Mawlawi Abdulhamid: People Should Not Be Killed for the Survival of the Government

Mawlawi Abdulhamid, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, stated in his Friday sermon on July 27 that "people should not be killed for the survival of the government" and that no government is worth the lives of its opponents. He noted, "Some attribute everything to the enemy, which is not correct." Mawlawi added that "God and the people of God" also know that blaming problems on the enemy is not right. Mawlawi Abdulhamid emphasized that rulers should not be arrogant towards the people but should listen to their words and show respect. He mentioned that whatever the system has belongs to the people, and "the satisfaction of the people is the satisfaction of God." The Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan continued by saying that over 98% of the Iranian nation said 'yes' to the Islamic Republic after the revolution and sent their children to the front lines during the eight-year war to defend independence, the revolution, and the system. This prominent Sunni cleric stated that the people have cooperated with the Islamic Republic over the past 44 years and have participated in various elections. He asserted that governance and the selection of the government and officials are the rights of the people. Mawlawi Abdulhamid has been critical of the Islamic Republic since the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini while in the custody of the morality police. In some of his criticisms, he has held Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, the Revolutionary Guards, and the Islamic Consultative Assembly responsible for the country's situation and has called for equal rights for all Iranians regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or gender. He noted the disruption of the internet in Zahedan and stated that women are showing their civil disobedience by removing their hijabs. Mawlawi Abdulhamid called for "respect for women and their demands" and the freedom of political prisoners. He reacted to the "violent confrontation" in Bandar Kolahi, stating that people are struggling for a piece of bread. He mentioned a silent march in Zahedan, stating that "our path is moderation and centrism." There has been an increase in security pressures on Abdulhamid, including the arrest and expulsion of 132 clerics from Makki Mosque, and an increase in executions and arrests of Baluch people; security pressures on Mawlawi Abdulhamid have intensified.