Special Clerical Court: The Case of a Cleric Sentenced to Death is Under Appeal

Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the head of the Special Clerical Court, stated on Friday, March 8, regarding the case of the cleric known as "Sheikh Estekhareh," who has been sentenced to death, that the accused has appealed this ruling and his case is currently in the appellate court. According to Mehr News Agency, Montazeri mentioned during the funeral ceremony of Seyyed Sadegh Tabatabai in Tehran: "He has appealed the ruling issued by the court, and his case is under review in the appellate court." In response to reporters' questions about whether there are any explanations regarding this case, he said: "The information published on this matter and the explanations surrounding it are sufficient, and there is currently no further explanation available." In recent months, some news websites, including "Saham News," close to Mehdi Karroubi, reported the issuance of a death sentence for Majid Jafari Tabar, a "famous" cleric from Qom. In this context, Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i, the spokesperson for the Iranian judiciary, had previously confirmed the news regarding the issuance of a death sentence for this cleric by the Special Clerical Court. Iranian judiciary officials and the Special Clerical Court have not yet provided explanations regarding the charges against this detained cleric. However, news websites have reported the charges against Majid Jafari Tabar as "claiming to have a connection with Imam Zaman," "playing the role of a disciple and mentor," and "having connections with jinn." Nevertheless, the spokesperson for the judiciary stated in late Bahman of this year that: "The ruling issued for this individual is preliminary, and one can appeal this ruling, which is subject to review according to the law." "Saham News" previously reported that Mohammad Jafari Tabar gained notoriety in 1993 due to the "Estekhareh" consultations he provided, which led to the establishment of dozens of phone lines that answered questions from clients 24/7. According to reports, Mr. Jafari Tabar has been detained for six months and is being held in solitary confinement at the "Langaroud" prison in Kashan. The "Saham News" website introduced Majid Jafari Tabar and his wife Mina Monagheb as grandchildren of Ayatollah Mohammad Sadoughi, one of the well-known former Friday prayer leaders in Iran. Ayatollah Mohammad Sadoughi, the former Friday prayer leader of Yazd, was one of the prominent Friday prayer leaders in Iran who was assassinated during the early years of the revolution while leading Friday prayers. On Sunday, February 12, "Saham News" reported that Mina Monagheb, Mr. Jafari Tabar's wife, has also been sentenced to death. Meanwhile, this website reported on Tuesday, February 28, in another news piece, only about the interrogation of Mrs. Monagheb. In this context, Mohseni Eje'i confirmed the issuance of a death sentence for a cleric.