Mowlavi Abdolhamid: Officials Who Suppress Protesters Must Be Punished

Mowlavi Abdolhamid, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, stated in his Friday sermon on September 8 that the response to stone-throwing is not bullets, and that officials who suppress peaceful protesters "must be punished." According to him, the people bear no responsibility for the events of the "Bloody Friday" and officials, including the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, know that "this was an unjust act." Mowlavi emphasized that if there is no justice and freedom, one must read the funeral prayer for the government. This prominent Sunni figure in the country stated that no government in the world has the right to lead a country in a direction contrary to the national interests and the will and consent of the people. The Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan noted that it is not God who appoints the ruler, but the people, and that the ruler must be a servant of the nation. In an implicit criticism of the system of absolute clerical rule, he stated that no ruler has absolute powers and that "absolute authority belongs to God." According to Mowlavi Abdolhamid, a ruler is allowed to govern only as long as the overwhelming majority of the people are satisfied, and he must always have the support of the majority. According to the human rights organization Halvash, on Friday, "the internet in Zahedan and some other cities in Sistan and Baluchestan experienced severe disruptions, making it difficult for citizens to communicate." Halvash added that Mowlavi Abdolhamid's speech, which was broadcast live from his Instagram account, was interrupted several times. Following the killing of dozens of worshippers in the "Bloody Friday" of Zahedan on September 30 of last year, the city has witnessed anti-government protests every Friday after Mowlavi Abdolhamid's often critical sermons. During these protests, people have chanted slogans against the leaders of the Islamic Republic, emphasizing the need to identify, introduce, and deal with those responsible for the Bloody Friday incident in Zahedan. Protesters in another "protest Friday" in Zahedan shouted: "Political prisoners must be freed." Mowlavi Abdolhamid stated that the Islamic Republic has not treated Sunnis fairly and equally. He criticized the "spending on religion," saying the government should address the people's problems. Protesters in Zahedan have called for the release of political prisoners. Mowlavi Abdolhamid asserted that the country's problems cannot be solved by issuing death sentences.