Ayatollah Tortured, Near Death, in Iran for Criticizing Political Islam by Shadi Paveh
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4158/ayatollah-hossein-kazamani-boroujerdi
Ayatollah Boroujerdi’s condition has reportedly worsened as of January 28, 2014, when he suffered severe body tremors and was motionless for hours in his cell. The authorities still refuse to transfer him to a medical facility and are denying him the most basic medical care. We ask for intervention to save his life.
Ayatollah Hossein-Kazamani Boroujerdi, a senior member of the Shiite Muslim clergy, is presently serving the eighth year of an 11-year sentence handed down to him by the Islamic Republic’s courts for advocating the separation of state and religion inside Iran. He has also spoken against political Islam and its leaders. As a result, during his time in prison, he has been exposed to torture especially reserved for the Islamic Republic’s dissident clergy and political prisoners. Boroujerdi has endured the rape of his spouse in front of other family members. He has been purposely exposed to toxic chemical agents while kept in a small solitary cell. As a result, he now suffers permanent neurological damage, further aggravated by group beatings. Urgent medical attention has been systematically withheld for his long list of ailments, which are mostly a direct result of years of torture and malnutrition.
Ayatollah Hossein-Kazamani Boroujerdi, in better times (left) and in his prison cell (right). |
On September 29, 2013, for example, Ayatollah Boroujerdi suffered a heart attack in prison for which he was refused medical intervention. His condition has reportedly worsened as of January 28, 2014, when he had severe body tremors and was motionless for hours in his cell, where he presently remains with no medical care.
Possibly due to Ayatollah Boroujerdi’s prominence, the regime has apparently chosen not to execute him, but instead to kill him silently in prison. There were two failed attempts on his life by poisoning inside prison in 2012. His mother, detained at the same time, was also poisoned and died as a result. Previously, in November 2011, a prisoner on death row was told by the authorities that if he succeeded in killing Boroujerdi he would be set free. The attempt failed when other prisoners intervened.
To protest the violent crimes of political Islam in the Islamic Republic, Boroujerdi announced via audio tape from prison that: “I am not inclined anymore to wear this frock; this frock has no credit or value in Iran or the international community” and removed his clerical robes.
Ayatollah Boroujerdi descends from a long line of renowned Shiite clergy; both his father and grandfather were staunch opponents of religious leaders in politics. As a result, both of his parents, along with his brother, were killed by the authorities under mysterious circumstances, as is the regime’s custom.
Despite his critical medical condition in prison, he remains defiant and his spirit remains unbreakable: he has stated hopes that his case will serve as a strong indictment of the Islamic Republic’s despotic rule and unspeakable human rights violations.
Ayatollah Boroujerdi has risked losing his life slowly under torture by writing letters from inside prison to then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and to the United Nations, speaking of the absolute lack of freedom inside Iran, the grotesque human rights violations and the imminent danger of political Islam. Further, he recently urged people of Iran to boycott the so-called elections on June 14, 2013. As a direct result of this statement his tortures recommenced despite his extremely fragile medical condition.
Ms. Roya Araghi, an advocate of Boroujerdi who herself was jailed and tortured for defending the him, and has since fled Iran, believes that without medical treatment and international intervention, Ayatollah Boroujerdi will most likely die soon under torture.
On June 29, 2013, members of Ayatollah Boroujerdi’s family went to Evin prison to visit him, and were shocked to see nature of his physical condition in the seventh year of his 11-year sentence. He has developed acute heart disease, which has led to the severe swelling of his feet and knees. He also suffers from ocular, pulmonary and respiratory disorders, but has been denied medical treatment by officials until he “repents “and “mends his ways”.
On July 8, 2013, Boroujerdi was interrogated for an extended period of time by government agents for his refusal to concede to the demands of the regime by signing a letter of “repentance.” He was informed that “the pressures and tortures will increase until he has been destroyed”. He has thus far refused to surrender.
