toward objecting, defenseless people, have turned a deaf ear. They regard any valid objection as the word of a foreign enemy and treat [those who do object] in the most repulsive and un-Islamic way. This behavior is currently manifested in the prisons and illegal courts. The most unfortunate fact is that they have attributed all of their behavior to the now-misused religion and that they compare themselves to the holiest figures of Islam; “The love of the [materialistic] world makes them deaf, blind and dumb”. The Shi’ite clergy is now subject to a great test. For the sake of preserving the Islamic Republic and upholding the rights and social freedoms which are clearly outlined both in the Constitution and the declaration of the Revolution, [the clergy] must pressure and give counsel to the authorities. Along this path, the first step is to “command decency and forbid wickedness” and “to instruct the Muslim leaders ”. If (God forbid) we neglect to do so, we will all be punished and questioned before history, before our dear martyrs, and our people.
May God help us all succeed on the path of reforming ourselves and our society, and may God grant you greater eminence and success.
God willing, peace be upon you,
Seyed Jalaleddin Taheri
30th of Shahrivar 1388
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=640
09-23-2009
Source: Nowrooz
In The Name of the Great God,
Honorable Islamic Juror and Marja, Grand Ayatollah Mr. Montazeri,
May God allow you to continue your service,
With highest regards and best wishes for the blessed Eid al-Fitr. With hopes for your health and your fulfilling life,
I find myself obligated to inform you of my deepest gratitude and support (as well as the support of the erudite and conscientious clergy) regarding your courageous and lucid statement about the horrifying events of recent months. You, sir, are a knowledgeable pragmatist, a founding father and a mujahid of the Islamic movement and among main companions of the departed Imam (may God bless his soul) before the victory.
It is undoubtedly difficult and disappointing for you (and for anyone else who has sacrificed their life, their well being, and their loved ones) for the sake of opening the doors of compassion, justice, freedom and prosperity in this land) to witness these uninvited, ravenous guests; those people who are suddenly busy stealing the religion and corrupting the dignity of the nation, the country and the establishment as well as the pure blood of the martyrs and the struggle of the Muslim nation, post-revolution. With their sensitive souls, with their hearts, their voices, their writings, and their concerns, those who have made sacrifices have constantly been trying to reform and to salvage. With difficulty, they attempt to both restore the path [of the Revolution] and return to it; to the original principles that it had espoused. It is devastating that the authorities have caused a catastrophe by alienating the revolutionaries, the companions of the Imam, the real inheritors of the system and replaced them with opportunists, sycophants and hypocrites. It is devastating to see that the armed forces are allowed to meddle in politics and anger, hostility and hate is chosen over common sense, good council, and wisdom. They have intimidated and insulted the nation for the sake of some time in power. Such a disaster has been produced that cleansing its detrimental effects from the establishment and the clergy is not only very hard, it’s almost impossible.
Regretfully, individuals who are by the rules of law, Sharia, and wisdom, required to practice self-discipline and restrict their commanding and aggressive behavior toward objecting, defenseless people, have turned a deaf ear. They regard any valid objection as the word of a foreign enemy and treat [those who do object] in the most repulsive and un-Islamic way. This behavior is currently manifested in the prisons and illegal courts. The most unfortunate fact is that they have attributed all of their behavior to the now-misused religion and that they compare themselves to the holiest figures of Islam; “The love of the [materialistic] world makes them deaf, blind and dumb”. The Shi’ite clergy is now subject to a great test. For the sake of preserving the Islamic Republic and upholding the rights and social freedoms which are clearly outlined both in the Constitution and the declaration of the Revolution, [the clergy] must pressure and give counsel to the authorities. Along this path, the first step is to “command decency and forbid wickedness” and “to instruct the Muslim leaders ”. If (God forbid) we neglect to do so, we will all be punished and questioned before history, before our dear martyrs, and our people.
May God help us all succeed on the path of reforming ourselves and our society, and may God grant you greater eminence and success.
God willing, peace be upon you,
Seyed Jalaleddin Taheri
30th of Shahrivar 1388
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=640
Response of the Grand Ayatollah Saanei to Mir Hossein Mousavi’s Letter
Response of the Grand Ayatollah Saanei to Mir Hossein Mousavi’s Letter
09-23-2009
Source: Grand Ayatollah Saanei’s Website
In the name of the Great God,
Greetings to my honourable friend – the kind and faithful Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi, long-time supporter of the departed Imam and of the nation,
I received your letter. We wish you success with your noble plans and projects. We hope that they will be met with increased social awareness – something that has always been at the fore of the missions of the great prophets, the sacrifices of the martyrs, the devotion of the pious and the prayers of those close to God. In addition, we anticipate the attainment of civil rights and the realization of justice as a cultural product of our society.
“Justice will be established by the people”
We must be mindful of the fact that one of the key goals of any plan is to strengthen the union between all abused people because the source of all happiness and hope lies in this very unity on the path of God. We must take great care so that, God forbid, this message of unity does not become a tool for the oppressors to [take advantage of and] attack the oppressed. Such a development would lead to nothing but further oppression.
Holy city of Qom
– Yousef Saanei
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=611
09-23-2009
Source: Grand Ayatollah Saanei’s Website
In the name of the Great God,
Greetings to my honourable friend – the kind and faithful Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi, long-time supporter of the departed Imam and of the nation,
I received your letter. We wish you success with your noble plans and projects. We hope that they will be met with increased social awareness – something that has always been at the fore of the missions of the great prophets, the sacrifices of the martyrs, the devotion of the pious and the prayers of those close to God. In addition, we anticipate the attainment of civil rights and the realization of justice as a cultural product of our society.
“Justice will be established by the people”
We must be mindful of the fact that one of the key goals of any plan is to strengthen the union between all abused people because the source of all happiness and hope lies in this very unity on the path of God. We must take great care so that, God forbid, this message of unity does not become a tool for the oppressors to [take advantage of and] attack the oppressed. Such a development would lead to nothing but further oppression.
Holy city of Qom
– Yousef Saanei
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=611
Mousavi’s Letter to Grand Ayatollah Montazeri and the Subsequent Response
Mousavi’s Letter to Grand Ayatollah Montazeri and the Subsequent Response
09-22-2009
Source: Grand Ayatollah Montazeri’s website
Letter of Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi:
In the Name of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate,
To the honorable Marja, the Grand Ayatollah Montazeri,
Greetings,
I released the attached statement in response to the events of the past few months. We have always felt a need to work with the honorable marjas and devoted clerics, and this encouraged me to send a copy to you in order to ask for your guidance.
The first goal of this statement is [to disseminate the message] that if people feel anger and discontent, they should not direct the negative feelings that fill their hearts toward religion. This reminder is the responsibility of all of those who have been deeply influenced by Islam – especially the clerical elite. They must not allow different social groups (especially the youth, who compose the majority of our population) to be fooled by the shallow, mistaken and selective interpretations of our religion and to distance themselves from Islam based on sudden surges of emotion.
State media persistently attempts to portray us as the source behind the recent unrest. All this, while the behavior of officials (not only in the election, but in years before) has created a mountain of straw that was set ablaze by the recent blunders. The wind of arrogance that was blown through this mountain created bigger and bigger fires each and every day. I personally take the side of a people whose rights have been trampled with illegal, unIslamic and unjustified actions. By referring to undisputed documents, I am certain that without a doubt, there has been systematic fraud in the recent election. At the same time, it would not have been difficult to stay silent for another 20 years if I didn’t feel an imminent threat to the system in the people’s wave of anger.
However, if one [leader] keeps silent and yields, the people will not renounce their movement similar to what they have never done so in the past. Instead, after a brief period of confusion, the movement would start anew. Their movement would start again, this time blind, with none of the devotees of the establishment to rely upon. Then, maybe others who have their eyes set upon our nation would step in to take advantage of this movement with their own intentions and to feed their own greed.
Another goal of this statement, along with my other statements and activities, is to keep the people’s movement within the framework of the establishment so that it doesn’t sink into the dangerous path of bringing down the whole structure. If this danger is turned into reality, it could easily make another Afghanistan or Iraq out of Iran. We cannot forget our duty to prevent such dangers from spiraling, just to make some ignorant people happy. Similarly, we cannot invite people to keep calm if we are unable to prove to them that we stand and speak for their well-deserved rights on their behalf.
In his treatise titled Olfat, the late Mullah Mohsen Feyz Kashani writes that the final goal of most sharia laws is to establish friendship and belonging in society. The result of this friendship and belonging is what modern sciences call social networks – a means to restrain ruling systems and to keep them from repeating mistakes, and a method to create a society infused with life and a platform to gently hold on to ignited emotions and talents and to keep them from descending into the hills of destruction. In this statement, a strengthening of these networks has been suggested. According to the words of Feyz, this network could be perceived as the exemplar of Islam, although those who are grossly unfair portray it as a paradigm of the CIA.
And, finally, I hope you will attend to my suggestions on solving the current crisis as outlined in this statement.
With regards,
Mir Hossein Mousavi
13 September 2009
Response of the Grand Ayatollah Montazeri:
In the name of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate,
Dear Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi,
May God support your success,
First, please accept my greetings. I received your letter dated 09/12/2009 and reviewed the attachments. You are a man of great character and your commitment to the ethical and religious values and goals of the revolution are obvious to all. The tremendous services of your government during the imposed war, and your constant support of the departed Imam Khomeini (may the love and mercy of God be upon him) are clear to everyone. During the recent presidential election and the subsequent confrontations and atrocities, you became the focus of numerous classes of people and gifted individuals. This was, in fact, a test imposed on you by the great God and by our vigilant people. You have indeed passed it. So far, and to the best of your capacity, you have defended the desecrated rights of those people [whose high turnout and participation in the election] was a great source of pride for our country. As such, you deserve acknowledgement and gratitude.
