Qalibaf's Reaction to the Scandal of the Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Gilan; Revealing This Matter Requires a Judge's Order

Bagher Qalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, in today's session of the parliament, reacted to a representative's reminder regarding the recent scandal of the Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Gilan, stating: "Publicizing this matter, if proven, requires a judge's order." He also mentioned those who spoke about this issue, saying, "In the Supreme National Security Council meeting, I reminded about these types of methods that are against the law and Sharia, and that some individuals engage in such actions." Kazem Delkhush Abatari, a representative from Soume'eh Sara, in a reminder today regarding the recent scandal of the Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Gilan, stated that "the Holy Quran says that those who are eager to speak ill of believers and affect their reputation will face a painful punishment in both this world and the hereafter." In this context, Morteza Mahmoudvand, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, on Sunday, August 1, in the public session of the parliament, referred to the reactions on social media regarding the release of a video showing the sexual relationship of the Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Gilan with a man as a "calamity." Mahmoudvand stated, "We condemned the burning of the Quran in Sweden yesterday, but in reality, the insult to the Holy Quran has occurred right here in Gilan." In response to these statements, Mojtaba Zolnoor, Vice Speaker of the Parliament, stated that "we should not act ahead of the law and Sharia," adding that "the government actually took a hasty action in the dismissal" and asked, "Until someone's crime is proven, under what title should they be dealt with?" Raising this issue in a public forum has a "Sharia guarantee" because it is "not proven," and "if something has happened, the security and judicial authorities will investigate." Following reports about the sexual relationship of Reza Saghati, the Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Gilan with a man, this government official, who was the founder of the 'Chastity and Hijab' workshop, was dismissed, and the public relations office of the Gilan Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance stated in a notice that his dismissal was due to "suspicions of corruption" and that his case had "many ambiguities." The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance appointed Reza Saghati, who is married with three children, as someone with "valuable experiences and a revolutionary and religious spirit" to head the Gilan Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance a year and a half ago. A look at the background of Reza Saghati, the dismissed director, whose video of a relationship with a man was released continues the stories of "Saghati"; the director of "Radio Gilan" says they have approached his family. Reactions to the sexual scandal of the Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Gilan; a member of parliament: it is a calamity. The sexual scandal of a cultural official of the Islamic Republic; the matter was investigated "with the presence of security agencies." The founder of the 'Chastity and Hijab' workshop in Gilan was dismissed after reports of a sexual relationship with a young man.