Maulana Fathi Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison After 462 Days of Detention
DOZZAAP (ZAHEDAN): Maulana Fathi Muhammad Naqshbandi, the Imam of Friday prayers in Rask Iranian Occupied Balochistan (IoB), has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Special Clerical Court in Mashhad after spending 462 days in detention at Vakilabad Prison. His sentence was recently upheld by the Supreme Court of Iran.
Maulana Naqshbandi, the father of Maulana Abdul Ghafar Naqshbandi, was arrested on August 20, 2023, while travelling from Rask to Chabahar. He faced prolonged uncertainty regarding his whereabouts and fate. For six months, his family and the public were left in the dark about his condition, with no information on where he was being held. It wasn’t until six months later that Maulana Sorkohi, a fellow cleric, was able to visit him in Vakilabad Prison.
The Baloch cleric’s detention sparked widespread concern and many Sunni scholars took to Friday prayer pulpits and various meetings to demand his release. Despite the public outcry, Maulana Naqshbandi’s legal battles culminated in his recent conviction.
His five-year prison sentence, issued by the Special Clerical Court, marks the culmination of over a year of legal and personal turmoil for the respected cleric and his family. The sentence has now been upheld by the Supreme Court, signalling the government’s decision to maintain its stance on the matter.
Maulana Naqshbandi’s case has drawn attention to the ongoing challenges faced by Sunni Baloch clerics in the region, particularly those who have spoken out on issues of religious and political importance.
Meanwhile, the Movement for Justice and Freedom, led by the son of Maulana Naqshbandi, stated that this was the third time Maulana Naqshbandi had been detained by the Iranian regime without any formal charges.
In 2012, he was imprisoned along with his son, Maulana Abdul Ghafar Naqshbandi, and subjected to brutal physical and psychological torture for nearly five years, only to be acquitted and released.
The Iranian regime has explicitly stated that Maulana Fathi Muhammad Naqshbandi is being held as a hostage to exert pressure on his son, Maulana Abdul Ghafar Naqshbandi, who has been actively involved in advocating for the rights of the Baloch people. The regime has made it clear that Maulana Fathi’s release is contingent upon his son’s submission.
According the Movement’s statement, this unjust punishment has sparked widespread outrage, particularly due to the silence from certain segments of the Baloch and Sunni communities, which has emboldened the regime to continue such actions with impunity.
However, the ongoing oppression is unlikely to remain unanswered. As calls for justice grow louder, the struggle against such systemic injustices intensifies.
The Movement said, “In light of these developments, there is growing concern among Baloch and Sunni youth about the future of their community’s leadership. The question remains: if the elder leaders have become more cautious and silent in the face of injustice, what is the role of the younger generation in confronting this immense injustice?”