The initiatives you suggest in the attachment will work to activate and strengthen social networks and organizations. These ideas are prudent and rational, in context with the current conditions of the country, and in accordance with the commands of the holy Quran that tell us:
“O ye who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; and in such perseverance strengthen each other; and fear God so that ye may prosper.”
If the authorities put aside their act of ignorance and consider [your recommendations] in an unbiased manner, put them to use and put a stop to this environment of policing and detainments, [your ideas] can offer a beneficial and effective path out of the current crisis – a crisis dominating the Islamic republic through their selfishness, pride, mismanagement and ambition. [Your recommendations] could be the stepping stone for a positive move towards reform and towards protecting the system from separation, disintegration and division.
Of course you are aware that in choosing the aforementioned solutions to defend the people’s rights and to ensure the survival of the Islamic Republic, you can expect an arduous task of reform that will be resisted through countless threats and pressures from those who have created the current crisis. Please be confident that through unity, patience and endurance, God has promised to reveal the way to guide people to victory. In addition, [according to the holy Quran in support of humans who struggle down this path God would send his] angels to pronounce messages of security, and strip the heart of all grief and fear.
Unfortunately, many politicians, political activists and journalists were detained after the election. Against Islam and the rule of law they were pressured into false and deceitful confessions, some of which were televised via national media. It is certain and evident that a person’s implication of others under such conditions is without merit and should not be recognized. Moreover, further confirmation exists in the holy stories of the prophet and the Imams that even self-directed confessions extracted under any kind of pressure or torture (including but not limited to threats, intimidation, infliction of physical pain, confinement, and so on) are without merit.
A claim of jurisprudence that denies these lessons is a false one and opinions that negate these lessons clearly deviate [from the true foundations of Islam]. The Quranic verse “self-implication of a rational person is permitted” – confirms that only if revealed without pressure or force, is a confession valid.
In addition, article 38 of the constitution reads: “Any form of torture to force confessions, or to obtain information is forbidden. A person should not be obligated to swear, confess or bear witness as any action of that sort is without worth and legal value. Any defiance of what has been mentioned in this article will be punishable by law.” Based on the general application of this article as well as its implications, any [form] of torture to collect information or to force a confession is unlawful and confessions extracted in such a manner are without legal value and merit.
It is obvious that long-term imprisonment in solitary confinement – an act that places the accused under severe pressure to confess – is a clear example of torture. The confession of the accused (even if it’s self-implication) is neither valid nor recognized when it is a product of exerted pressure and torture, especially in its recent fearsome form and the horrifying consequences. In this situation, repeated confessions (even if announced many times in roundtable discussions and interviews) would be as worthless as the initial confession.
Moreover, it is written in Article 39 of the Constitution that “In accordance with the law, all affronts to the dignity and repute of persons arrested, detained, imprisoned, or banished whatever form they may take, are forbidden and liable to punishment.”
So, what has happened [to this country] now that prominent figures who have a long history of remarkable civil service are desecrated, and not only has nobody been punished, but the perpetrators have even been endorsed and encouraged? Moreover, the “confessions” have been recognized as credible?
What has complicated the problem and invalidated the “confessions” even further is that in our current judicial system, the plaintiffs [and prosecutors] acting against politically accused defendants (in opposition to the current government), are themselves among the interrogators and come from legal institutions tied to the government. Nowhere in the world would any sound reasoning place even the smallest amount of legal credibility or legitimacy on such trials and confessions because the plaintiff and the judge therein are one and the same. Clearly, this is contrary to the condition of having a jury based on Article 168 of the constitution. Unfortunately, this clause – like many others – has also been ignored.
The recent course of action taken by the government (including the staging of the latest show trials) is not only against the law and the benefit of the country, but also unlikely to help the authorities remain in power. If they had been more politically prudent and listened to the warnings of prominent politicians instead of clamping down on people and committing the recent atrocities; if they had listened to religious leaders and chosen an impartial committee accepted by both sides of the conflict, we would have never fallen into the current crisis of illegitimacy.
A government that has dissatisfied many classes of people and placed its intellectuals under duress is not one that will survive. The Shah’s regime could have remained in power if governance was possible with fear-mongering, with oppression and by filling the prisons with gifted, freedom-seeking individuals and various political activists.
By committing such atrocities, a system under the rule of Islam – a system that takes pride in being Shi’ite – generates pessimism towards Islam and proclaims the inability of Islam to bring about justice in a society not only on a global scale but also in our own nation; among our own masses and our youth. Unfortunately, decision-makers at the top have turned a blind eye to these obvious truths and are content to the eulogies from their poets, and the flattery from their fawners. I beseech the great God for your well-being and success on this treacherous path.
May the grace and mercy of God be upon you,
Hosseinali Montazeri
Holy City of Qom
22 September 2009
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=611
09-22-2009
Source: Grand Ayatollah Montazeri’s website
Letter of Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi:
In the Name of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate,
To the honorable Marja, the Grand Ayatollah Montazeri,
Greetings,
I released the attached statement in response to the events of the past few months. We have always felt a need to work with the honorable marjas and devoted clerics, and this encouraged me to send a copy to you in order to ask for your guidance.
The first goal of this statement is [to disseminate the message] that if people feel anger and discontent, they should not direct the negative feelings that fill their hearts toward religion. This reminder is the responsibility of all of those who have been deeply influenced by Islam – especially the clerical elite. They must not allow different social groups (especially the youth, who compose the majority of our population) to be fooled by the shallow, mistaken and selective interpretations of our religion and to distance themselves from Islam based on sudden surges of emotion.
State media persistently attempts to portray us as the source behind the recent unrest. All this, while the behavior of officials (not only in the election, but in years before) has created a mountain of straw that was set ablaze by the recent blunders. The wind of arrogance that was blown through this mountain created bigger and bigger fires each and every day. I personally take the side of a people whose rights have been trampled with illegal, unIslamic and unjustified actions. By referring to undisputed documents, I am certain that without a doubt, there has been systematic fraud in the recent election. At the same time, it would not have been difficult to stay silent for another 20 years if I didn’t feel an imminent threat to the system in the people’s wave of anger.
However, if one [leader] keeps silent and yields, the people will not renounce their movement similar to what they have never done so in the past. Instead, after a brief period of confusion, the movement would start anew. Their movement would start again, this time blind, with none of the devotees of the establishment to rely upon. Then, maybe others who have their eyes set upon our nation would step in to take advantage of this movement with their own intentions and to feed their own greed.
Another goal of this statement, along with my other statements and activities, is to keep the people’s movement within the framework of the establishment so that it doesn’t sink into the dangerous path of bringing down the whole structure. If this danger is turned into reality, it could easily make another Afghanistan or Iraq out of Iran. We cannot forget our duty to prevent such dangers from spiraling, just to make some ignorant people happy. Similarly, we cannot invite people to keep calm if we are unable to prove to them that we stand and speak for their well-deserved rights on their behalf.
In his treatise titled Olfat, the late Mullah Mohsen Feyz Kashani writes that the final goal of most sharia laws is to establish friendship and belonging in society. The result of this friendship and belonging is what modern sciences call social networks – a means to restrain ruling systems and to keep them from repeating mistakes, and a method to create a society infused with life and a platform to gently hold on to ignited emotions and talents and to keep them from descending into the hills of destruction. In this statement, a strengthening of these networks has been suggested. According to the words of Feyz, this network could be perceived as the exemplar of Islam, although those who are grossly unfair portray it as a paradigm of the CIA.
And, finally, I hope you will attend to my suggestions on solving the current crisis as outlined in this statement.
With regards,
Mir Hossein Mousavi
13 September 2009
Response of the Grand Ayatollah Montazeri:
In the name of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate,
Dear Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi,
May God support your success,
First, please accept my greetings. I received your letter dated 09/12/2009 and reviewed the attachments. You are a man of great character and your commitment to the ethical and religious values and goals of the revolution are obvious to all. The tremendous services of your government during the imposed war, and your constant support of the departed Imam Khomeini (may the love and mercy of God be upon him) are clear to everyone. During the recent presidential election and the subsequent confrontations and atrocities, you became the focus of numerous classes of people and gifted individuals. This was, in fact, a test imposed on you by the great God and by our vigilant people. You have indeed passed it. So far, and to the best of your capacity, you have defended the desecrated rights of those people [whose high turnout and participation in the election] was a great source of pride for our country. As such, you deserve acknowledgement and gratitude.
The initiatives you suggest in the attachment will work to activate and strengthen social networks and organizations. These ideas are prudent and rational, in context with the current conditions of the country, and in accordance with the commands of the holy Quran that tell us:
“O ye who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; and in such perseverance strengthen each other; and fear God so that ye may prosper.”
If the authorities put aside their act of ignorance and consider [your recommendations] in an unbiased manner, put them to use and put a stop to this environment of policing and detainments, [your ideas] can offer a beneficial and effective path out of the current crisis – a crisis dominating the Islamic republic through their selfishness, pride, mismanagement and ambition. [Your recommendations] could be the stepping stone for a positive move towards reform and towards protecting the system from separation, disintegration and division.
Of course you are aware that in choosing the aforementioned solutions to defend the people’s rights and to ensure the survival of the Islamic Republic, you can expect an arduous task of reform that will be resisted through countless threats and pressures from those who have created the current crisis. Please be confident that through unity, patience and endurance, God has promised to reveal the way to guide people to victory. In addition, [according to the holy Quran in support of humans who struggle down this path God would send his] angels to pronounce messages of security, and strip the heart of all grief and fear.
Unfortunately, many politicians, political activists and journalists were detained after the election. Against Islam and the rule of law they were pressured into false and deceitful confessions, some of which were televised via national media. It is certain and evident that a person’s implication of others under such conditions is without merit and should not be recognized. Moreover, further confirmation exists in the holy stories of the prophet and the Imams that even self-directed confessions extracted under any kind of pressure or torture (including but not limited to threats, intimidation, infliction of physical pain, confinement, and so on) are without merit.
