Ministry of Intelligence Forces Raid Home of Behrouz Morvati, Manager of Disabled Rights Support Campaign
Yesterday, Ministry of Intelligence forces raided the home of Behrouz Morvati, manager of the disabled rights support campaign, and confiscated his personal belongings.
On Monday, October 17, 1402 (October 9, 2023), people with disabilities held nationwide gatherings to protest the non-implementation of Article 27 of the Law on Protection of Persons with Disabilities. Article 27 of the Law on Protection of Persons with Disabilities stipulates that the government is obligated to allocate financial assistance for the livelihood of individuals with severe or very severe disabilities who lack employment and income, such that it equals the minimum annual wage. Additionally, necessary budget allocations must be provided for people with disabilities in the country’s annual budget laws.
Monday’s gathering was the sixth nationwide protest by people with disabilities, held in cities including Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Ardabil, Kermanshah, Kerman, Sari, Arak, Izeh, Chabahar, Karaj, Shahr-e Kord, Qom, Divandarreh, Ahvaz, Borujerd, and Sanandaj in front of the Planning and Budget Organization buildings, provincial governor offices, county administrative offices, and welfare departments—for rights that have been violated for years. Behrouz Morvati has consistently covered the civil rights of these individuals in Iran through the disabled rights support campaign in recent years. It should be noted that Behrouz Morvati himself is a person with disabilities.
Yesterday, Wednesday, October 19, 1402 (October 11, 2023), two days after the nationwide disabled protest, Ministry of Intelligence forces raided Morvati’s home and confiscated his personal belongings after searching it. Because the officers were unable to take him with them due to the severity of Behrouz Morvati’s disability, they informed him that he must report to one of the Ministry of Intelligence centers on Thursday, October 20. The Ministry of Intelligence gave Behrouz Morvati until Friday morning, October 20, to report to the address notified to him.
It should be recalled that the budget bill submitted to parliament by the Ebrahim Raisi government has removed budget lines related to people with disabilities, an action that has also drawn criticism from economic experts. While the government is obligated to pay sums to each person with severe and very severe disabilities who are unable to work, the Planning and Budget Organization, along with the government, has refrained from making these payments.
Behrouz Morvati, who suffers from severe muscular dystrophy (a muscle-wasting disease), launched the disabled rights support campaign along with many other disabled individuals following the disabled protest in 1395 (2016). It should be noted that two of his brothers also have disabilities similar to Behrouz Morvati’s.
The government has not only refused to pay the civil rights and entitlements of people with disabilities, but has also responded with violence to any form of protest from them. Protesting disabled individuals, even children among them, have taken to the streets, and in videos that were released, a small blind girl was also present.
