A Complaint Filed by Female Dervishes Injured in Crackdown on Rally in front of Prosecutor’s Office

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28 female Dervishes were injured by the Special Guard forces on the second day of the rally staged to protest against the unjust conditions of imprisoned Dervishes. They filed a lawsuit against the Special Guard forces that had encountered them in an inhuman and violent manner and demanded their being summoned and reprimanded.
According to reports by Mazjooban Noor, during the two-day peaceful gatherings in front of Tehran prosecutor’s office on Esfand, the 17th and 18th (March, the 8th and 9th), the Dervishes demanded proper medical treatment for the sick imprisoned Dervishes in specialist hospitals and the return of two other Dervishes from Rajaee Shahr Prison to Evin. However, the intervention of security and police forces turned their legal rally into a tumult.
In a letter to Jafari Dolat-Abadi, the injured female Dervishes demanded an investigation into the crimes committed by the security forces and referral of detained Dervishes to Coroner’s office.
In the brutal attack by the security forces against the female Dervishes, Parisa Eslami’s teeth were broken, Somayeh Alaei’s (lawyer) head was broken and her face was severe bleeding, Manzar Malek Mohammadi’s arm was fractured, Nazila Noori’s arm was injured, and Shokoufeh Yadollahi and Sepideh Moradi were suffering numerous bruises due to baton hits.
In their lawsuit, it is mentioned a member of the Police Force, Ali Nazari, who had savagely beaten Shokoufeh Yadollahi, Kasra Noori’s mother, had forcefully removed their religious head scarfs, and had tried to force them into the Police vans by even pulling their hair.
The involvement of male police and security forces in beating the female Dervishes, removing their scarves and veils, pulling their hair, swearing, defamation, and unfounded accusations were among the issues raised in the lawsuit.
Gonabadi Dervish lawyer, Somayeh Alaei, who was an eye witness to the security forces’ attack on female Dervishes, has submitted the lawsuit to the Prosecutor office and is now pursuing it.
The lawsuit is as follows:
In His Name
Dear Mr. Jafari Dolat Abadi, Tehran’s Public and Revolutionary Courts Prosecutor
Hereby, the undersigned, Shokoufeh Yadollahi Farsi, Masoomeh Khalili, Sepideh Moradi, Leili Na’eb Zadeh, Fatemeh Asoodeh, Sedigheh Khalili, Shima Entesari, Parisa Eslami, Razieh Yadollahi, Manzar Malek Mohammadi, Jamileh Shahbazian, Zarin Taj Mortazavi, Farideh Falahati, Fahimeh Moradi, and Somayeh Alaei, make the following allegations:
On Sunday, 18/12/1392, once we gathered in front of the Tehran prosecutor’s office
, located on 15th of Khordad Street, the police and security forces as well as the agents of Ministry of Intelligence in Tehran, both male and female, attacked us without any reasons and legal rationale, beat us with batons and punched and kicked us. Above all and very unfortunately, they, even men, removed and pulled our veils and scarfs, disrespected us, and forced us into the police vans with smoked-glass windows, continuing to beat us with batons and punch and kick us violently, swearing at us, and hurling insults and baseless accusations. In particular, we would like to draw your attention to a member of the police/security force , “Ali Nazari” who had removed the religious head scarf of Shokoufeh Yadollahi, Kasra Noori’s mother, and had forced her into the police van by pulling her hair and dragging her along the ground. Therefore, we ask you to investigate these crimes immediately and refer us to Coroner’s office.

The signatories:

Shima Entesari
Sedigheh Khalili
Raziyeh Yadollahi
Fatemeh Fallah
Elham Ahmadi
Fatemeh Asoodeh
Somayeh Alaei
Arezou Malekmohammadi
Sepideh Kabiri
Jamileh Shahbazian
Nazila Nouri
Zahra Rashidpour
Fatemeh Soltani
Zarrintaj Mortazavi
Maryam Afrasiyabi
Sakineh Yazdanpanah
Parisa Eslami
Shabnam Bagheri
Shahrzad Asarizadeh
Gita Yazdanyar
Shahrzad Zahedani
Leili Nayebzadeh
Niloufar Sanatparast
Sepideh Afrasiyabi
Farideh Falahati
Fahimeh Moradi
Manzar Malekmohammadi