Destruction attempt of the tomb of Ayatollah Seyed Taher Kazemeini Boroujerdi; Grandfather of Mr. Boroujerdi

Translated from Persian to English by Shadi Paveh, Canada

 On Friday, agents of the Islamic Republic carried out a vicious attempt to destroy Ayatollah Seyed Taher Kazemeini Boroujerdi’s mausoleum at Janabad Cemetery located at the city of Boroujerd. The agents intended to set the tomb on fire after breaking all its windows; but were prevented by doing so by a number of onlookers. The deceased Ayatollah Seyed - Taher Kazemeini Boroujerdi was the grandfather of the now famous political prisoner; Ayatollah Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi who has spent the past 7 years in the prison of the Supreme Leader (reserved for opposing clergy). Seyed Taher was a famous clergy long before the revolution, and staunchly opposed the formation of an Islamic government after the revolution. He died exactly two months after Khomeini’s rise to power.

It was reported that over hundred thousand people gathered for the funeral across Tehran, Qom and Boroujerd. Due to immense love and respect for Ayatollah Seyed Taher Boroujerdi, a mausoleum was built as his tomb in the town of Boroujerd at Janabad Cemetery. At the initial years of the revolution, his son, Ayatollah Seyed Mohammad Ali Kazemeini Boroujerdi vehemently opposed an Islamic government and led him a secluded protest. He was finally assassinated in 2003 by the regime’s agents. Now the grandson of Seyed Taher  kazemeini Boroujerdi,   Ayatollah Seyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi who has been persecuted for years for following his family’s beliefs was arrested in 2006 along with hundreds of his followers.  He has been suffering in prison for seven years and has not been allowed a single day of furlough since his arrest.

The vandalism of a tomb by government agents, belonging to a beloved Shiite Senior clergy who died 3 decades ago, clearly proves the absurd and obscene nature of the Islamic Republic. This action points out the regime’s determination to even act on old grudges and long dead enemies in any way possible.  If this is how the regime reacts to a long deceased opponent; then this must raise a very large red flag about how the regime must treat its captured opponents inside prison walls.

An example of this is Ayatollah Seyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi who is languishing in prison and suffering from very serious illnesses…and yet he continues his fight.

In conclusion, due to this disrespectful and unspeakable act of vandalism towards a senior clergy’s tomb we wish to announce our extreme concern for Ayatollah Hossein Boroujerdi’s imprisonment who has suffered many attempts on his life while in prison in the past 7 years.