در پي وقوع انفجاري در يك مركز فرهنگي ـ مذهبي

Men unload the coffin of a young boy, a victim of a mosque explosion during a funeral in Shiraz April 15, 2008. A blast in a mosque in Iran that killed at least 12 people was an accident and not an attack, a senior official said on Sunday, but others cautioned that investigation into the cause was continuing. REUTERS/Stringer (IRAN)
REUTERS/STRINGER/IRAN
Iran says mosque bombers planned oil pipeline attack in Khuzestan province.

Iran's Intelligence Ministry said on Saturday US agents had armed and trained those behind a deadly blast in a mosque last month and that pipelines in the country's oil-rich south were also among the planned targets.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday Iran had evidence the United States, Britain and Israel were involved in the April 12 blast in the southern city of Shiraz that killed 14 people and wounded 200.

President Ahmadinejad stated that Jundullah rebels in the Baluchi southern Province were behind the Mosque explosion which injured some 200 Iranians in a well planned terrorust attack in the Persian city of Shiraz. He further stated that US agents were behind the explosives and the weapons found in Iranian Intelligence raids of Jundullah. President Ahmadinejad said 12 Jundullah rebels had been captured and interrogated and that they revealed they were supplied and trained by American agents and had British and Mossad instructors.

Some 20 Pasdaran elite troops were blown up in a bus in Zahedan by the same terrorists last year. And the year before the entire convoy of the Province Administrator and his bodyguards was ambushed outside Zahedan and were all methodically shot to death by Jundullah dressed in Pasdaran uniforms.

It was believed that both incidents were too profesionally performed to have been undertaken by local rebels on their own.






دادستان شيراز:
علت حادثه در دست بررسي است سرويس: سياسي
1387/01/25
04-13-2008
01:16:56
8701-06463: كد خبر



خبرگزاري دانشجويان ايران - شيراز
سرويس: سياسي


انفجار مهيبي در محل جلسه هفتگي کانون رهپويان وصال شيراز، تعدادي کشته و مجروح برجاي گذاشت.

به گزارش خبرنگار خبرگزاري دانشجويان ايران (ايسنا) منطقه فارس و به نقل از شاهدان عيني اين انفجار حوالي ساعت 21 و 30 دقيقه روز شنبه 24 اسفندماه و همزمان با برگزاري جلسه هفتگي کانون رهپويان وصال در حسينيه شهدا واقع در خيابان شهيد آقايي شيراز رخ داد.

پس از وقوع اين انفجار کار انتقال مجروحان به بيمارستان‌هاي شيراز از سوي مرکز فوريت‌هاي پزشکي آغاز و ماموران آتش نشاني نيز در محل حادثه حاضر شدند.

به دنبال اين حادثه بلافاصله اعضاي شوراي تامين شهرستان شيراز جلسه اضطراري تشکيل دادند.

تا لحظه ارسال اين خبر هيچ از يك مسوولان نسبت به علت حادثه و تعداد مجروحان و کشته شدگان اظهار نظر نکرده‌اند اما در عين حال آمار غير رسمي از کشته شدن هشت نفر و مجروح شدن بيش از 50 نفر خبر مي‌دهند.

کانون رهپويان وصال از جمله تشکل‌هاي فرهنگي و مذهبي در شيراز است که هر شنبه مراسم سخنراني با حضور حجت‌الاسلام سيدمحمد انجوي‌نژاد از روحانيون جوان اين شهر برپا مي‌دارد و از استقبال گسترده جوانان در طول ساليان اخير برخوردار بوده است.

حجت‌الاسلام بانشي ـ دادستان شيراز ـ به هنگام بازديد از محل حادثه به ايسنا گفت: علت انفجار در دست بررسي است.

وي ادامه داد: به محض اتمام جلسه شوراي تامين شهرستان نسبت به علت موضوع و تعداد تلفات و مسائل مهم اطلاع رساني خواهد شد.

گزارش خبرنگار ايسنا حاکي است كه حجت‌الاسلام سيدمحمد انجوي‌نژاد ـ مدير اين کانون و مسوول ستاد برگزاري نمازجمعه شيراز ـ در سلامت کامل بسر مي برد.

گزارش تکميلي متعاقبا ارسال مي‌شود.

