Ayatollah Kazemini Boroujerdi

(4 March 2008) Ayatollah Seyd Hossein Kazemini Boroujerdi (49), arrested on October 8, 2006, is a Shia cleric who advocates separation of religion and politics. He is reportedly suffering from several serious illnesses.

Security forces raided Ayatollah Boroujerdi’s house in Tehran on October 8, 2006. In addition to arresting Boroujerdi, the authorities also detained several hundred of his followers, including 172 women and 225 men, who had gathered to prevent his arrest.All of the detainees have been released on bail, except for Ayatollah Boroujerdi. In June 2007, the Special Court for the Clergy prosecuted him behind closed doors. The charges against him are not known. According to his associates, Ayatollah Boroujerdi has been subjected to torture and severe ill-treatment during his detention. As a result, his health has deteriorated considerably and he is in need of urgent medical care.