In a rare phone call to his family that followed this episode, he stated that he “will never give in to a single threat or intimidation tactic of the regime.” His family stated that he also added, “he does not regret any of his actions and stands by his word, as he is prepared to die”.
After their visit, the Boroujerdi family announced that the tyrannical regime of the Islamic Republic’s fanatics continue systematically to exterminate political prisoners and prisoners of conscience through well-planned prolonged torture; both psychological and physical.
Despite a statement by then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2012 and a plea by the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, Dr. Ahmad Shaheed, to release Ayatollah Boroujerdi, the Iranian regime continues to torture this man of God whose only crime is advocating separation of religion from politics, democracy and human rights.
On July 24, 2013, Andrew Bennett, Canada’s Ambassador to the Office of Religious Freedom, condemned the prolonged detention of Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi by Iranian authorities, but to no avail.
The regime of Iran is silently executing Mr. Boroujerdi, without a bullet or a noose — away from the eyes of the world. These silent executions are now a common method of killing political prisoners in Iran as the regime tries to hide its grotesque human rights violations and its escalating rate of executions of opponents.
The human rights activists for democracy in Iran would like to bring to the immediate attention of all international human rights organizations and governments that Ayatollah Boroujerdi’s life is in grave danger due to deliberate withholding of necessary medical care by the authorities in Iran. We ask for an intervention on his behalf, to save his life.
Appendix: Partial List of Political Prisoners in Iran
Source: The Campaign to Free Political Prisoners (CFPPI)
Name | Age | Prison | City | Sentence | Charges | Ailment | Arrest Date |
Mohammad-Reza Pourshajri | 53 | Central Prison | Karaj | 4 years | Acting against national security Insulting Islam Insulting the Supreme Leader |
Diabetes, kidney stones, heart attack, enlarged prostate | 2010 |
Dr. Sayed Madani | Central Prison | Bandar Abbas | 6 years | Acting against national security Civil rights activist Sociology Research |
Gallbladder stones | 2011 | |
Dr. Nader Babai | Evin, ward 350 | Tehran | 74 lashes and 6 years suspended sentence | Social and civil activist arrested during the 2009 protests for helping his student Omid Dana. war vet for Iran/Iraq war |
2 strokes internal bleeding seizures |
2012 | |
Vahid Roohbakhsh | Evin, ward 350 | Tehran | 18 months suspended sentence | he was arrested during the 2009 protests on charges of protesting/gathering and propagating propaganda against the regime | due to severe beatings during torture he has lost 70% of his hearing and needs a hearing aid | 2010 | |
Dr. Haani Yazloo | 59 | Evin, ward 350 | Tehran | 6 years | propaganda against the regime he was previously arrested and sentenced to 1 year in prison and 15 years in exile |
He has had 2 open heart surgeries and suffers from extremely high blood pressure. | 2012 |
Pajman Abdodlhossein Zade | Evin, ward 350 | Tehran | Held for 1 year | Green movement activist from 2009 and arrested before and this year again | Broken arm during arrest | 2012 | |
Mehdi Khodai | Evin, ward 350 | Tehran | 7 years | human rights activist acting against national security |
Injured jaw and gums (due to beatings) | 2012 | |
Zaniar Moradi | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | Death-hanging | enemy of God alleged killing of the son of an Imam |
Broken spine and unbearable pain as result of routine torture, paralysis | 2008 | |
Loghman Moradi | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | Death-hanging | enemy of God alleged killing of the son of an Imam |
Broken spine and unbearable pain as result of routine torture | 2008 | |
Yashar Daralshafa | Evin | Tehran | 5.5 years | acting against national security insulting the President |
Problems with spine and disc | 2009 | |
Saeed MatinPour | 38 | Evin | Tehran | 8 years | acting against national security contacting with foreigners |
Extreme back pain and numb legs | 1997 |