A claim of jurisprudence that denies these lessons is a false one and opinions that negate these lessons clearly deviate [from the true foundations of Islam]. The Quranic verse “self-implication of a rational person is permitted” – confirms that only if revealed without pressure or force, is a confession valid.
In addition, article 38 of the constitution reads: “Any form of torture to force confessions, or to obtain information is forbidden. A person should not be obligated to swear, confess or bear witness as any action of that sort is without worth and legal value. Any defiance of what has been mentioned in this article will be punishable by law.” Based on the general application of this article as well as its implications, any [form] of torture to collect information or to force a confession is unlawful and confessions extracted in such a manner are without legal value and merit.
It is obvious that long-term imprisonment in solitary confinement – an act that places the accused under severe pressure to confess – is a clear example of torture. The confession of the accused (even if it’s self-implication) is neither valid nor recognized when it is a product of exerted pressure and torture, especially in its recent fearsome form and the horrifying consequences. In this situation, repeated confessions (even if announced many times in roundtable discussions and interviews) would be as worthless as the initial confession.
Moreover, it is written in Article 39 of the Constitution that “In accordance with the law, all affronts to the dignity and repute of persons arrested, detained, imprisoned, or banished whatever form they may take, are forbidden and liable to punishment.”
So, what has happened [to this country] now that prominent figures who have a long history of remarkable civil service are desecrated, and not only has nobody been punished, but the perpetrators have even been endorsed and encouraged? Moreover, the “confessions” have been recognized as credible?
What has complicated the problem and invalidated the “confessions” even further is that in our current judicial system, the plaintiffs [and prosecutors] acting against politically accused defendants (in opposition to the current government), are themselves among the interrogators and come from legal institutions tied to the government. Nowhere in the world would any sound reasoning place even the smallest amount of legal credibility or legitimacy on such trials and confessions because the plaintiff and the judge therein are one and the same. Clearly, this is contrary to the condition of having a jury based on Article 168 of the constitution. Unfortunately, this clause – like many others – has also been ignored.
The recent course of action taken by the government (including the staging of the latest show trials) is not only against the law and the benefit of the country, but also unlikely to help the authorities remain in power. If they had been more politically prudent and listened to the warnings of prominent politicians instead of clamping down on people and committing the recent atrocities; if they had listened to religious leaders and chosen an impartial committee accepted by both sides of the conflict, we would have never fallen into the current crisis of illegitimacy.
A government that has dissatisfied many classes of people and placed its intellectuals under duress is not one that will survive. The Shah’s regime could have remained in power if governance was possible with fear-mongering, with oppression and by filling the prisons with gifted, freedom-seeking individuals and various political activists.
By committing such atrocities, a system under the rule of Islam – a system that takes pride in being Shi’ite – generates pessimism towards Islam and proclaims the inability of Islam to bring about justice in a society not only on a global scale but also in our own nation; among our own masses and our youth. Unfortunately, decision-makers at the top have turned a blind eye to these obvious truths and are content to the eulogies from their poets, and the flattery from their fawners. I beseech the great God for your well-being and success on this treacherous path.
May the grace and mercy of God be upon you,
Hosseinali Montazeri
Holy City of Qom
22 September 2009
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=611
Grand Ayatollah Montazeri’s Letter to Marjas, Islamic Scholars and Seminaries
Grand Ayatollah Montazeri’s Letter to Marjas, Islamic Scholars and Seminaries
09-14-2009
Source: Mowjcamp
In a message to Marjas, Islamic scholars and seminaries, Grand Ayatollah Montazeri – a great Marja of the Shi’ites – stated that the recent behavior displayed by authorities is a deviation [of the Islamic tradition] and that he is embarrassed by the abuses launched against the people. He asks the Marjas to emulate the prophet of Islam and speak out against oppression, abuse and bid’ahs to amend the erroneous policies of the authorities, resolving the current legitimacy crisis once and for all.
His complete statement is as follows:
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, and the Merciful,
According to the Prophet of God: “When a Bid’ah occurs in my Ummah, the scholars’ knowledge will be known” (Al-Kaffi, Volume 1, Page 54).
Honorable Marjas and scholars of Qom, Najaf, Holy Mashad, Tehran, Isfahan, Tabriz, Shiraz and all other corners of the Islamic world:
With regards,
Concerning the abuses that we are witnessing every day and the illicit behavior that has been justified in the name of religion and Islamic jurisprudence: I herby find myself religiously responsible to solemnly remind you of the following, based on the danger that I feel and the gravity of [the verse] “remind them, [because] reminders will benefit the Faithful”.
1- We all know that our Revolution was one based on religious and moral values. Our goal in bearing the hardship of all those tragedies, struggles, exiles, imprisonments and tortures, was not to change the people in power and the formalities in some specific areas. Rather, the goal was to [establish] a government that was faithful to ethical beliefs and to clear, religious edicts on all levels. On the basis of that authority, faith, noble acts, justice and freedom from dictatorship and oppression were to turn into realities. In addition, the rights of different groups of people were supposed to be protected and abuse and oppression likewise eradicated. Consequently, our people were to feel comfortable, safe and proud in the eyes of other nations, like a true model of justice, dignity, decency and human values. The goal was not to simply change names and slogans while the same oppressions, deviations and abuses practiced by the previous regime continued in another form, under the labels of theocratic government and the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists.
Everyone knows that I am a defender of theocratic government and one of the founding fathers of the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists, although not in its current form. Rather, the difference lies in the fact that I intended for people to choose the jurist and supervise his work. I have made a great deal of effort to ensure the realization of this facet both academically and in practice. However, I now feel ashamed before the attentive people of Iran because of the tyranny conducted under this very same banner. I find myself responsible before God and subject to His reproach for the spilled blood of our dear martyrs, for the abuses carried out on innocent people. Many individuals with prominent roles in the revolution have asked me via letter, e-mail, or in person: Is this the theocratic government that you were promising the people and, as its executive, is this the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists? The same one that we observe today? Because what we see now is the government of a military guardianship, not the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists.
2- The honorable Marjas and learned scholars know well that in the course of history, they themselves sheltered and protected people from abusive and oppressive governments. They were honored to stand against oppression and to defend the religious and civil rights of their people. On this path they tolerated great injury and deprivation. May God grant them the best of Islam.
Regretfully, after the victory of the Revolution, this bright past came under serious scrutiny because of the government’s deceitfulness. Although the clergy may not have had a role in this, their negligence in “Forbidding Evil” aligned them with that dangerous shift as well. The threat became more serious as the concept of morality changed and the theory that the “end justifies the means” became fortified. Ultimately, the Revolution deviated from its path and its initial goals. I must regretfully assert that the spiritual and popular base of the clergy, the Marjas and, consequently, Islam and Sharia (traditionally promoted by and associated with the clergy), has been so severely damaged that it is unclear when and how it can be repaired.
The association of religion with scholars and religious experts – which is logical and accepted by Muslims – signifies that any damage to the clergy will inevitably impact Islam as a whole.
In these circumstances, the honorable Marjas and the Shi’ite clerics will have greater responsibilities. Besides partaking in their usual duties, which include availability and expertise, they must see to the added task of defending the dignity of the religion and cleansing from it the criminal acts performed by the government in its name. The recent behavior of the authorities is a clear example of bid’ah, because they have resorted to means which are opposed to the ideals of the Revolution, and, moreover, are performed under the banner of religion and Sharia’. bid’ah does not strictly refer to the legitimization and introduction of irreligious laws. It may also point to any illegitimate act executed in the name of religion and Sharia.
In verses 9 -71 of the Quran, we read the following: “Believers, whether men or women, must [act as] friends to one another; they should command decency and forbid wickedness”.
Based on the conjunction of alef and lam in the plural nouns of “Al-Mo’menoon” and “Al-Mo’menat”, all male and female believers have a responsibility toward each other in the scope of “commanding decency and forbidding wickedness.” Thus, religious scholars have even greater responsibility and should not be silent. We see in the will of our master, the Commander of the Faithful: “Abandoning the command to decency and allowing wickedness will definitely result in the rule of evil men; then you will pray but your prayers will not be answered” (Nahj-Al-Balaghah, letter number 47).
3- Considering what I have said so far, let me remind you [of the following]:
Those incidents and atrocities that occurred after the presidential election, seen and heeded by the honourable Marjas and respectable scholars, should sound the alarm for them and for the clergy. Actions such as the violation of human rights, oppression, and so on – all of these indiscretions committed in the name of religion took place with the assent of a small group of subservient clerics who are in favor of the government. What followed was a peaceful objection involving numerous classes of people who were critical of recent events. They acted within their legal and religious rights, based on the 27th article of the constitution. Instead of wisely and positively acknowledging the voice of a people seeking justice and the restoration of their violated rights, the authorities labeled the multi-million strong masses as insurgents, anarchists, and foreign agents. They then proceeded with a clampdown of the utmost violence, beating defenseless men and women, detaining many, and creating some martyrs on the streets and others in their horrifying prisons.
Relying on their military and security forces, and by drawing firearms on defenseless people, the government has both martyred and imprisoned the innocent. It is very ironic that at the end of the day, the people were labeled as [armed] combatants when it was clear that the government itself created this crisis in the first place. It has directly endangered our institutions, yet brands the people as insurgents and those who established the system as anti-establishment.
During the clampdown, the government detained politicians, political activists and gifted citizens of the country, each of whom had devoted years of invaluable service to the Islamic Republic. Based on pre-determined plans and against all religious and legal regulations, the authorities began a plot against them by forcing false confessions and displaying them in unlawful, dishonest and theatrical trials. As a result, the entire world ridiculed the legal system of Islam. As a result, the entire world has ridiculed the legal system of Islam. Instead of imposing severe punishment on those who were actually responsible for atrocities, [the authorities] seem to be concerned with punishing the innocents. They handled the situation in the same way they did with those in charge of the serial murders. They detain other ex-public servants and place under pressure the two respected presidential candidates, Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi, and Hojatoleslam Karoubi while detaining their colleagues and co-workers. They falsely accuse some of the honest and hardworking people in government-based media. They even use the holy medium of Friday Prayers to spread lies. The ultimate consequence of such trends is an even greater destruction of the nation’s belief in its clerics, in the Shi’ite faith and in our dear Islam.
