Government supporters attack Iranian reformist clerics

Mahammad Ali Sodoughi

Government supporters attacked office of Yazd’s Friday Prayers leader, Mohammad Ali Sodoughi. who according to Parleman News was also verbally abused by pro-Ahmadinejad forces during Ashura Day protests.

Other reformist clerics such as Ayatollah Sanei and Ayatollah Dastgheib have also been target of similar violent attacks in the past weeks.

These Shiite clerics have repeatedly condemned the government’s violent crackdown on election protesters and called for the release of political prisoners.

Tehran’s Friday prayers leader, Kazem Sedighi warned that if the legal establishment does not respond to the “sedition” of Ashura Day events, “people” will lose their patience and take matters in their own hands.

He claimed “rioters and other groups who share their evil plans” disrespected Ashura Day by celebrating and whistling.

Ashura Day is a day of mourning in the Shiite calendar. Election protesters took to the streets on this Ashura in continuation of their protests to the June presidential elections which they claim was rigged in favour of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

While pro-government forces have been trying to discredit protesters saying they violated the sanctity of this holy day, the opposition claims it is the government that violated the sanctity of this day by pouring innocent blood. At least eight people were killed during government crackdown on protesters on this day.

Kazem Sedighi claimed one of the opposition leaders had paid an individual to burn a vehicle. He also claimed that the individual was reimbursed for every anti-government slogan he chanted on that day.

These allegations seem to come in response to widespread reports that the government organized a pro-government march after Ashura by closing offices and schools, busing workers and school kids to the march and giving them food and drink.