Flogging and fines for 20 “fasting” people in Qazvin
In Qazvin, 20 people were arrested for “breaking the fast” and, in addition to paying a fine, were also flogged. Even some religious people reject the strict laws of the Islamic Republic that lead to the pretense of fasting.
Mehr News Agency reported on Sunday (June 11) that a group of people in the city of Qazvin were flogged on “accusations” of breaking the fast. Hojjatoleslam Esmail Sadeghi Niaraki told the news agency: “Nearly 90 cases have been filed against fasting individuals, of which 20 were sent to a special branch of the prosecutor’s office on the day of arrest with an indictment, and their criminal cases were examined on the same day, and the perpetrators were sentenced to flogging and a fine, and the verdicts have been implemented.”
He called the punishment an “unprecedented measure” that was “welcomed by believers and citizens alike.” Every year in Iran, during the month of Ramadan, a group of people face inhumane punishments such as flogging for fasting in public because they do not want to observe the obligatory fast or are unable to do so for medical reasons.
According to Article 638 of the Islamic Penal Code, fasting in public is a crime in Iran and is punishable by 10 days to two months in prison and up to 74 lashes. For this reason, we often come across news such as what Mehr News Agency published during this month.
The aforementioned law forces citizens to pretend to be religious by punishing them with punishments such as flogging. Some analysts believe that this could contribute to people becoming disillusioned with religion rather than bringing them closer to the system and Islam, something that some religious thinkers also reject.
Hassan Yousefi Eshkouri, a former cleric and religious thinker, emphasizes: "We do not have such a law or such a ruling in Islamic law. Prayer, fasting, Hajj, Zakat, or such matters that are branches of Sharia law, are among the Islamic acts of worship, and acts of worship are voluntary and optional, and everyone must do them of their own free will. Such matters are not inherently compulsory."
According to him, based on the rule of "no compulsion in religion" mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah of the Quran, no one can force another person to perform religious acts; neither a man his wife, nor a father his children, nor a neighbor his neighbor.
A document for settling accounts
Many believe that if the Islamic Republic's goal was to encourage people to be religious, it might have used other methods to bring them closer and strengthen their religious beliefs.
In their opinion, however, these pressures, from mandatory hijab to punishment for eating and drinking in public, strictness regarding educational texts in schools and universities, encroachment on people's private freedoms, and pressuring young people not to enjoy their youth and vitality, are not aimed at preserving religion, but at using religion to maintain power.
Even political scores are settled under the pretext of “breaking the fast.” In the summer of 2008, Ali Karimi was fired from the Steel Azin club, and the club’s officials described breaking the fast as the reason for his dismissal. But it was later said that behind the scenes, there were some disagreements between the player and Mustafa Ajarloo, a member of the Revolutionary Guards and CEO of the Steel Azin club, as well as his solidarity with the protests against the 2009 election results.
At that time, Fars News Agency wrote: "Ali Karimi was advised by Steel Azin officials after fasting before training, and after their talks, he resumed his work. The 700 million-dollar Steel Azin player had previously caused controversy during the World Cup qualifiers by wearing a green bracelet on his hand."
Source: DW