It is in this situation that our Muslim nation will have certain expectations from the honorable Marjas, respected scholars, and this humble person. With the duty that the holy guidelines of Islam places on the shoulders of religious scholars, and in light of the historical and traditional responsibility of the clergy and Marjas, people are justified in these expectations. Everyone is asking: if these oppressions, violations of rights and bid’ah are against Islam, why are the respectable Marjas and religious scholars (the guardians of religion and Islam and its guidelines) not voicing their concerns against all ‘deviations’ in Islam? Why are they, who are the protectors of people’s rights and the rules of Islam (including the rule: “command decency and forbid wickedness”), not rapidly declaring their disapproval of all bid’ah? Are all of these oppressions, violations, and atrocities any less significant than Moavie’s soldiers taking anklets from the legs of the Jewish woman? (about which Imam Ali, may peace be upon him, announced: “if a Muslim male dies from the pain, he is justified in his death”). Certainly, the honorable Marjas and respected scholars are, in their hearts, sad and worried regarding all the sins committed in the name of religion. Some of them have acted upon this too. But is that enough, considering the fact that the reverent hadith demands stronger condemnation?
4- The honorable and respected Marjas understand the power and influence of their words; they are well aware that the government needs their approval. This is why the authorities – at least for now – recognize and promote them, though very ostensibly so. The Marjas are also aware that the government takes advantage of their silence to its own benefit. So, is it advantageous to maintain silence on all the important issues such as dignity and respect for religion, concern for the rights of enormous classes of people, and the survival of religious belief among our youth? Is it worth upholding the silence when people could interpret, God forbid, the fact that the Marjas approve of and encourage all the aforementioned foulness?
To conclude, let me remind you that I have not yet lost the hope of reform. It seems to me that the great Marjas can implement a solution. A solution to help the Islamic Republic escape this crisis of legitimacy can be devised with their help and guidance, with the consultation of two respected presidential candidates as well as thoughtful, centrist, expert, candid and religious representatives from the establishment. Finally, let me also remind those in power to permanently – not temporarily – put aside their policies of hyperbole and false promise; to stop calling some friends and others enemies. They must not merely value people with hollow words; they must recognize them as the main owners of government. They must respect people’s votes and have their policies espouse this opinion. They must put Islam and the republic alongside true justice. It is not a disgrace to admit one’s mistakes; but to defy justice certainly is.
23 of Ramadhan-Al-Mobarak of 1430
1388/6/22
September/13/2009
Hossein Ali Montazeri-Holy Qom
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=570
09-14-2009
Source: Mowjcamp
In a message to Marjas, Islamic scholars and seminaries, Grand Ayatollah Montazeri – a great Marja of the Shi’ites – stated that the recent behavior displayed by authorities is a deviation [of the Islamic tradition] and that he is embarrassed by the abuses launched against the people. He asks the Marjas to emulate the prophet of Islam and speak out against oppression, abuse and bid’ahs to amend the erroneous policies of the authorities, resolving the current legitimacy crisis once and for all.
His complete statement is as follows:
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, and the Merciful,
According to the Prophet of God: “When a Bid’ah occurs in my Ummah, the scholars’ knowledge will be known” (Al-Kaffi, Volume 1, Page 54).
Honorable Marjas and scholars of Qom, Najaf, Holy Mashad, Tehran, Isfahan, Tabriz, Shiraz and all other corners of the Islamic world:
With regards,
Concerning the abuses that we are witnessing every day and the illicit behavior that has been justified in the name of religion and Islamic jurisprudence: I herby find myself religiously responsible to solemnly remind you of the following, based on the danger that I feel and the gravity of [the verse] “remind them, [because] reminders will benefit the Faithful”.
1- We all know that our Revolution was one based on religious and moral values. Our goal in bearing the hardship of all those tragedies, struggles, exiles, imprisonments and tortures, was not to change the people in power and the formalities in some specific areas. Rather, the goal was to [establish] a government that was faithful to ethical beliefs and to clear, religious edicts on all levels. On the basis of that authority, faith, noble acts, justice and freedom from dictatorship and oppression were to turn into realities. In addition, the rights of different groups of people were supposed to be protected and abuse and oppression likewise eradicated. Consequently, our people were to feel comfortable, safe and proud in the eyes of other nations, like a true model of justice, dignity, decency and human values. The goal was not to simply change names and slogans while the same oppressions, deviations and abuses practiced by the previous regime continued in another form, under the labels of theocratic government and the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists.
Everyone knows that I am a defender of theocratic government and one of the founding fathers of the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists, although not in its current form. Rather, the difference lies in the fact that I intended for people to choose the jurist and supervise his work. I have made a great deal of effort to ensure the realization of this facet both academically and in practice. However, I now feel ashamed before the attentive people of Iran because of the tyranny conducted under this very same banner. I find myself responsible before God and subject to His reproach for the spilled blood of our dear martyrs, for the abuses carried out on innocent people. Many individuals with prominent roles in the revolution have asked me via letter, e-mail, or in person: Is this the theocratic government that you were promising the people and, as its executive, is this the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists? The same one that we observe today? Because what we see now is the government of a military guardianship, not the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists.
2- The honorable Marjas and learned scholars know well that in the course of history, they themselves sheltered and protected people from abusive and oppressive governments. They were honored to stand against oppression and to defend the religious and civil rights of their people. On this path they tolerated great injury and deprivation. May God grant them the best of Islam.
Regretfully, after the victory of the Revolution, this bright past came under serious scrutiny because of the government’s deceitfulness. Although the clergy may not have had a role in this, their negligence in “Forbidding Evil” aligned them with that dangerous shift as well. The threat became more serious as the concept of morality changed and the theory that the “end justifies the means” became fortified. Ultimately, the Revolution deviated from its path and its initial goals. I must regretfully assert that the spiritual and popular base of the clergy, the Marjas and, consequently, Islam and Sharia (traditionally promoted by and associated with the clergy), has been so severely damaged that it is unclear when and how it can be repaired.
The association of religion with scholars and religious experts – which is logical and accepted by Muslims – signifies that any damage to the clergy will inevitably impact Islam as a whole.
In these circumstances, the honorable Marjas and the Shi’ite clerics will have greater responsibilities. Besides partaking in their usual duties, which include availability and expertise, they must see to the added task of defending the dignity of the religion and cleansing from it the criminal acts performed by the government in its name. The recent behavior of the authorities is a clear example of bid’ah, because they have resorted to means which are opposed to the ideals of the Revolution, and, moreover, are performed under the banner of religion and Sharia’. bid’ah does not strictly refer to the legitimization and introduction of irreligious laws. It may also point to any illegitimate act executed in the name of religion and Sharia.
In verses 9 -71 of the Quran, we read the following: “Believers, whether men or women, must [act as] friends to one another; they should command decency and forbid wickedness”.
Based on the conjunction of alef and lam in the plural nouns of “Al-Mo’menoon” and “Al-Mo’menat”, all male and female believers have a responsibility toward each other in the scope of “commanding decency and forbidding wickedness.” Thus, religious scholars have even greater responsibility and should not be silent. We see in the will of our master, the Commander of the Faithful: “Abandoning the command to decency and allowing wickedness will definitely result in the rule of evil men; then you will pray but your prayers will not be answered” (Nahj-Al-Balaghah, letter number 47).
3- Considering what I have said so far, let me remind you [of the following]:
Those incidents and atrocities that occurred after the presidential election, seen and heeded by the honourable Marjas and respectable scholars, should sound the alarm for them and for the clergy. Actions such as the violation of human rights, oppression, and so on – all of these indiscretions committed in the name of religion took place with the assent of a small group of subservient clerics who are in favor of the government. What followed was a peaceful objection involving numerous classes of people who were critical of recent events. They acted within their legal and religious rights, based on the 27th article of the constitution. Instead of wisely and positively acknowledging the voice of a people seeking justice and the restoration of their violated rights, the authorities labeled the multi-million strong masses as insurgents, anarchists, and foreign agents. They then proceeded with a clampdown of the utmost violence, beating defenseless men and women, detaining many, and creating some martyrs on the streets and others in their horrifying prisons.
Relying on their military and security forces, and by drawing firearms on defenseless people, the government has both martyred and imprisoned the innocent. It is very ironic that at the end of the day, the people were labeled as [armed] combatants when it was clear that the government itself created this crisis in the first place. It has directly endangered our institutions, yet brands the people as insurgents and those who established the system as anti-establishment.
During the clampdown, the government detained politicians, political activists and gifted citizens of the country, each of whom had devoted years of invaluable service to the Islamic Republic. Based on pre-determined plans and against all religious and legal regulations, the authorities began a plot against them by forcing false confessions and displaying them in unlawful, dishonest and theatrical trials. As a result, the entire world ridiculed the legal system of Islam. As a result, the entire world has ridiculed the legal system of Islam. Instead of imposing severe punishment on those who were actually responsible for atrocities, [the authorities] seem to be concerned with punishing the innocents. They handled the situation in the same way they did with those in charge of the serial murders. They detain other ex-public servants and place under pressure the two respected presidential candidates, Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi, and Hojatoleslam Karoubi while detaining their colleagues and co-workers. They falsely accuse some of the honest and hardworking people in government-based media. They even use the holy medium of Friday Prayers to spread lies. The ultimate consequence of such trends is an even greater destruction of the nation’s belief in its clerics, in the Shi’ite faith and in our dear Islam.