انتهاي پيام

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انفجار بمب در شیراز، بیش از 50 شهید و زخمی
اين انفجار در حسينيه شهداء هيئت رهپویان وصال شیراز و هنگام سخنراني حجت‌الاسلام انجوي نژاد دبير ستاد نماز جمعه استان فارس رخ داد. منابع غيررسمي در استانداري فارس از زحمي شدن بيش از 50 نفر و شهادت 8 نفر خبر داده‌اند ولي احتمال افزايش شهدا به دليل افزايش مجروحان كه جراحات وخيمي دارند، مي‌‌رود. گزارش «فردا» حاکی از آن است گروهک های بهائيت و مجاهدین خلق از مظنونان اصلی این حادثه می باشند. گفتنی است این گروهک ها در طی چند روز اخیر هشدارها و تهدیداتی علیه این حسینیه داشته اند.

فارس: انفجار بمبي نسبتاً شديد در يكي از حسينيه‌هاي شهر شيراز بعد از نماز مغرب و عشا تعدادي زخمي برجاي گذاشت.

بنابراین گزارش اين انفجار بعداز نماز مغرب و عشا در قسمت مردانه حسينيه شهداء شيراز مربوط به هيئت رهپویان وصال و هنگام سخنراني حجت‌الاسلام انجوي نژاد دبير ستاد نماز جمعه استان فارس رخ داد.

در اين حادثه به دبير ستاد نماز جمعه استان فارس آسيبي نرسيد ولي صداي انفجار تا شعاع 5/1 كيلومتري اين حسينيه كه در يكي از مناطق مسكوني مركز شيراز واقع است، شنيده شد.

گزارش اوليه حاكي است، هم‌اينك آمبولانس‌ها و گروه‌هاي آتش‌نشاني با حضور در محل در حال عمليات امداد و نجات و اطفاي حريق هستند.

از تعداد تلفات اين انفجار گزارش دقيقي در دست نيست ولي گفته مي‌شود حدود 20 نفر در اين حادثه زخمي شده‌اند كه حال 3 نفر از آنان وخيم گزارش شده است.

به گزارش «فردا» گروهک های بهائيت و مجاهدین خلق از مظنونان اصلی این حادثه می باشند.

گفتنی است این گروهک ها در طی چند روز اخیر هشدارها و تهدیداتی علیه این حسینیه داشته اند.

برخی منابع خبری از به شهادت رسیدن چند تن از هموطنان خبر داده اند.

به گزارش فردا با گذشت حدود 1 ساعت از انفجار رخ داده در حسینیه سید الشهدا ، کلیه مجروحان به بیمارستان های شیراز منتقل شده و محل حادثه تخلیه گردیده است.

بيشتر شركت‌كنندگان در اين نشست هفتگي را جوانان دختر و پسر تشكيل مي‌دادند كه معمولاً حجت‌الاسلام انجوي‌نژاد دبير ستاد نماز جمعه استان فارس در آن سخنراني مي‌كند.

منابع غيررسمي در استانداري فارس از زحمي شدن بيش از 50 نفر و شهادت 8 نفر خبر داده‌اند ولي احتمال افزايش شهدا به دليل افزايش مجروحان كه جراحات وخيمي دارند، مي‌‌رود.

هم‌اينك تا شعاع يك‌ونيم كيلومتري محل حادثه توسط نيروي انتظامي و نيروهاي مقاومت بسيج تحت كنترل قرار گرفته و صداي آژير‌هاي آمبولانس در شهر شيراز به‌صورت مداوم شنيده مي‌شود.

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انفجار شيراز: مجروحان حادثه 105 نفر
ابراهيم عزيزي با بيان اينكه مردم مي‌توانند براي كسب اطلاعات از اسامي مجروحان باشماره تلفن 111 تماس بگيرند، گفت: در بررسي‌هاي اوليه اين حادثه احتمال بمب‌گذاري منتفي است و انفجار احتمالا علت‌هاي ديگري داشته است.
فارس: منابع آگاه بيمارستاني از مجروح شدن 105 نفر و شهادت 9 نفر از شهروندان شيرازي در حادثه انفجار شنبه‌شب شيراز خبر دادند.

يك منبع آگاه بيمارستاني گفت: تمامي مجروحان به بيمارستان‌هاي سطح شهر از جمله بيمارستان‌هاي خصوصي منتقل شده و تمام توان پزشكي و امدادي استان براي كمك به مجروحان بسيج شده‌ است.

