Iranian Consulate-General wants to prohibit cartoon

Alleged “defamation” of Head of State – police had to call for support -  IGFM appeals to artistic freedom 

IGFM - Frankfurt am Main (Oct 8^th 2014)-This Wednesday the Frankfurt activists of the International Society for Human Rights (IGFM) encountered aggression and hostility in front of the Iranian Consulate-General in Raimundstreet. The Human Rights Organization wants to focus the attention on the impending execution of a highly esteemed and regime critical Ajatollah and so they showed a cartoon of the Iranian “Chief” Ajatollah Ali Khamenei. The Consulate understood this protest as “defamation” of the Head of State and tried to force the human rights activists to stop the campaign.

 In order to protect the IGFM members the police had to pull off forces from the Frankfurt book fair. In the end they could continue their protest  because of the sensible interference of the police. The Consulate threatened with  criminal proceedings due to defamation. Speaker of the IGFM Board, Martin Lessenthin, explained that “Iran’s Head of State Khamenei is the dictator of a regime that systematically intimidates, tortures and silences with executions all those who are differently minded. He wouldn’t have to fear any critic, if he  stopped these crimes.” The IGFM is going to continue the protest and refered to freedom of thought and art.

Reason for these protest activities is the impending execution of the very well known cleric Ajatollah Boroujerdi. For many years he is fighting peacefully for the separation of state and religion and against the dictatorship of clerics. He has been in prison for many years because of his criticism of the regime and he has been tortured many times. In a special trial for clerics he  has been sentenced to death in 2007. This sentence will be executed any time.