Detained Sufi order members refused to appear in court
Sufi women Sepideh Moradi and Shokufeh Yadollahi, refused to appear before the court for second time on Monday, July 16, 2018 to protest denial of access to defense lawyers for Sufi prisoners and the prison authorities’ failure to observe the due process of law.
Sufi woman Sepideh Moradi was summoned on July 14, 2018, by the 15th Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran by the notorious Judge Salavati. By declaring that Sufi prisoners have been denied their indisputable legal rights including their right to have access to lawyers, Sufi woman Sepideh Moradi refused to appear in court.
Sepideh Moradi and Shokoufeh Yadollahi are two of 11 dervish women who have been detained in Qarchak Prison (a.k.a. Shahr-e Ray) since February, when they participated in a dervish anti-government protest that turned into a deadly confrontation with the state security forces in Tehran. The state security forces severely beat the women at the time of their arrests. They underwent late-night interrogations involving verbal abuse and threats.
Sepideh Moradi and Shokoufeh Yadollahi, participated in a hunger strike protesting to their ill-treatment by prison guards which began on Monday, June 11, 2018.
Two other members of the Sufi Gonabadi Order, Mohammad Karimaei and Sekhavat Salimi refused to appear before the court.
Mohammad Karimaei, held at the Great Tehran Penitentiary said the questions submitted by the Revolutionary Court were examples of “inquisition” and declared that he is protesting the denial of access to legal representation for Sufi prisoners and failure to comply with legal procedures in the proceedings of their case.
Sekhavat Salimi also declared that “Since no questions are asked except for ideological questions at the revolutionary court and there is no a lawyer advocating our legal rights, so I do not attend court.”
On the night of February 19, growing tension between Iranian security forces and members of the country’s Gonabadi Sufi order came to a violent head in north Tehran.
The Gonabadi Dervishes had gathered that Monday in front of Police Station 102, Pasdaran Avenue, to protest the arrest of a member of their community, Nematollah Riahi, who had been detained a day before.
Clashes broke out after security forces arrived at the scene. The Dervishes said the violence was provoked by policemen and posted photos online, allegedly captured on the night, showing men with bandaged and bloodied faces. At least 300 Sufi followers were also arrested.