خبرنگار فارس از حضور آيت‌‌الله حائري شيرازي امام جمعه شيراز و نماينده ولي فقيه در استان در محل حادثه خبر داد.

بنابراين گزارش، اعضاي ستاد تأمين استان پس از نشست خود با حضور در حسينيه شهداي شيراز از نزديك محل حادثه را مورد بازديد قرار دادند.

يكي از اعضاي شوراي تأمين استان به خبرنگار فارس گفت: شوراي تأمين تصميمات فوري و مهمي اتخاذ كرده كه در حال پيگيري و اجراي آن است.

هم‌اينك با همكاري نيروي انتظامي و نيروي مقاومت بسيج آرامش به شهر شيراز بازگشته و خانواده‌هاي حادثه‌ديدگان اين بمب‌گذاري با حضوردر بيمارستان‌هاي شهر در حال پيگيري وضعيت جسمي عزيزان خود هستند.

فرماندار شيراز هم در جمع خبرنگاران با بيان اينكه با تلاش امدادگران و متوليان امر، مجروحان حادثه انفجار شنبه شب در مركز فرهنگي و مذهبي رهپويان وصال شيراز به مراكز درماني اين شهر منتقل شده‌اند، اعلام كرد : در تلاش هستيم با همكاري مراكز درماني اسامي مجروحان را از طريق فرمانداري در ساعات آتي به اطلاع مردم برسانيم .

ابراهيم عزيزي با بيان اينكه مردم مي‌توانند براي كسب اطلاعات از اسامي مجروحان باشماره تلفن 111 تماس بگيرند، گفت: در بررسي‌هاي اوليه اين حادثه احتمال بمب‌گذاري منتفي است و انفجار احتمالا علت‌هاي ديگري داشته است.

عزيزي با بيان اينكه بررسي‌هاي تكميلي درخصوص علت اين حادثه جريان دارد ، اظهار داشت: هم اكنون با حضور تعداد زيادي از مردم درمحل حادثه مواجه هستيم و از مردم مي‌خواهيم محل را ترك كنند، زيرا اطلاع رساني‌هاي لازم انجام مي‌گيرد.

محمد رضا حدائق معاون سياسي، امنيتي استانداري فارس نيز گفت: در بررسي‌هايي كه تاكنون انجام شده بمب‌گذاري در اين حادثه فعلا تاييد نمي‌شود و بررسي بيشتر در دست انجام است.




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Bahai bombers in Shiraz?Author: Mohammad Memarian (Iran) - April 13, 2008

Two nights ago, an explosion in a Hussaynieh (religious center) in Shiraz, one of Iran’s largest cities hosting second largest community of Bahais in Iran, killed at least 10 and injured more than a hundred. Few hours after the attack, I received a bunch of emails suggesting that explosion was the result of a bomb smuggled into the Hussaynieh so as to frighten the people who used to hear ‘anti Bahai propaganda’ there. In other words, such analysis implied that Bahais should be held responsible for the disaster.

Last night, however, police declared the most probable scenario identified by investigations: all around the country, many exhibitions feature War Memorials, including showcased maps, samples of remaining war materials (mines, guns, etc.), and martyrs’ photos and handwritings. And in that Hussaynieh, ceremonies as well as anti Bahai speeches were held along with one of these unsafe exhibitions, a rocket of which might have been exploded unexpectedly and the rest of the story. Police, however, stressed that this is not the final result. Meanwhile, deputy of state ministry in national security affairs was quoted as saying that “Shiraz explosion is certainly accidental.”

As I know, there is not even a simple case of Bahai terrorist (or just even violent) act in past decades, though some argue that bloody conflicts with majority Muslims (with attacks from both sides) followed the advent of this sect in Iran. By the way, whether this contemporary mildness is the result of a historical evolution or, as opposed to above mentioned historical accounts, just the continuity of the past trends, I feel that today Bahais are not a danger to the security/safety of Iranian society. Therefore they may live their life as do other minorities (not only Sunni Muslims, Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians, but also Sufis and even few Sikhs who live in Iran).

By the way, I have not heard of any official spokesman accusing Bahais of being associated with this event. On the other hand, I received many emails accusing Bahais of this ‘crime’. With regards to the fact that email plays the role of modern graffiti, i.e. the media of unheard voices, I have to wonder why such a strong Bahai-phobia does exist in Iranian society.