Ahmad Doneshpour | Evin | Tehran | Death | Supporter of the MEK | Crohn’s and intestinal bleeding | 2009 | |
Ayatollah Hossein Boroujerdi | 54 | Evin | Tehran | One year in Tehran and 10 years exile | Accused of acting against national security, holding lectures and public incitement against the regime and Islamic Constitution | Due to torture he is suffering from Parkinson’s diseases, heart disease, kidney failure, pulmonary edema, edema of the legs, diabetes, high blood pressure, 90% loss of vision in the right eye and many other ailments | 2006 |
Rasool Badaghi | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | In prison 6 years | Teachers Union board member | Severe debilitating headaches | 2009 | |
Reza Shahabi | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 4 years prison and 5 years ban on union activities, 70 million Tomans fine | Union worker activist member of imprisoned workers union | high blood pressure and neck and low back pain | 2010 | |
Mohammad Jarahi | Tabriz Prison | Tabriz | 5 years | Workers Union member | Thyroid gland tumor which has developed to cancer | 2011 | |
Mohammad Ali Taheri | 54 | Evin ward 209 | Tehran | 7 years prison, 900 million Tomans fine and 64 lashes | Apostasy, violating national security establishment of a spiritual center( Erfan-e Halghe) | Has been on hunger strike 9 times and has serious infection of the mouth and jaw | |
Hamid Navid | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | Death | Lymphatic cancer | |||
Ali Alaee | Evin | Tehran | 7 years | Collaboration with a hostile enemy government | Heart disease and spinal cord pain/injury | ||
Mostafa Daneshjoo | Evin — intelligence /security section | Tehran | in prison without sentencing | part of the Dervish Gonabadi group | Lung disease, difficulty breathing | 2011 | |
Reza Entesary | Evin | Tehran | Webmaster, blogger (blog: Majzobane Noor) | Injury to left arm | 2011 | ||
Assadollah Hadi | Evin | Tehran | 5 years | Ex-political prisoner in ’80s acting against national security |
Severe heart disease along with problems with the meniscus of the knee | 2009 | |
Asghar Ghattan | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 5.5 years | Ex-political prisoner in 80’s connection to MEK organization |
Kidney and heart problems along with prostate issues | 2010 | |
Mohmmad Salemi | 64 | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 3 years | Ex-political prisoner in 80’s connection to MEK organization enemy of God |
Heart disease and spinal sciatica and kidney problems | 2009 |
Mohammad Sadigh Kabodavand | Evin | Tehran | 10.5 years | establishing a human rights organization and acting against national security | Prostate problems | 1997 | |
Kamyar Sabeti | Evin | Tehran | 5 years | spying | Heart disease | ||
Sina Azeemi | Evin | Tehran | 5 years | spying | Problems breathing/lung issues | ||
Mohsen Daneshpour | 67 | Evin | Tehran | Death | acting against national security enemy of God connection to MEK organization |
Heart and prostate disease | 2009 |
Hassan Faraji | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 7 years | spying | Heart disease, spinal cord injury, intestinal disease | 2009 | |
Alireza Ahmadi | 30 | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | Collaborating with enemy | Broken legs during interrogation as a result of being kicked | 2012 | |
Tasavor Taghipour | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 7 years | member of human rights organization and thus propaganda against the regime | Jaw and gum problems | 2012 | |
Mohammad Davari | 41 | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 5 years | Acting against national security | Knee and lower back joint problems along with mouth and teeth injuries | 2009 |
Amir Khoram | 51 | Evin | Tehran | 8 years | Member of the Freedom Movement – conspiring against national security | Jaw and gum injuries | 2009 |
Amir Eslami | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | No sentence arrested in 2011 | Member of Darvish Gonabadi and webmaster, blogger (blog: Majzobane Noor) | Severe heart and intestinal pain | 2011 | |
Rahman Ghahermanpour | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 3.5 years | spying | Spinal cord pain, nose, ear and throat issues | 2011 | |
