Khosro Seif is a political activist and the Secretary General of the Iran Nationalist Party. He discusses the security forces’ decision to prevent a gathering to commemorate the tenth anniversary of murders of Dariush and Parvaneh Forouhar (in 1998 by agents of the Ministry of Intelliegence). Read on for the details.
Rooz (R): Why would security agents prevent a gathering to commemorate the Forouhars?
Khosro Seif (KS): In the first few years following the Forouhar murders the Ministry did allow such gatherings albeit with some limitations. In recent years, however, ministry officials no longer do so. This year they didn’t even permit a house gathering but that is not new for us. Officers didn’t allow anyone to get close to the house on that day and dispersed the public.
R: What kinds of people usually attend these gatherings? Who was present this year at Forouhar’s homes?
KS: The gathering is held every year at the home of the Forouhars. Their children had announced that they would hold the gathering at their home. But Ministry agents did not allow the gathering to take place where the murders had taken place. As a result, the children who were inside the house as well as the sisters and the mother of Parvaneh Forouhar were in the gathering but no one else was allowed to enter. Forouhars’ children had invited the public to attend the gathering. People arrived at the specified time but they were not allowed to participate.
R: Regardless of everything else, a gathering for such an event is a clear instance of citizenship rights. Why do you think they do this?
KS: Citizenship rights are not limited to this! There are other areas in which we are limited. A government that claims to defend justice must not prevent a funeral gathering from taking place.
R: Does the Forouhar family have a plan to prevent similar limitations in future years and be able to a gathering, like other citizens.
KS: They cannot specifically do anything. Government agencies must first approve of such a gathering and issue a permit for it. This is a violation of the most basic citizenship rights.
