14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Shia religious leaders are closely monitored: Special Clerical Courts, operating outside the judiciary, prosecute certain clerics for expressing controversial ideas and for participating in nonreligious activities ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21278]

"The Government carefully monitors the statements and views of senior Shi'a religious leaders. The Special Clerical Courts, established to investigate offenses and crimes committed by clerics, and which the Supreme Leader oversees directly, are not provided for in the Constitution and operate outside the judiciary.

In particular, critics alleged that the clerical courts are used to prosecute certain clerics for expressing controversial ideas and for participating in nonreligious activities, including journalism."

Document(s): Open document

25.05.2005 - Source: Amnesty International

Gozinesh - Discriminatory law and practices ("Annual Report 2005") [#32306],  [ID 8834]

"[...]
The gozinesh provided the legal basis for discriminatory laws and practice. Religious and ethnic groups which were not officially recognized – such as the Bahai’s, Ahl-e Haq, Mandaeans (Sabaeans) and Evangelical Christians – were automatically subject to gozinesh provisions and faced discrimination in a range of areas, including access to education.
[...]"

Document(s): Open document
Open document

04.05.2004 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Shia from Iran enlist in Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, pledging to keep US forces out of Iraqi holy places ("Iranians Join Sadr Cause") [#21938],  [ID 8835]

Document(s): Open document