It is in this situation that our Muslim nation will have certain expectations from the honorable Marjas, respected scholars, and this humble person. With the duty that the holy guidelines of Islam places on the shoulders of religious scholars, and in light of the historical and traditional responsibility of the clergy and Marjas, people are justified in these expectations. Everyone is asking: if these oppressions, violations of rights and bid’ah are against Islam, why are the respectable Marjas and religious scholars (the guardians of religion and Islam and its guidelines) not voicing their concerns against all ‘deviations’ in Islam? Why are they, who are the protectors of people’s rights and the rules of Islam (including the rule: “command decency and forbid wickedness”), not rapidly declaring their disapproval of all bid’ah? Are all of these oppressions, violations, and atrocities any less significant than Moavie’s soldiers taking anklets from the legs of the Jewish woman? (about which Imam Ali, may peace be upon him, announced: “if a Muslim male dies from the pain, he is justified in his death”). Certainly, the honorable Marjas and respected scholars are, in their hearts, sad and worried regarding all the sins committed in the name of religion. Some of them have acted upon this too. But is that enough, considering the fact that the reverent hadith demands stronger condemnation?
4- The honorable and respected Marjas understand the power and influence of their words; they are well aware that the government needs their approval. This is why the authorities – at least for now – recognize and promote them, though very ostensibly so. The Marjas are also aware that the government takes advantage of their silence to its own benefit. So, is it advantageous to maintain silence on all the important issues such as dignity and respect for religion, concern for the rights of enormous classes of people, and the survival of religious belief among our youth? Is it worth upholding the silence when people could interpret, God forbid, the fact that the Marjas approve of and encourage all the aforementioned foulness?
To conclude, let me remind you that I have not yet lost the hope of reform. It seems to me that the great Marjas can implement a solution. A solution to help the Islamic Republic escape this crisis of legitimacy can be devised with their help and guidance, with the consultation of two respected presidential candidates as well as thoughtful, centrist, expert, candid and religious representatives from the establishment. Finally, let me also remind those in power to permanently – not temporarily – put aside their policies of hyperbole and false promise; to stop calling some friends and others enemies. They must not merely value people with hollow words; they must recognize them as the main owners of government. They must respect people’s votes and have their policies espouse this opinion. They must put Islam and the republic alongside true justice. It is not a disgrace to admit one’s mistakes; but to defy justice certainly is.
23 of Ramadhan-Al-Mobarak of 1430
1388/6/22
September/13/2009
Hossein Ali Montazeri-Holy Qom
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=570
Karoubi’s Letter to the People of Iran
Karoubi’s Letter to the People of Iran
09-14-2009
Source: Mowjcamp
In the Name of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate,
To the honorable, heroic people of Iran,
As you know, your servant [Karoubi] has written numerous warning letters addressed to high officials after the election and its aftermath. [I wrote these letters] in hopes that a solution be found, no injustice and tyranny be inflicted on the innocent, so that the echoes of the oppressed will not forever follow and haunt us. Because as our historical experiences have shown us: a government lasts with corruption but not with tyranny.
Three months have gone by in the life of our country, but what have these months been like? If in the 2005 election, our few hours of sleep was like the sleep of the Ashab-e Kahf and we went to sleep and got up to find everything upside down, in the recent presidential election, even staying awake did not help matter.
[In the 2005 presidential election, as votes were being counted, Karoubi was second, after Rafsanjani. But from late night until morning, that changed and Ahmadinejad became second amidst allegations of fraud. Karoubi complained, but a letter by the leader silenced everyone. Karoubi famously compared his late night sleep to that of the Companions of the Cave (Ashabeh Kahf), a famous story in the Quran in which a devout group of friends sleep in a cave and wake up centuries later.]
Because they are no longer afraid to only rob [us] at night, but rather, the bandits openly rob us at midday. But this of course was only the beginning of the story. I would have never imagined that in the Islamic Republic, they would answer peaceful protests the way they did. They certainly did answer people’s doubts about the election but not with reason and logic, but with bullets and batons and beatings. I saw every unimaginable [atrocity] in the streets. Images that only awakened memories of our youth. But after time, other horrendous news began to come out, like the torture and other baffling abuses in unnamed detention centers. News that bewildered me and any other spectator. People would come and say things, or show evidence of what they had been forced to endure while in custody.
Dear lord, what was Mehdi Karoubi hearing and seeing? I wish he was not alive to see a citizen of the Islamic Republic come to him to complain of having been forced to endure all sorts of obscene, abnormal acts in unnamed detention centers. From stripping prisoners and forcing them to sit side by side, to all sorts of obscene name calling and urinating on their faces, to releasing girls and boys in the middle of the desert with blindfolds. Like this wasn’t enough, we also heard news of rape. We asked ourselves: three decades after the revolution and two decades after the death of the Imam [Khomeini], where are we now, truly?
It is natural to feel your blood boiling at such disgrace and dishonesty. Was it possible to sit calmly upon hearing such news? That is why I took pen to paper and wrote a letter to the head of the expediency council [Rafsanjani]. I wrote that there’s news of torture and rape and all sorts of improper acts and I want you to investigate to find out if such atrocity had indeed occured. When this letter was published, it was answered with an ocean of insults and threats directed at me. The Friday prayer leadres, in an organized move that came from administrators above them, launched a full-scale attack against me. This is how my doubts grew stronger. I told myself that if such atrocities had not occurred, they would have simply told us that they did not. But such unusual attacks from Friday prayer podiums big or small, and such obscenity from some newspapers, clearly showed that some were scared. I found it a personal responsibility to stand my ground and see this thing to the end.
The letter I had written to the head of the expediency council was also given to the head of the judiciary, and Ayatollah Shahroudi issued an order for Dori Najafabadi, the head of the supreme court to investigate. Mr. Najafabadi contacted me and said that he would send a repersentative to me and when he came, I identified [to him] an individual who claimed that he had been both raped and tortured as one example. The representative also stated that no one should find out about this, as not to interfere in the investigations and he even insisted that interrogations should take place somewhere far from my office to stay secret. Until this point, reactions were reasonable. Until the prosecutor of Tehran [Mortazavi] entered the scene. He contacted me and told me that a representative would be sent to me. The person came and wanted evidence. The correct thing to do was to stick to what had been agreed with the previous representative, and to say that Mr. Najafabadi’s investigators are currently looking into the matter and they’ve asked me not to share my information. But because I saw no errors in my evidence, and because I wanted to cooperate with the officials, I allowed this second representative to meet with this individual in my office and to hear his claims. I asked [the rep] if he wanted to meet in another location, but unlike Mr. Najafabadi’s rep, he wanted to meet in my office.
Unlike the previous meeting which had gone well, this one didn’t such that in the middle of the meeting, the boy came out and said that these people are after something else and they want to erase the entire problem, they are not after investigating my claims. He said that the representative for Tehran’s prosecutor wants him to visit medical experts [with their entourage]. I encouraged him to go. But on their way, they had told him that he should keep silent and not shame himself and his family. They had said other things which I will not mention here.
The folowing day, that same boy came to me terrified, and said that they’d gone to his neighborhood and asked about him. I told him not to be scared, as they aimed to find the truth. But the boy came to me yet again and said that they had told the story to his father, and that he was completely ashamed and that his father was constantly crying. I asked the boy to bring his father to me so I could calm him down. But the boy left and never came back. After quite a while, the father came to me last Tuesday and he was very worried for his son. I saw a 70 year old man with pain and anguish all over his face. He said: we are Muslims, we are religious, why did they do this to us? He brought out pictures to show me of his family’s past. Pictures of his son wounded in the hospital during the war, while the president and current leader [Khamenei] was standing by his bedside kissing his forehead. The father said: this was our past, what has happened today? He said that they had completely disgraced them in the neighborhood and even asked the neighborhood shopkeepers about them. He said that he was terrified of being in his own home. They had forced him into a car and asked questions about his son, to which he had replied that his son is an honest person with integrity. But after he had gone back home, he had heard the doorbell. He’d gone to answer it, but no one was there. This happened a number of times until the last time, there was a man on a motorcycle with a terrifying presence, taking pictures and shouting and cursing. The father said that they no longer have peace and safety in that neighborhood.
It seems that these were the judiciary officials who had come to investigate the case. And this was the result of the first piece of evidence we gave the judiciary. The judiciary in the Islamic Republic which claims to follow Ali [the Shi'a saint], sends armed, threatening individuals on motorcycles to the victims’ door. They should be ashamed of bringing the name of Ali.
Today, I chronicle these events so that people do not compare Imam Ali to what is happening. I tell this story so that people know how some completely tore away the veil of modesty, prudence and integrity and future generations do not say that such injustices were inflicted and no one spoke a word and no one rose to scream out against it.
This was a lesson for us not to reveal our evidence so easily to Tehran’s prosecutor. Mr. Najafabadi was dismissed from his position, and thus all the doors were shut. This was while the obscenity hurled at Karoubi were increasing day by day, in state owned newspapers. This is why I wrote a letter to the new head of the judiciary [Larijani] and asked him to investigate the allegations. This is how the three member committee was formed [Deputy Head of Judiciary Ebrahim Raeesi, Attorney General Gholam-Hosein Mohsen Ejeie, and President of the Presidential Body of the Judiciary Ali Khalaf] which was responsible to look into the claims put forth by the victims’ families. A first meeting was held and went well. During this meeting, I reiterated the evidence that I had given to Mr. Najafabadi, and also presented two other cases, which I now feel obligated to explain for you, the people.
The second document was regarding a lady who had been to the demonstrations and who had been taken into custody while in the street. Her story was that they had played with her bosom while in the car, and once there, they had asked her to take off her pants, which she had refused. They had forcefully ripped them off. In the midst of this, a higher official had come into the room and asked what was going on. The officers had accused her of trying to manipulate them by taking off her pants and falling to the ground. And this is while the woman was screaming that they had done this to her by force.
The third case was regarding a young man who was a member of a legal political party. His mother had contacted me and sent him to me. He had documents from medical experts and a CD with him which showed signs of torture on his body. He did not claim that he was raped, but the photos showed signs of inflammation and redness on his anus. He said that he had been unconscious due to the severe beatings, and he didn’t ‘t know what went on or what they did to him. Medical examiners, seeing the inflammation had written that more examinations had to be done with a letter from the judiciary. He had been in custody for only five days, but had endured such severe beatings that officers had thought he was going to die. They had told him they were transporting him to Evin, but had let him go blindfolded in the middle of nowhere.
