Ayatollah Seyed
Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi promotes a vision supporting a separation of
church and state in Iran. For these beliefs supporting women’s rights, human
rights and minority rights, he served 11 years in prison and was tortured.
However, his worldview has the potential to inspire the creation of a free
Iran, just as Nelson Mandela’s advocacy led to the abolition of the apartheid
regime.
Ayatollah Seyed
Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi is a high-ranking prominent dissident clergyman in
the Islamic Republic of Iran. He has strongly called for a separation of
church and state, and he condemns radical Islamist terrorism. He is opposed to
the rule of Velayet-e-Faqih (Islamic custodianship over
people), the theocratic system that governs the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Boroujerdi offers an alternative vision for Iran that supports peace,
democracy, freedom and human rights. Boroujerdi has many supporters within the
Islamic Republic and is known as Iran's Nelson Mandela.
During
the 1990’s, Boroujerdi established a new movement in which he led benediction
ceremonies in the presence of Shiites and Sunnis, Christians, Jews,
Zoroastrians and Baha’is and followers of other beliefs. He called for the
abolishment of executions alongside other cruel, inhuman, and degrading
punishments such as torture, stoning and whipping. He rejects anti-Semitism and
advocates religious freedom. He established charities and welfare centers for
helping the poor and assisting victims of natural disasters.
So as a result
of promoting an ideal for a monotheistic faith that excludes politics from the
equation, Boroujerdi sacrificed his youth and health. Recently, this injured
cleric was sent out for his first temporary medical leave since being jailed
following the critical deterioration of his health condition. However, he has
been forced into accepting serious conditions imposed by the rulers, such as
hefty bail amounts, bondsmen and severe commitments including “never to meet
people.”
However, these
conditions have not stopped Boroujerdi from presenting new ideas and approaches
based on monotheism in order to dampen Islamic radicalism and to establish
peace in the Middle East as well as the world at large. His new teachings have
been compiled into a book which showcases a new scientific doctrine called
“incompatibility of the religious contexts with the religious records,” which
espouses modern views on monotheism that result in an ultimate peaceful
approach to human livelihood and convergence between varying religious
believers. Therefore, the Boroujerdi Civil Rights Groups is an organization
established in United Sates based on Boroujerdi’s request to support its
central purpose of advocating and protecting the basic civil rights of
religious freedom, freedom of conscience and the rights of women globally.
Despite being
imprisoned for 11 years, Boroujerdi never wavered from his stances and has
persisted with his campaign from within prison, which can be seen via his
writing and published material. He is therefore one of the most important
symbols of this struggle for religious non-violence in Iran. His effective
efforts and plans are the best solution to make a new Iran and Middle East free
from religious violence and inhumane laws as a result of the demonstrably
incorrect interpretation of religious contexts. Thus, just as Mandela inspired
South Africa to become a democratic nation liberated from the yoke of the
apartheid regime, Boroujerdi is a non-violent religious leader who has the
potential to lead Iran towards become a free, democratic and secular state that
respects women’s rights, human rights and minority rights.
