Mowlavi Abdolhamid: You Cannot Silence Women's Voices; Bahai Rights Must Not Be Violated

Mowlavi Abdolhamid Ismailzahi, the Sunni Friday Prayer Leader of Zahedan, stated on June 16 that "women have been historical figures and are the owners of epic tales." This Sunni cleric, speaking in a heavily secured environment on the day of the Friday prayers, emphasized that women have a "very important place" in human structure and that their protests stem from the fact that "they do not have their rightful place." Mowlavi Abdolhamid pointed out the lost rights of women in today's Iranian society, asserting, "You want women's protests to be silenced, but as long as these women do not reach their rightful place, 'you and I cannot silence their voices.'" He further stated that "focusing on the symptoms without addressing the causes is of no benefit" and added, "Unless you release women from prison, free political prisoners, and give value to women, nothing will change." He remarked that some today feel that "a woman is only for taking care of children or managing the kitchen," while "the position of women is much higher than this." Mowlavi Abdolhamid asserted that women are for "major and important issues" in society, not just for traditional household tasks, and noted that women are often "ahead of men in offices, universities, and many other places." This Sunni cleric also protested against the "presence of riot police in cemeteries" during mourning ceremonies, stressing that if the ruler cannot tolerate insults or harsh words, the government cannot function. He stated that the ruler must be open to different tastes and opinions, indicating that they should also endure "harsh and severe words" because the ruler is for everyone. He also condemned the persecution of Bahais by the Islamic Republic and the obstruction of burial ceremonies for some of them, stating, "These individuals are not Muslims, but they are human beings, citizens, and Iranians, and their rights should not be violated." On the same day, protesters in Zahedan, following the Friday prayers led by Mowlavi Abdolhamid, marched and demonstrated despite the heavy security atmosphere. According to the Baloch Activists Campaign, protesters chanted slogans against the Islamic Republic. Videos shared on social media included slogans such as "The share of Baluch from Iran - denial, bullets, execution," "Kurd, Baluch, and Azerbaijani - freedom and equality," "Evin has become a university, Tehran has become a detention center," and "Iranians unite for revolution and freedom." The protest march occurred despite prior reports of the Ministry of Intelligence opposing Mowlavi Abdolhamid's pilgrimage. The report indicated that "according to some officials from the Ministry of Intelligence," there was opposition to Mowlavi Abdolhamid's pilgrimage. Mowlavi Abdolhamid has been openly critical of the policies and leader of the Islamic Republic since the onset of nationwide protests. He stated in last week's Friday prayer that "as long as you do not treat the pains, the cries and voices of the people will not be silenced." The website of the Sunni Friday Prayer Leader's office in Zahedan noted that Mowlavi Abdolhamid had planned and scheduled his pilgrimage, but due to the government's obstruction, he cannot undertake this trip. This website did not provide further details on the reasons for the Ministry of Intelligence's opposition. The prevention of this government critic from traveling abroad and the imposition of restrictions on his domestic travels are not new. The Sunni Friday Prayer Leader of Zahedan had previously reported being prevented from traveling to Qatar about five years ago. Mowlavi Abdolhamid stated on July 21, 2018, in an interview with the Etemad newspaper that despite having purchased tickets and visas to visit relatives in Qatar, he had to forgo the trip due to opposition. He had also been prevented from traveling to Saudi Arabia to attend a religious conference. Travel bans are considered one of the tools of the Islamic Republic to punish opponents and critics of the government. Mowlavi Abdolhamid mentioned that he has even faced opposition from security officials for traveling to areas in the western part of Sistan and Baluchestan province. Some Sunni clerics also face travel bans to Sunni-populated areas within Iran. Mowlavi Abdolhamid has previously called for the lifting of this ban on domestic travel for Sunni clerics.