These were three documents I presented during our first meeting and I spoke about two others. I told them that there was no written document for the latter two cases. One case was that of the real Taraneh Mousavi and I told them that her family does not speak to us and it is better for you [the judiciary] to investigate. More evidence [for the truthfulness of this story] was the vain attempt of some to create a false Taraneh Mousavi [IRIB]. If the investigative committee was on the right track, it would have gone to question those who had created this false film that was broadcast on state TV. Those who had told the fake Taraneh Mousavi: “do not worry about the real Taraneh Mousavi, we’ll figure it out.” It’s as if Karoubi’s sole crime was to reveal the real Taraneh Mousavi whose case had had a similarities to the chain murders. His words [Karoubi's] also closed down the green newspaper, Etemad-e Melli as that newspaper was ordered shut a day after printing that news.
I told the committee the story of the real Taraneh, as I had heard it. She had been arrested along with one other girl and a few boys in front of Qoba mosque, on the anniversary of Ayatollah Beheshti’s death. The girls exchanged numbers so as to inform the others’ families if they got out sooner. In the first days of imprisonment, and during the severe slashing and thrashing of the prisoneres, they notice that Taraneh is missing. When one of the girls is released, she calls the investigative committee [Karoubi's] and also Taraneh’s family to inform them that she has gone missing. Apparently Taraneh’s mother is very scared and asks the girl not to call her back. This girl appeared in the investigative committees of both Mr. Mousavi and I and told us the story of the real Taraneh. I asked this committee to investigate this case, and since the story of the false Taraneh was at their disposal, it should have made their job easier. I thought that in a judicial system which claims to follow the path of the prophets, our suggestions were enough to get them to investigate. I was wrong!
The second piece of evidence I only spoke of was regarding Saeedeh Pouraghayi. I said that I have heard some news about a person with this name, the daughter of a war veteran. But because I had not personally spoken to her family, I did not speak too long or too hard about this case, and went over it very quickly and I said that whoever she is, her funeral was held in Tehran. This was the least credible case I spoke of in that meeting, and I quickly let it pass by.
Two days after that meeting, I was involved in further investigations about this last case of which I knew very little and I met with a lady who was Saeedeh Pouraghayi’s stepsister. She said that their father was not a war veteran, but had died six years ago. She wanted the address of Saeedeh’s mother, who she said was her stepmother and according to her, they did not have a relationship and she didn’t know of their whereabouts. I didn’t have an address and thus asked Mr. Moghayaseh from Mr. Mousavi’s headquarters and the person who had originally told us of this story. He declined our request, saying that their investigation may be interrupted [by any disturbances.] When I couldn’t get the address over the phone, I convinced Mr. Moghayeseh to join me in a meeting with Saeedeh’s stepsister last Saturday. I was thus able to sit Mr. Moghayeseh and Saeedeh’s sister opposite one another and I told her that I pray to god that her sister has not been killed and she said that the photo that was published is her sister, and thus, she is certainly dead. I asked Mr. Moghayeseh to give the address to Saeedeh’s sister because if he did not, she would have to live with this doubt. At this point, Mr. Moghayeseh said that what had happened up to now regarding Saeedeh is questionable, because they’d found that that her father was not a war vet and passed away six years ago and that Saeedeh had run away from home on a few occasions. I told him to give the address to her nonetheless so that she can have her doubts erased and he finally did so.
It was last Monday when Mr. Ejei called and wanted me to come to a meeting at 2 p.m. and thus the second committee meeting took place. The committee members began by saying that they would like to continue investigating and without saying anything about the three written documents I had given them, or Taraneh Mousavi, they went straight to Saeedeh Pouraghayi and asked if I had any news about her. I went over the details of my meeting with her sister, and told them that contrary to what had previously been said, her father is not a war veteran and he passed away six years ago, and Saeedeh has run away from home on a number of occasions and the rumor about her being shot while chanting Allah o Akbar was also false. And I told them that Mr. Moghayeseh had told me this account, and I also told them of the joint meeting between Mr. Moghayeseh and Saeedeh’s sister. What is interesting is that in this meeting, except for a very brief discussion on Taraneh, the committee did not at all discuss the documents I had given them and only focused on the story I knew very little about.
In this meeting, another topic that was discussed was Mr. Raeesi’s interview between the first and second meeting in which he had stated that “Karoubi’s statements must be investigated.” Although Mr. Khalafi spoke differently about “investigating statements and documents.” And I reminded them that what I had given them during the first meeting was not just statements but evidence and documents as well which had been provided on a CD. They said: “But a CD is not evidence.” and I replied: “I wasn’t there during the rape to make a film to provide you with, and I wasn’t there when the crime was being committed to pass a thread [what does that mean?!] to tell you of the distance between them. And did you expect me to provide you with the instruments of crime? I also said that my job is not to collect evidence, and this is not my court, and if I have provided you with evidence, it’s just a clue so that you’d go and investigate further and to bring an end to this injustice.
And that day I only provided them with another document related to a woman who had been taken right there [in the street] and raped in the car, along with another girl. I told them that this lady is frightened and worried and I told them that she has said that if her parents find out, she will be disgraced and will commit suicide. I informed them of the sensitivity of this issue, and warned them not to repeat the acts of Tehran’s prosecutor and to disgrace an entire family in their neighborhood. I provided them with written documents about this rape, and I told them that there is also another case about a female nurse who was arrested and whose photos I had not looked at in detail as not to embarrass her. I just know that her entire body is black from all the bruises and she claims that she too has been raped and I will send in her documents for you to investigate. And I also declared right then and there that I will stop bringing in evidence and what I have already provided is enough for to begin their investigations.
This meeting too went well, but the day after, the tides turned completely. My office and the party headquarters were sealed, and Mr. Beheshti, Alviri and Davari were taken into custody. The three member investigative committee gave out a hasty statement, instead of looking further into the allegations, and now as I look at their written statements I am certain that they too were ordered to finish off the cases and they’ve just hurriedly tried to finish everything. But I must mention two points regarding their report:
In this report, they have told of things I said, which I didn’t say, and, at the same time they have not even hinted at things I did say – words that the witnesses had declared were said by the rapists, that were quite obscene.
They’ve also written that I had no evidence of rape and indecent acts before I wrote the letter to the head of the expediency council. It is astonishing that these gentleman speak on my behalf, and make up tales. Mehdi Karoubi wrote that letter to the head of the expediency council after credible individuals and victims came to him, and cried of everything that had befallen them and those around them. And here and now I salute their courage for coming to a lone individual like Mehdi Karoubi, in the midst of obscenity and terror.
In this report, they have not written of the first document I offered them, which spanned 15 lines, or the second which was 7 lines, or even the third (5 lines) and they have not even referred to the fourth written document I offered them in the second meeting. In this latter document, four lines are written about Taraneh Mousavi, and then, a further 200 are written to clarify the accounts of Saeedeh Pouraghayi, whose story we personally had doubted [and investigated.] If now, we declare the name of the IRI official who released the body to the family, or [tell you] that they did not even allow Mr. Mousavi’s rep to see the body, wouldn’t it make you think that elements of the story was [deliberately] faked? This suspicious is further provoked when we see that this story alone was the basis of the report written by the committee.
Of course here I must point out how happy I am that the committee did not go after the fourth document I gave them, and limited their truth finding activities to this case alone, and at least they did not play with the dignity and the life of yet another individual. I am grateful to god for this.
The three person committee has asked that the judiciary strongly and justly deal with me. And thus, the result of the judiciary’s activities is silencing me. I however am happy about this and welcome the circumstances. Maybe an opportunity will present itself for me to reveal details about these documents, and others I have and to retell what I have never told up to today and to be a voice for those seeking justice. I am happy if another opportunity presents itself so I can rid the hands of the Islamic Republic from atrocities like this and many others which occurred after the death of the Imam.
Today, Mehdi Karoubi knows that he has placed his finger on the right spot. From this chaotic and hasty response, I can tell that the gentleman’s ghaba [the long clerical robe] is stuck between the doors [they are complicit in these crimes.] Imam Ali told Malek Ashtar [one of his disciples and the governor of Egypt] to govern in a way such that the oppressed can get justice without fear. We are far, far from Imam Ali’s teachings. The son of the late Ayatollah Motahari tells us that a woman came to him and told him of the ordeals of her son in a detention center. After that, they have caused so much pain for the family that she herself has said: “we have no complaints” and, as we Lurs say “my donkey has had no tail from birth” [Persian proverb: I've never had any luck] This is getting justice without fear that was Imam Ali’s advice to Malek! It is obvious where things are heading. Chaos and commotion entwined with terror has been so great in the past few weeks that some families have come to me and asked me to stop my investigations. They are scared of their future and tell me that I have created problems for them and for myself. But when they arrest the daughter of a prisoner and release her into the desert at night with blindfolds on, to a point where a newspaper belonging to the principalists also condemn this action and writes that this girl was left in Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, we figure out who is left to govern and plan over this country and people have the right to be worried for their future.
Their obscenity has gone so far, that instead of putting the culprits and wrongdoers on trial, they speak of putting Mehdi Karoubi on trial. They are unaware that the real trial will take place in the courtroom of the people, we must go to them and see who they find guilty and who they believe is the voice of truth seekers. Lord, I come to you for refuge of the atrocities they have collectively inflicted, which are not only a disgrace for the Islamic Republic, but for Iran, and which have disgraced justice and the Islamic court of law.
