Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi

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Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi is an Iranian Muslim cleric who advocates the separation of religion and government. He first expressed his opposition to the Islamic government of Iran in 1994. He wrote to Pope Benedict XVI and the European Union to complain about the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of his father Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Ali Kazemeini Boroujerdi in 2002, the subsequent confiscation of his father's mosque, and his own and his followers' harassment by Iran's theocratical government.

He opposes the concept of the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists. He said Iranians are "tired of the religion of politics and political slogans... they (the Iranians) believe that they are loyal to the fundamentals of the true religion and the Prophet's mission, but they are opposed to the politicization of religion and its exploitation by a group that has nothing to do with true Islam. Islam is the religion of tolerance, forbearance, and mercy, to the point where [the Qur'an] emphasized to us that 'there is no compulsion in religion.^[1]"

Boroujerdi and many of his followers were arrested in Tehran on October 8, 2006, following a clash between police and hundreds of his followers. Iranian officials charged him with having claimed to be a representative of the hidden Imam, a venerated figure in Shia Islam. Boroujerdi has denied these charges.^[2] According to mardaninews website, as of 1 June 2008 "judicial authorities have released no information concerning his prosecution" and his medical condition is deteriorating.^[3]

1 Demonstration, arrests
2 Prosecution
3 Condition in prison
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Demonstration, arrests

The Iranian government has issued a warrant for Borujerdi's arrest and imprisonment in Evin Prison, and has imprisoned some of his followers. Supporters and students of the Ayatollah have been living at his home in order to protect him. On October 7, 2006 a large crowd of over 1,000 people including many women gathered around his house and prevented his arrest by police forces and was able to repel them. The Iranian news service IRNA, posted pictures the demonstration and printed some of the slogans shouted by the crowd: "Freedom, freedom - This is our incontrovertible right," (a counterpoint to the slogan shouted by supporters of the regime during Friday prayers: "Nuclear energy - This is our incontrovertible right," and, "[We are] ready for martyrdom according to our traditional religion - that is, Islam that is not political".^[4] On 8 October 2006 security forces arrested Boroujerdi and several hundred of his followers - "172 women and 225 men" - who had gathered to prevent his arrest.^[5]

[edit] Prosecution

According to mardaninews website: "In June 2007, the Special Court for the Clergy prosecuted him behind closed doors. The authorities have not provided any official accounting regarding his prosecution and sentencing. According to his associates, he was initially sentenced to death, but upon appeals his sentence was reduced to 11 years in prison, ten of which must be served in exile in city of Yazd. He has been deprived of access to an independent attorney throughout his prosecution and imprisonment." ^[6]

[edit] Condition in prison

According to 1 June 2008 post on mardaninews website, “associates of Ayatollah Boroujerdi told” International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran “that his heart and kidney conditions are grave but he has had no access to specialist care” in prison where he has been since 2006.

He only receives painkillers for his diseases inside prison. In addition to his physical health, his psychological well-being has also deteriorated due to ill-treatment and lengthy solitary confinement episodes. He has lost 30 kilograms in prison.^[7]