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TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran on Thursday blamed a mosque explosion that killed 13 people in the southern city of Shiraz last month on Western-backed monarchists who oppose the Islamic republic, the Fars news agency reported.


old SAVAK connections..anti mullah

"The Shiraz blast was an act of sabotage and a plot by the enemies of the Iranian people in the name of monarchism," Interior Minister Mostafa Pour Mohammadi was quoted as saying.

"Their headquarters are in countries which claim (to support) human rights, defend their nations and be anti-terrorist," the minister said.

"They are supported in these countries where they have been given radio and television stations."

Several opposition TV and radio channels have sprung up in the United States and Europe in recent years broadcasting programmes to Iran via satellite.

Initial reports claimed the April 12 blast, which wounded more than 200, was a bomb attack, but officials later insisted it had been an accident.

yeah, the heater blew up in the basement, yeah, that's the ticket.

On Wednesday Fars quoted Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie as saying the explosion was caused by a bomb and that suspects believed to have links with the country's Western foes had been arrested.

Pour Mohammadi said on Thursday that the culprits had been identified and arrested "in another bombing attempt which was foiled" in an unspecified Iranian province.

Sure, sure, sure. Arrest all the usual suspects...

He did not single out a particular country, but Iranians have a sizable diaspora community in Iran's arch-foe the United States, some of whom support the son of Iran's deposed Shah, Reza Pahlavi.

The Shiraz blast ripped through a packed mosque during an evening prayer sermon by a prominent local cleric.

Mohseni Ejeie said on Wednesday that the group responsible for the blast had links with Britain and the United States.

He charged that these countries "did not take any measure to prevent terrorist actions and rather supported them."

How's it feel when the shoe is on the other foot there, Achmed?

Iran has blamed US and British agents based in neighbouring Iraq and Afghanistan for launching deadly attacks in border provinces with significant ethnic minority populations in recent years.

But the strike in Shiraz was the first in decades in Iran's Persian heartland. The normally placid city is not in a border zone, nor is it home to any significant ethnic or religious minority population.

One of Iran's most famous tourist cities, Shiraz is popular because of its proximity to important ancient sites from the Achaemenid Empire that ruled much of central and southwest Asia from 550 to 331 BC.

there are also 3 million Heroin Addicts in Iran out of a total national population of 70 million. And the guns coming into the country by the boatload across from Musandam arent going to people who love the Pasdaran. There is a BIG business in smuggled arms in Balouchistan around the coast west of Bandar Abbas. Hundreds of millions of dollars in it. SAVAK is making some bucks.

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Iran's President blames U.S., Israel for mosque blast
13 May 2008 16:06:26 GMT
Source: Reuters
TEHRAN, May 13 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused the United States, Israel and Britain on Tuesday of being responsible for a blast that killed 14 Iranians.

Iran's intelligence ministry said last week it had arrested five or six members of a terrorist group with links to Britain and the United States, who were involved in the explosion last month in the southern city of Shiraz that also wounded 200.

"The blast took place shortly after the Zionist regime (Israel), America and some British agents said they planned to assassinate Iranian officials," Ahmadinejad told a news conference.

"Those behind the bombing were soon arrested and they confessed to their relations with those countries and now the Iranian nation has the evidence of their involvement and support," he said.

Iran has in the past accused Washington and London of trying to destabilise the Islamic Republic by supporting rebels, mainly those in sensitive border areas.

Iran and the United States are at loggerheads over Tehran's nuclear programme, which Washington suspects is aimed at making bombs but which Iranian officials say is for producing electricity.

Tehran's accusations over the mosque blast were similar to allegations U.S. officials have made about Iranian support for militias in Iraq that have fought U.S. and U.S.-backed government forces there, accusations Tehran denies.

Ahmadinejad said Iran would follow the case "through legal channels". He did not elaborate.

Iran's judiciary said on Monday it would file international lawsuits against the United States and Britain for providing financial support to those behind the April 12 explosion.

Iranian officials had previously said the April 12 blast during an evening prayer sermon by a prominent local cleric, was caused by explosives left over from an exhibition commemorating the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.