The three member committee has completed its task and has asked that I be put on trial but I leave judgment to the people and the lord and here I conclude the letters I have written in this regard. Although I have to also share this with the head of the judiciary and tell him that he must not be influenced by outside forces and pressure in his judgment and to disregard justice. Because compared to his two predecessors, he has an advantage and that is being the son of the great Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli, and the son-in-law of the great Ayatollah Khorasani. I hope that Ayatollah Larijani does not act in such a way that at the end of his term, the marja’iyat will see harm.
[Arabic] The Lord Almighty knows the essence of all things
Mehdi Karoubi
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=566
09-14-2009
Source: Mowjcamp
In the Name of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate,
To the honorable, heroic people of Iran,
As you know, your servant [Karoubi] has written numerous warning letters addressed to high officials after the election and its aftermath. [I wrote these letters] in hopes that a solution be found, no injustice and tyranny be inflicted on the innocent, so that the echoes of the oppressed will not forever follow and haunt us. Because as our historical experiences have shown us: a government lasts with corruption but not with tyranny.
Three months have gone by in the life of our country, but what have these months been like? If in the 2005 election, our few hours of sleep was like the sleep of the Ashab-e Kahf and we went to sleep and got up to find everything upside down, in the recent presidential election, even staying awake did not help matter.
[In the 2005 presidential election, as votes were being counted, Karoubi was second, after Rafsanjani. But from late night until morning, that changed and Ahmadinejad became second amidst allegations of fraud. Karoubi complained, but a letter by the leader silenced everyone. Karoubi famously compared his late night sleep to that of the Companions of the Cave (Ashabeh Kahf), a famous story in the Quran in which a devout group of friends sleep in a cave and wake up centuries later.]
Because they are no longer afraid to only rob [us] at night, but rather, the bandits openly rob us at midday. But this of course was only the beginning of the story. I would have never imagined that in the Islamic Republic, they would answer peaceful protests the way they did. They certainly did answer people’s doubts about the election but not with reason and logic, but with bullets and batons and beatings. I saw every unimaginable [atrocity] in the streets. Images that only awakened memories of our youth. But after time, other horrendous news began to come out, like the torture and other baffling abuses in unnamed detention centers. News that bewildered me and any other spectator. People would come and say things, or show evidence of what they had been forced to endure while in custody.
Dear lord, what was Mehdi Karoubi hearing and seeing? I wish he was not alive to see a citizen of the Islamic Republic come to him to complain of having been forced to endure all sorts of obscene, abnormal acts in unnamed detention centers. From stripping prisoners and forcing them to sit side by side, to all sorts of obscene name calling and urinating on their faces, to releasing girls and boys in the middle of the desert with blindfolds. Like this wasn’t enough, we also heard news of rape. We asked ourselves: three decades after the revolution and two decades after the death of the Imam [Khomeini], where are we now, truly?
It is natural to feel your blood boiling at such disgrace and dishonesty. Was it possible to sit calmly upon hearing such news? That is why I took pen to paper and wrote a letter to the head of the expediency council [Rafsanjani]. I wrote that there’s news of torture and rape and all sorts of improper acts and I want you to investigate to find out if such atrocity had indeed occured. When this letter was published, it was answered with an ocean of insults and threats directed at me. The Friday prayer leadres, in an organized move that came from administrators above them, launched a full-scale attack against me. This is how my doubts grew stronger. I told myself that if such atrocities had not occurred, they would have simply told us that they did not. But such unusual attacks from Friday prayer podiums big or small, and such obscenity from some newspapers, clearly showed that some were scared. I found it a personal responsibility to stand my ground and see this thing to the end.
The letter I had written to the head of the expediency council was also given to the head of the judiciary, and Ayatollah Shahroudi issued an order for Dori Najafabadi, the head of the supreme court to investigate. Mr. Najafabadi contacted me and said that he would send a repersentative to me and when he came, I identified [to him] an individual who claimed that he had been both raped and tortured as one example. The representative also stated that no one should find out about this, as not to interfere in the investigations and he even insisted that interrogations should take place somewhere far from my office to stay secret. Until this point, reactions were reasonable. Until the prosecutor of Tehran [Mortazavi] entered the scene. He contacted me and told me that a representative would be sent to me. The person came and wanted evidence. The correct thing to do was to stick to what had been agreed with the previous representative, and to say that Mr. Najafabadi’s investigators are currently looking into the matter and they’ve asked me not to share my information. But because I saw no errors in my evidence, and because I wanted to cooperate with the officials, I allowed this second representative to meet with this individual in my office and to hear his claims. I asked [the rep] if he wanted to meet in another location, but unlike Mr. Najafabadi’s rep, he wanted to meet in my office.
Unlike the previous meeting which had gone well, this one didn’t such that in the middle of the meeting, the boy came out and said that these people are after something else and they want to erase the entire problem, they are not after investigating my claims. He said that the representative for Tehran’s prosecutor wants him to visit medical experts [with their entourage]. I encouraged him to go. But on their way, they had told him that he should keep silent and not shame himself and his family. They had said other things which I will not mention here.
The folowing day, that same boy came to me terrified, and said that they’d gone to his neighborhood and asked about him. I told him not to be scared, as they aimed to find the truth. But the boy came to me yet again and said that they had told the story to his father, and that he was completely ashamed and that his father was constantly crying. I asked the boy to bring his father to me so I could calm him down. But the boy left and never came back. After quite a while, the father came to me last Tuesday and he was very worried for his son. I saw a 70 year old man with pain and anguish all over his face. He said: we are Muslims, we are religious, why did they do this to us? He brought out pictures to show me of his family’s past. Pictures of his son wounded in the hospital during the war, while the president and current leader [Khamenei] was standing by his bedside kissing his forehead. The father said: this was our past, what has happened today? He said that they had completely disgraced them in the neighborhood and even asked the neighborhood shopkeepers about them. He said that he was terrified of being in his own home. They had forced him into a car and asked questions about his son, to which he had replied that his son is an honest person with integrity. But after he had gone back home, he had heard the doorbell. He’d gone to answer it, but no one was there. This happened a number of times until the last time, there was a man on a motorcycle with a terrifying presence, taking pictures and shouting and cursing. The father said that they no longer have peace and safety in that neighborhood.
It seems that these were the judiciary officials who had come to investigate the case. And this was the result of the first piece of evidence we gave the judiciary. The judiciary in the Islamic Republic which claims to follow Ali [the Shi'a saint], sends armed, threatening individuals on motorcycles to the victims’ door. They should be ashamed of bringing the name of Ali.
Today, I chronicle these events so that people do not compare Imam Ali to what is happening. I tell this story so that people know how some completely tore away the veil of modesty, prudence and integrity and future generations do not say that such injustices were inflicted and no one spoke a word and no one rose to scream out against it.
This was a lesson for us not to reveal our evidence so easily to Tehran’s prosecutor. Mr. Najafabadi was dismissed from his position, and thus all the doors were shut. This was while the obscenity hurled at Karoubi were increasing day by day, in state owned newspapers. This is why I wrote a letter to the new head of the judiciary [Larijani] and asked him to investigate the allegations. This is how the three member committee was formed [Deputy Head of Judiciary Ebrahim Raeesi, Attorney General Gholam-Hosein Mohsen Ejeie, and President of the Presidential Body of the Judiciary Ali Khalaf] which was responsible to look into the claims put forth by the victims’ families. A first meeting was held and went well. During this meeting, I reiterated the evidence that I had given to Mr. Najafabadi, and also presented two other cases, which I now feel obligated to explain for you, the people.
The second document was regarding a lady who had been to the demonstrations and who had been taken into custody while in the street. Her story was that they had played with her bosom while in the car, and once there, they had asked her to take off her pants, which she had refused. They had forcefully ripped them off. In the midst of this, a higher official had come into the room and asked what was going on. The officers had accused her of trying to manipulate them by taking off her pants and falling to the ground. And this is while the woman was screaming that they had done this to her by force.
The third case was regarding a young man who was a member of a legal political party. His mother had contacted me and sent him to me. He had documents from medical experts and a CD with him which showed signs of torture on his body. He did not claim that he was raped, but the photos showed signs of inflammation and redness on his anus. He said that he had been unconscious due to the severe beatings, and he didn’t ‘t know what went on or what they did to him. Medical examiners, seeing the inflammation had written that more examinations had to be done with a letter from the judiciary. He had been in custody for only five days, but had endured such severe beatings that officers had thought he was going to die. They had told him they were transporting him to Evin, but had let him go blindfolded in the middle of nowhere.
These were three documents I presented during our first meeting and I spoke about two others. I told them that there was no written document for the latter two cases. One case was that of the real Taraneh Mousavi and I told them that her family does not speak to us and it is better for you [the judiciary] to investigate. More evidence [for the truthfulness of this story] was the vain attempt of some to create a false Taraneh Mousavi [IRIB]. If the investigative committee was on the right track, it would have gone to question those who had created this false film that was broadcast on state TV. Those who had told the fake Taraneh Mousavi: “do not worry about the real Taraneh Mousavi, we’ll figure it out.” It’s as if Karoubi’s sole crime was to reveal the real Taraneh Mousavi whose case had had a similarities to the chain murders. His words [Karoubi's] also closed down the green newspaper, Etemad-e Melli as that newspaper was ordered shut a day after printing that news.
I told the committee the story of the real Taraneh, as I had heard it. She had been arrested along with one other girl and a few boys in front of Qoba mosque, on the anniversary of Ayatollah Beheshti’s death. The girls exchanged numbers so as to inform the others’ families if they got out sooner. In the first days of imprisonment, and during the severe slashing and thrashing of the prisoneres, they notice that Taraneh is missing. When one of the girls is released, she calls the investigative committee [Karoubi's] and also Taraneh’s family to inform them that she has gone missing. Apparently Taraneh’s mother is very scared and asks the girl not to call her back. This girl appeared in the investigative committees of both Mr. Mousavi and I and told us the story of the real Taraneh. I asked this committee to investigate this case, and since the story of the false Taraneh was at their disposal, it should have made their job easier. I thought that in a judicial system which claims to follow the path of the prophets, our suggestions were enough to get them to investigate. I was wrong!
