Halvash: Khamenei's Office in Sistan and Baluchestan Demands Commitment from Sunni Imams to Praise the Islamic Republic

The news outlet "Halvash" reported that the office of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic in Sistan and Baluchestan province has requested Sunni Friday prayer leaders in the region to "praise and commend the services of the Islamic Republic" during Friday prayers and to participate in government gatherings by preparing and sending a commitment letter. The critical sermons of some Friday prayer leaders in Sistan and Baluchestan, particularly Molavi Abdulhamid, the Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, have caused dissatisfaction among government institutions over the past year. Halvash, which reflects news from Sistan and Baluchestan province, wrote that Khamenei's representative office in the province has warned Sunni Friday prayer leaders that if they do not participate in "government meetings" and do not declare their "loyalty" to the government, they will be dismissed from their positions. The publication of this report comes at a time when the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Rask, who was arrested in August this year, has reportedly been tortured. Molavi Fathi Mohammad Naqshbandi, the Friday prayer leader of Rask, was arrested on Sunday, August 20, on charges of "disturbing public opinion through false speeches, slander and defamation against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and actions against national security and illegal seizure of national lands." His son announced in September that his father had been subjected to "physical and psychological torture" at the Intelligence Department in Zahedan. Following the arrest of this Sunni cleric, the public relations office of the judiciary in Sistan and Baluchestan issued a statement claiming that Molavi Fathi Mohammad Naqshbandi had held "harsh positions aligned with the opponents of the Islamic regime" in recent months and alleged that he "invited people to chaos and street riots with false and unrealistic speeches in his Friday prayers and sessions." The term "riots" is used by officials and institutions of the Islamic Republic to refer to peaceful public protests in Iran. Molavi Abdulhamid, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, previously reacted to the arrest of Fathi Mohammad Naqshbandi, describing him as "one of the popular figures and prominent scholars" who was arrested for criticizing officials' performance and stated that "this arrest will lead to increased dissatisfaction, and his freedom is in everyone's interest." Security and judicial actions in Sistan and Baluchestan province have faced criticism from human rights organizations in the past year. Since October 1, 2022, when security forces opened fire on worshippers in Zahedan, resulting in the deaths of at least one hundred people and injuries to hundreds more, Zahedan has witnessed weekly protest marches following Friday prayers. So far, the efforts of the Islamic Republic's forces to prevent the holding of protest Fridays in Zahedan have been unsuccessful, although sometimes, to protect the lives of attendees and at the request of Molavi Abdulhamid, these marches are held in silence. The demand for commitments from Friday prayer leaders in Sistan and Baluchestan to praise the Islamic Republic comes at a time when Amnesty International has stated that citizens in this province are subjected to "brutal attacks" by the government. Raha Bahreini, a researcher at Amnesty International, previously told Voice of America based on the investigations of this international human rights organization that "the relentless attacks by the Islamic Republic officials on peaceful and non-violent Baloch protesters" in this province have "intensified significantly."