Esmael Barzagari | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | No sentence arrested 2011 | Acting against national security | Gum and jaw issues | 2011 | |
Nader Jani | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 3.5 years | Assembly and collusion against national security | Spinal cord, heart lung problems | 2012 | |
Saeed Mohammad Ebrahimi | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 5 years | insulting the Supreme Leader Acting against national security involvement in a soft Coup |
Asthma and intestinal issues plus lower back Joint problem – herniated disc | 2010 | |
Hamid Reza Moradi | Evin ward 209 | Tehran | No sentence | Member of Darvish Gonabadi acting against national security spreading lies and propaganda |
Spinal stenosis | 2011 | |
Hossein Zarrini | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 4 years | Assembly and collusion against national security | epilepsy | 2010 | |
Behnam Ebrahim Zade | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 5 years | Workers Union Activist | Arthritis in the neck and ear, jaw and kidney pain | 2010 | |
Saeed Abedeeni | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 8 years | Establishing and running a church from his home | Bleeding from stomach and bladder | 2012 | |
Farzad Rohi | Evin | Tehran | 3.5 years | Propaganda against the regime and insulting Islam | Sinusitis | 2010 | |
Assadollah Assadi | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 10 years | Collaborating with enemy | Lung problems/disease | 2010 | |
Gholamreza Hosseini | Evin ward 209 | Tehran | 10 years | Collaborating with enemy | The destruction of the hip joint, and leg – gum issues | 2010 | |
Majid Assadi | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 4 years | Assembly and collusion against national security | Anxiety and severe headaches | 2008 | |
Nader Karbassi | 58 | Evin | Tehran | No sentence | Communicating with opposition groups | Joint problem – herniated disc | 2011 |
Mohammad Banazade Amir-Kheezi | 68 | Evin ward 209 | Tehran | 5 years | Communicating with MEK organization | History of surgery and has severe bone pain | 2010 |
Mushallah Hatteri | 61 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 15 years | Ex-political prisoner in the 80s protesting in 2009 demonstrations |
Has had heart surgery and suffers from brain hemorrhage | 2009 |
Riazollah Sobhani | 68 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 4 years | Professor of online Baha’i school, member of the Baha’i faith | History of heart surgery. arthritis in hands and feet | 2011 |
Jamal Khanjani | 80 | Evin | Tehran | 20 years | Member of the Baha’i faith Accused of spying for Israel |
Old age | 2008 |
Mohammad Saifzadeh | 66 | Evin ward 350 | Tehran | 8 years | Establishing human rights organization and acting against the regime | Stroke, numbness of hands and feet. Severe chest pains | 2011 |
Farhad Sadaghi | 67 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 4 years | Professor of online Baha’i school and member of Baha’i faith | Kidney stones, gall bladder stones and cataracts | 2011 |
Kayvan Samimi | 65 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 6 years | Questioning the 2009 election results and calling the results fraudulent | Severe heart disease – joint problems – need for internal operations | 2009 |
Sharokh Tanef | 64 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 4 years | Being a member of the Baha’i faith | Joint pain | 2008 |
Karim Ma’rof Aziz | 70 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | Life in prison | spying | Diabetes – old age | 1995 |
Behrooz Azizi Tavakoli | 62 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 20 years | Member of Baha’i faith Spying for Israel |
Coronary Heart – Arthritis and herniated disc | 1997 |
Fariba Kamal Abadi (female) | Evin | Tehran | 20 years | Member of Baha’i faith Spying for Israel |
Osteoporosis | 2007 | |
Mahvash Shahriyari (female) | Evin | Tehran | 20 years | Member of Baha’i faith Spying for Israel |
Osteoporosis and depression | 2008 | |
Hassan Fatali Ashtiani | 64 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 15 years | Communication with MEK organization | Joint pain | 2007 |