Security is normally tight in Shi'ite Muslim Iran and bomb attacks have been rare in recent years. Several people were killed in 2005 and 2006 in blasts in a southwestern province with a large Sunni Arab population.

Shiraz is a historical city with more than one million inhabitants and is a popular tourist destination. (Writing by Zahra Hosseinian; Editing by Ralph Boulton)

Ayatollahs/Hojjatoleslam val moslemin kept under arrest/torture

Ref: ShiaChat
Grand Ayatollah Sayed Mohammad Shirazi, born in Najaf, Iraq, comes from a family of well-known marjas and religious scholars of Iranian origin. He left Iraq for Kuwait in 1971 to escape persecution by the Iraqi Government. He then moved to Qom in Iran in 1979 after the establishment of the Islamic Republic. With many followers outside Iran, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi has maintained a stance of non-involvement in Iranian political affairs. However, he reportedly refused to accept that Ayatollah Khamenei was a mojtahed when the latter became the current Leader and has since reportedly refused to recognize Ayatollah Khamenei as the most eminent marja-ye taqlid in Shi’a Islam or even as a Grand Ayatollah.Over the years, reports indicate that hundreds, if not thousands, of his supporters and relatives have suffered harassment, and scores, if not hundreds, have been arrested, some on more than one occasion. Many have reportedly been tortured. Some were released without charge, whereas others were sentenced to prison terms after unfair trials, believed for the most part to have taken place before the Special Court for the Clergy. Some of these cases from recent years are outlined below.Hojjatoleslam Sheikh Ja’far GhaniHojjatoleslam Sheikh Makki Akhound, married with three children, was arrested in the first half of 1994 in Isfahan, reportedly without an arrest warrant. He was said to have been tortured during his initial incommunicado detention which is believed to have lasted about six months. He was later tried before the Special Court for the Clergy, on charges which apparently related to having connections with, and supporting the views of, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi. He was reportedly sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and 75 lashes. He is said to have had no access to a lawyer since his arrest. In early 1996 he was moved from Saheli prison in Qom to a prison clinic in Khorramabad (said to hold psychologically disturbed patients), making it more difficult for his family to visit him and reportedly increasing his sense of isolation. Sheikh Makki Akhound reportedly suffers from various ailments, including ulcers, heart disease, high blood pressure and nervous problems and was apparently not granted access to a doctor of his choice during his detention. In December 1996 he was released early from prison. Amnesty International members around the world had sent mass appeals on his behalf to the Iranian authorities.(23)Hojjatoleslam Sheikh Makki AkhoundUp to 13 others were also arrested at around the same time in 1994, reportedly including Sheikh Makki Akhound’s father, Abdolamir; his uncle Abdolrasoul (who is also his father-in-law); two of his brothers; seven cousins; his wife; and a sister-in-law. They were all held in solitary confinement for some time(24), before being released, apparently without charge.Hojjatoleslam Sheikh Ja’far Ghani, an Iraqi national, was arrested on 30 September 1995, and was reportedly held in incommunicado detention until early 1996. After a trial before the Special Court for the Clergy, he was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment, but was released early in mid-1996. According to a March 1996 response from the Iranian Embassy in London (see Appendix C), he was convicted of offences including "...travelling illegally and repeatedly to foreign countries such as Iraq;...forging ID cards with Afghan identity and also forging Afghan passports; ...membership of the illegal organization of Sayed Morteza Shirazi(25);...[and]disseminating lies and rumours". Sources close to the Grand Ayatollah have denied that he was involved in forgery, or that he went to Iraq illegally, arguing that as an Iraqi national, he was allowed to travel there.Hojjatoleslam Muhammad Saleh Hedayati, Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Mohammad Taqi Dhakeri, Hojjatoleslam ‘Abdolrahman Ha’eri,Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Sayed ‘Abdolrasoul MusawiHis arrest was followed by that of Hojjatoleslam Muhammad Saleh Hedayati on 17 October 1995. He was later reportedly sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and banned from wearing the clothing of a cleric(26), apparently in connection with his association with Grand Ayatollah Shirazi. The scale of arrests increased on 11 November 1995, when ten men, all prominent religious figures or businessmen known to be close to Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, were arrested, reportedly without arrest warrants by members of the security forces, from their homes in Qom and Tehran. They were Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Mohammad Taqi Dhakeri; Hojjatoleslam ‘Abdolrahman Ha’eri; Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Sayed ‘Abdolrasoul Musawi; Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Taleb Salehi; Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Mohammad