The second piece of evidence I only spoke of was regarding Saeedeh Pouraghayi. I said that I have heard some news about a person with this name, the daughter of a war veteran. But because I had not personally spoken to her family, I did not speak too long or too hard about this case, and went over it very quickly and I said that whoever she is, her funeral was held in Tehran. This was the least credible case I spoke of in that meeting, and I quickly let it pass by.
Two days after that meeting, I was involved in further investigations about this last case of which I knew very little and I met with a lady who was Saeedeh Pouraghayi’s stepsister. She said that their father was not a war veteran, but had died six years ago. She wanted the address of Saeedeh’s mother, who she said was her stepmother and according to her, they did not have a relationship and she didn’t know of their whereabouts. I didn’t have an address and thus asked Mr. Moghayaseh from Mr. Mousavi’s headquarters and the person who had originally told us of this story. He declined our request, saying that their investigation may be interrupted [by any disturbances.] When I couldn’t get the address over the phone, I convinced Mr. Moghayeseh to join me in a meeting with Saeedeh’s stepsister last Saturday. I was thus able to sit Mr. Moghayeseh and Saeedeh’s sister opposite one another and I told her that I pray to god that her sister has not been killed and she said that the photo that was published is her sister, and thus, she is certainly dead. I asked Mr. Moghayeseh to give the address to Saeedeh’s sister because if he did not, she would have to live with this doubt. At this point, Mr. Moghayeseh said that what had happened up to now regarding Saeedeh is questionable, because they’d found that that her father was not a war vet and passed away six years ago and that Saeedeh had run away from home on a few occasions. I told him to give the address to her nonetheless so that she can have her doubts erased and he finally did so.
It was last Monday when Mr. Ejei called and wanted me to come to a meeting at 2 p.m. and thus the second committee meeting took place. The committee members began by saying that they would like to continue investigating and without saying anything about the three written documents I had given them, or Taraneh Mousavi, they went straight to Saeedeh Pouraghayi and asked if I had any news about her. I went over the details of my meeting with her sister, and told them that contrary to what had previously been said, her father is not a war veteran and he passed away six years ago, and Saeedeh has run away from home on a number of occasions and the rumor about her being shot while chanting Allah o Akbar was also false. And I told them that Mr. Moghayeseh had told me this account, and I also told them of the joint meeting between Mr. Moghayeseh and Saeedeh’s sister. What is interesting is that in this meeting, except for a very brief discussion on Taraneh, the committee did not at all discuss the documents I had given them and only focused on the story I knew very little about.
In this meeting, another topic that was discussed was Mr. Raeesi’s interview between the first and second meeting in which he had stated that “Karoubi’s statements must be investigated.” Although Mr. Khalafi spoke differently about “investigating statements and documents.” And I reminded them that what I had given them during the first meeting was not just statements but evidence and documents as well which had been provided on a CD. They said: “But a CD is not evidence.” and I replied: “I wasn’t there during the rape to make a film to provide you with, and I wasn’t there when the crime was being committed to pass a thread [what does that mean?!] to tell you of the distance between them. And did you expect me to provide you with the instruments of crime? I also said that my job is not to collect evidence, and this is not my court, and if I have provided you with evidence, it’s just a clue so that you’d go and investigate further and to bring an end to this injustice.
And that day I only provided them with another document related to a woman who had been taken right there [in the street] and raped in the car, along with another girl. I told them that this lady is frightened and worried and I told them that she has said that if her parents find out, she will be disgraced and will commit suicide. I informed them of the sensitivity of this issue, and warned them not to repeat the acts of Tehran’s prosecutor and to disgrace an entire family in their neighborhood. I provided them with written documents about this rape, and I told them that there is also another case about a female nurse who was arrested and whose photos I had not looked at in detail as not to embarrass her. I just know that her entire body is black from all the bruises and she claims that she too has been raped and I will send in her documents for you to investigate. And I also declared right then and there that I will stop bringing in evidence and what I have already provided is enough for to begin their investigations.
This meeting too went well, but the day after, the tides turned completely. My office and the party headquarters were sealed, and Mr. Beheshti, Alviri and Davari were taken into custody. The three member investigative committee gave out a hasty statement, instead of looking further into the allegations, and now as I look at their written statements I am certain that they too were ordered to finish off the cases and they’ve just hurriedly tried to finish everything. But I must mention two points regarding their report:
In this report, they have told of things I said, which I didn’t say, and, at the same time they have not even hinted at things I did say – words that the witnesses had declared were said by the rapists, that were quite obscene.
They’ve also written that I had no evidence of rape and indecent acts before I wrote the letter to the head of the expediency council. It is astonishing that these gentleman speak on my behalf, and make up tales. Mehdi Karoubi wrote that letter to the head of the expediency council after credible individuals and victims came to him, and cried of everything that had befallen them and those around them. And here and now I salute their courage for coming to a lone individual like Mehdi Karoubi, in the midst of obscenity and terror.
In this report, they have not written of the first document I offered them, which spanned 15 lines, or the second which was 7 lines, or even the third (5 lines) and they have not even referred to the fourth written document I offered them in the second meeting. In this latter document, four lines are written about Taraneh Mousavi, and then, a further 200 are written to clarify the accounts of Saeedeh Pouraghayi, whose story we personally had doubted [and investigated.] If now, we declare the name of the IRI official who released the body to the family, or [tell you] that they did not even allow Mr. Mousavi’s rep to see the body, wouldn’t it make you think that elements of the story was [deliberately] faked? This suspicious is further provoked when we see that this story alone was the basis of the report written by the committee.
Of course here I must point out how happy I am that the committee did not go after the fourth document I gave them, and limited their truth finding activities to this case alone, and at least they did not play with the dignity and the life of yet another individual. I am grateful to god for this.
The three person committee has asked that the judiciary strongly and justly deal with me. And thus, the result of the judiciary’s activities is silencing me. I however am happy about this and welcome the circumstances. Maybe an opportunity will present itself for me to reveal details about these documents, and others I have and to retell what I have never told up to today and to be a voice for those seeking justice. I am happy if another opportunity presents itself so I can rid the hands of the Islamic Republic from atrocities like this and many others which occurred after the death of the Imam.
Today, Mehdi Karoubi knows that he has placed his finger on the right spot. From this chaotic and hasty response, I can tell that the gentleman’s ghaba [the long clerical robe] is stuck between the doors [they are complicit in these crimes.] Imam Ali told Malek Ashtar [one of his disciples and the governor of Egypt] to govern in a way such that the oppressed can get justice without fear. We are far, far from Imam Ali’s teachings. The son of the late Ayatollah Motahari tells us that a woman came to him and told him of the ordeals of her son in a detention center. After that, they have caused so much pain for the family that she herself has said: “we have no complaints” and, as we Lurs say “my donkey has had no tail from birth” [Persian proverb: I've never had any luck] This is getting justice without fear that was Imam Ali’s advice to Malek! It is obvious where things are heading. Chaos and commotion entwined with terror has been so great in the past few weeks that some families have come to me and asked me to stop my investigations. They are scared of their future and tell me that I have created problems for them and for myself. But when they arrest the daughter of a prisoner and release her into the desert at night with blindfolds on, to a point where a newspaper belonging to the principalists also condemn this action and writes that this girl was left in Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, we figure out who is left to govern and plan over this country and people have the right to be worried for their future.
Their obscenity has gone so far, that instead of putting the culprits and wrongdoers on trial, they speak of putting Mehdi Karoubi on trial. They are unaware that the real trial will take place in the courtroom of the people, we must go to them and see who they find guilty and who they believe is the voice of truth seekers. Lord, I come to you for refuge of the atrocities they have collectively inflicted, which are not only a disgrace for the Islamic Republic, but for Iran, and which have disgraced justice and the Islamic court of law.
The three member committee has completed its task and has asked that I be put on trial but I leave judgment to the people and the lord and here I conclude the letters I have written in this regard. Although I have to also share this with the head of the judiciary and tell him that he must not be influenced by outside forces and pressure in his judgment and to disregard justice. Because compared to his two predecessors, he has an advantage and that is being the son of the great Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli, and the son-in-law of the great Ayatollah Khorasani. I hope that Ayatollah Larijani does not act in such a way that at the end of his term, the marja’iyat will see harm.
[Arabic] The Lord Almighty knows the essence of all things
Mehdi Karoubi
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=566
Statement by the Association of Combatant Clerics regarding Quds day
Statement by the Association of Combatant Clerics regarding Quds day
09-13-2009
Source: The Association of Combatant Clerics
Quds[1] Day is a protest against oppression; a condemnation of injustice, invasion and obstruction of human rights. All this is embodied in occupied Palestine. Quds Day is the legacy of the Honourable Imam Khomeini (may God’s mercy be upon him). It is the confirmation of our great nation’s promise to defend freedom, resistance, and human dignity. Quds Day is an anniversary to remember the oppressed Palestinians and all of the oppressed around the world; to reject invasion, occupation and oppression; to defend the freedom of dear Quds and to protect their right of self-determination. To commemorate this great anniversary, the Association of Combatant Clerics is inviting everyone to join in the rallies and also declares that its members will be in attendance, side by side with the people.
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=548
09-13-2009
Source: The Association of Combatant Clerics
Quds[1] Day is a protest against oppression; a condemnation of injustice, invasion and obstruction of human rights. All this is embodied in occupied Palestine. Quds Day is the legacy of the Honourable Imam Khomeini (may God’s mercy be upon him). It is the confirmation of our great nation’s promise to defend freedom, resistance, and human dignity. Quds Day is an anniversary to remember the oppressed Palestinians and all of the oppressed around the world; to reject invasion, occupation and oppression; to defend the freedom of dear Quds and to protect their right of self-determination. To commemorate this great anniversary, the Association of Combatant Clerics is inviting everyone to join in the rallies and also declares that its members will be in attendance, side by side with the people.
Khordaad 88
http://khordaad88.com/?p=548
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