Kamran Mortezai | 61 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 5 years | Member of Baha’i faith Spying for Israel |
Severe back and knee pain | 2011 |
Amonollah Mostaghim | |||||||
Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 5 years | Member of Baha’i faith And a teacher of the faith online |
Diabetic, heart disease and history of open heart surgery | 2010 | ||
Favad Moghadam | 62 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 5 years | Member of Baha’i faith And a teacher of the faith online |
Swelling of the arteries and herniated disc | 2011 |
Adelle Naemi | 61 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 11 years | Member of Baha’i faith Spying for Israel |
Heart disease, diabetic and past gall bladder and intestine surgery | 2011 |
Neymat Rashidi | 21 | Evin | Tehran | No sentence | Member of the minority group of Kurdistan communications with opposition groups |
Pain from injuries caused by torture | 2011 |
Ali Ma’ezi | 59 | Central prison | Karaj | One year in prison – suspended | Enemy of God and supporter of MEK organization | bladder cancer | 2011 |
Reza Joshan | 27 | 2.5 years in prison and 3 years exile | Enemy of God | Vision and heart problems and increased blood platelet count | 2010 | ||
Mijagh Bozdannejad | 27 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 13 years | Communication with MEK And paying tribute to those executed in 1988 |
depression | 2007 |
Mohammad Ali Mansouri | 53 | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 18 years | Communication with MEK | 2007 | |
Saeed Maasoori | 48 | Gohardasht | Karaj | Life | Communication with MEK | Heart disease painful gums,, back pain | 2000 |
Shahram Radmehr | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 9 years | Propaganda against the regime and insulting Islam | |||
Behnoud Gholizadeh | Rajai Shahr | Karaj | 9 years | Propaganda against the regime and insulting Islam | |||
Sedigheh Moradi | 54 | 9 years | |||||
Motahareh Bahrami | 60 | Evin | Tehran | 10 years | Enemy of god and connection with MEK | 2009 | |
Kobra Bannazadeh Amirkhizi | 62 | Evin | Tehran | 5 years | Enemy of god and connection with MEK | ||
Peyman KasNezhad | Evin | Tehran | 3 years | Connection with Israel | |||
Davoud Asadi | 78 | Kianoush Sabouri | |||||
Omid Shahmoradi Sanandaji | Evin | Tehran | 3 years | Acting against national security | 2011 | ||
Mahdi Sajedifar | 35 | Evin | Tehran | Connection with foreign government | 2011 | ||
Amir Moladoust | |||||||
Morteza Rahim Tayefeh | |||||||
Majid Mohammadi Moien | Evin | Tehran | 4 years | Connection with foreign government | 2012 | ||
Afshin Karampour | |||||||
MohammadHossein Yousefpour | Evin | Tehran | 5.5 years | Propaganda against the regime and apostasy | 2009 | ||
Abdollah Momeni | 36 | Evin | Tehran | Propaganda against the regime and apostasy | 2009 | ||
Alireza Ousivand Karimi | |||||||
Omid Kokabee | 31 | Evin | Tehran | 10 years | communicating with a hostile government | kidney problems some stomach issues | 2011 |
Zeynab Jalalian | 33 | Dizel-Abad | Kermanshah | Life | enmity against God (moharebeh) | losing eye sight | 2007 |
Hossein ronaghi | 28 | Evin | Tehran | 15 years | Acting against national security | Kidny disease, stomach bleeding, several hunger strikes in prison | 2009 |
Sakhi Rigi | Karoon | Ahvaz | 20 years | Acting against national security, Webmaster, blogger, Jondollah supporter | Issue with his Thyroid gland | ||
Ebrahim Rigi | Karoon | Ahvaz | 11 years | Acting against national security and Jondollah supporter | Bladder, Kidney and urine tract | ||
Esmael Vafavi | Karoon | Ahvaa | 25 years | Acting against national security and Jondollah supporter | Seizures, severe headache and deformed in the region of the scalp due to lashing | ||
Syed Zia Navabi | Karoon | Ahvaa | 10 years | Acting against national security, Support for right of education | Gum and tooth infection | ||
Majid Doori | Karoon | Ahvaa | 6 years | Acting against national security, Support for Right ofEducation | Gum and tooth infection | ||
Yousef Fotuhi | Karoon | Ahvaa | 9 years | Connection with PEJAK | Suspicious painful lump between his shoulder | ||
Kazem Khosh Namak | Karoon | Ahvaa | 10 years | Collaborating with enemy | Extreme weakness of vision |
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