Fazel Mohammad al-Saffar; Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Mohammad ‘Ali Ma’ash; Hojjatoleslam Fu’ad Fujian; Mohammad Ghaffari; Hadi Dhakeri and Iyad Fujian. Most of them, and some of their relatives were also reportedly beaten during the arrests, which took place at night. The wife of Sheikh Mohammad al-Saffar reportedly had her hand broken, and the young son of Sheikh Mohammad ‘Ali Ma’ash was said to have sustained an eye injury from a gun butt. Both reportedly received hospital treatment for their injuries.On the following day, 12 November 1995, security forces reportedly raided the Martyr Ayatollah Sayed Hassan Shirazi religious school in Qom, arresting approximately 120 students. Most were released several hours later, but seven remained detained. Despite repeated requests to the Iranian Government for clarification, their fate is unknown to Amnesty International.Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Taleb Salehi, Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Mohammad al-Saffar,Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Mohammad ‘Ali Ma’ash, Hojjatoleslam Fu’ad Fujian, Mohammad Ghaffari, Hadi Dhakeri, Iyad Fujian,Hojjatoleslam Sayed Abbas MusawiOn 21 November, Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Sayed Morteza Shirazi, the second son of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, was arrested in Qom. Arrests continued in December and January. Hojjatoleslam Sayed Abbas Musawi, who works in the office of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi was detained in Qom on 6 December 1995. He was later sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by the Special Court for the Clergy, also apparently on account of his association with Grand Ayatollah Shirazi. The brothers Ahmad and Jalal Akhound (relatives of Sheikh Makki Akhound, see above) were arrested in Tehran in early January 1996.Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Sayed Morteza Shirazi, Hojjatoleslam Sayed Mehdi ShiraziArrests ceased for almost six months, but started again on 19 June 1996 with the arrest of Hojjatoleslam Sayed Mehdi Shirazi, the fourth son of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, while in a car between Qom and Tehran. On the same day Hojjatoleslam ‘Ali Rumaythi, a member of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi’s staff, was arrested in Qom. On 20 June, Hojjatoleslam Sheikh Hossein Dhakeri (the brother of Sheikh Mohammad Taqi Dhakeri and Hadi Akhound Dhakeri), another member of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi’s staff, was arrested, also in Qom. On 20 or 21 June, Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Sheikh Azizollah Hassani (aged about 60) was arrested in Tehran. Also in June, the wife of Sayed Sadeq Fali, a follower of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi said to have been exiled to Iranshahr in 1995 by the Special Court for the Clergy, was reportedly arrested in Qom following an argument with security forces surrounding an Islamic centre linked to Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, who are said to have beaten her in public. She was released on bail after a couple of days to await trial before the Special Court for the Clergy. Other members of the Fali family, who also follow Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, are reported to have been arrested, tortured and some sentenced to prison terms in previous years.In September 1996, Hojjatoleslam Sheikh Fazel Fazeli, a follower of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi and a poet, was arrested from his home in Qom. According to unconfirmed reports, he was released shortly afterwards. Several others were arrested on 14 and 15 January 1997. They included Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Sheikh Mohammad Amin Ghafoori, a well-known religious figure and writer on Islamic themes, and his wife, and Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Sayed Hossein Fali who has reportedly been arrested several times before for association with Grand Ayatollah Shirazi. He is said to have been tortured during his previous detentions and to have undergone surgery as a result. Unconfirmed reports suggested that the latter three were all beaten during their arrests. Reports from detention have also indicated that they have been tortured during their detention.Most of those listed above have been released at various times since July 1996. They include Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Abdolrahman Ha’eri; Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Sayed Abdolrasoul Musawi; Hojjatoleslam Taleb Salehi; Hojjatoleslam Mohammad ‘Ali Ma’ash; Iyad Fujian; Hojjatoleslam Sayed Abbas Musawi; Ahmad and Jalal Akhound; Sheikh Hossein Dhakeri; ‘Ali Rumaythi; Hojjatoleslam Sheikh Azizollah Hassani; Mohammad Ghaffari; and Mohammad Fazel al-Saffar. Sayed Morteza Shirazi was released for almost 48 hours between 21 and 23 October, after which he was summoned back to prison. He was released again on 1 January 1997; his younger brother Sayed Mehdi had been released a few days earlier on 28 December 1996. Among those still held are Sheikh Mohammad Taqi Dhakeri; Hadi Dhakeri; Iyad Fujian; Sheikh Mohammad Amin Ghafoori; and Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Sayed Hossein Fali.Most, if not all of those from Qom arrested in 1995 were transferred to Tehran for further interrogation. They were held in incommunicado detention, probably in Tawhid Prison in Tehran until early 1996, when most received at least one family visit.During their detention, there have also been reports that most, if not all of the detainees referred to above, have been tortured. Methods are reported to include:* beatings on different parts of the body, including prolonged beatings on the soles of the feet, after which the detainee is forced to walk on injured feet* cigarette burns on the tips of the fingers and the soles of the feet* burning with hot metal elements such as an iron, or hot liquids poured onto the body* prolonged enforced standing (sometimes on one leg) including in the snow during winter* detention in extremely confined spaces* suspension by the hands, ankles or other body parts from the ceiling and occasionally from a ceiling fan which was rotated with beatings administered at the same time* exposure to heat and cold for long periods* the plucking of hair from the beard or the head (which causes severe humiliation to religious figures, as well as physical pain)* shackling the arms in contorted and painful positions, such as the right arm behind the right ear and the left arm behind the back, and shackled at the wrist* prolonged sleep deprivation, reportedly up to 16 days* electric shocks, including in the mouth* threatened execution by electrocution after telling the detainee to write his will and attaching electrodes to the body* prolonged blindfolding for up to two months* the playing of extremely loud music or screams of other people apparently being tortured* stating that relatives of the detainee have been arrested and threatening to torture them.At least one, Sheikh ‘Ali Ma’ash, is reported to have required medical treatment after his release as a result of torture, including for a toe on his right foot which was broken and left untreated. At least one of the detainees is reported to have severe burn marks on his arms and neck, which is said to look like "a creased piece of material". There have also been reports that detainees were denied access to medical treatment and given inappropriate treatment in prison for illnesses such as diabetes.Responses received by Amnesty International members or sections from Iranian Embassy officials concerning 11 of the detainees (see Appendix C) deny that they were "ill-treated", but give no information as to whether any investigation has been carried out into the allegations of torture of these and other detainees.The responses from Iranian officials also outlined the main charges against the 11 detainees referred to. Among other charges, Sayed Morteza Shirazi is accused of setting up an illegal organization to pursue unlawful objectives such as disturbing public order; forging documents; dissemination of lies and rumours; insulting the country’s officials and despatching unauthorized reports abroad. Other accusations included disturbance of public order and promotion of ghameh zani(27), and making contacts with wanted criminals resident in foreign countries. The others were accused of a variety of offences including membership of Sayed Morteza Shirazi’s organization; insults to the Leader of the Islamic Republic; forgery; helping people to leave the country illegally; dissemination of lies and rumours; possession of illegal material; and insulting officials.Amnesty International recognizes that activities such as forgery are criminal offences and that governments have a right to bring people accused of such acts to justice. However, despite repeated requests for full details of the charges against all the detainees, and the evidence against them, the Iranian authorities have so far failed to provide such information. In addition, in the Embassy responses, many of the charges are extremely vaguely worded and would appear to allow the possibility that those so accused are being detained for what could be the non-violent expression of the internationally recognized rights to freedom of belief, expression and association. In the other cases, no information at all has been provided by the Iranian authorities about the nature of the charges against the detainees. In May 1996, newspaper reports suggested that Iranian officials were claiming behind the scenes that the reason for the arrest of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi’s followers was their involvement in anti-government unrest in Bahrain, including forgery of documents and passports.(28) However, no public statement to this effect has been made by Iranian officials, and although forgery is mentioned in the Iranian Embassy response of March 1996, the only two foreign countries mentioned among the various charges are Iraq and Afghanistan.Amnesty International therefore believes that the main, if not the sole, reason for the arrests of the followers and relatives of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi and the continued detention of some of them, is their association with him, and that these measures are intended to pressurize the Grand Ayatollah to change his views. If this is the case, then these detainees are prisoners of conscience and should be released immediately and unconditionally. Otherwise they should be charged with a recognizably criminal offence and promptly tried in accordance with international standards for fair trial.(From Amnesty report 13/18/97)