Omid Memarian
o.memarian@roozonline.com
Dr. Gholamabbas Tavassoli is a sociologist, member of the Liberation Front, and a founding member of the Iranian Sociology Association. In an exclusive interview with Rooz, Tavassoli shares his concerns about the Guardian Council’s behavior ahead of the upcoming Majlis elections. Below is an excerpt of this interview.
Rooz (R): It has been announced that 200 of the registrants for the upcoming Majlis elections have criminal backgrounds. How would this affect election campaigns?
Gholamabbas Tavassoli (GT): It is different if by criminal background they mean political convictions or true criminal background. If these people have been convicted on political charges then it is a different story. Criminal background is something clear and people must follow the rules on that, but political charges are different. These two cannot be mixed together.
R: Who determines that they are different?
GT: The judiciary and the Majlis have been discussing the definition of political crimes for years, but they have not yet defined what a political crime is and how it differs from other types of crime. This lack of clarity can be abused by some.
R: Now that the deadline to register has expired, how do you evaluate the participation of various groups?
GT: A lot of people have registered and I hope that officials respond positively to this enthusiasm.
R: Why did you and your friends decided to participate in the elections this time around, specially because you were disqualified multiple times before by the Guardian Council?
GT: From our point of view, elections have different aspects. One aspect of elections is democracy, according to which people must not be discouraged from participating, and that is why boycotting is not the right thing to do. That harms the process of democratization in society. Therefore, ever since we said we would participate, we have shown our commitment through our actions. We hope that society can move toward democracy through open elections, and to avoid the situation that arose in the past, where people were not participating in the process of democratization because of their distance from their government.
R: In your opinion, what are some obstacles facing fair elections?
GT: There are many problems with the election system, most importantly the Guardian Council’s behavior and role in disqualifications… In any case, the problems persist, but the process of people’s participation can be effective in pushing us toward democracy in the far future, when the Constitution is implemented, and people know their citizenship rights, and the government performs its duties. The more people participate in the election process, the more probable reforms become. If people stay away they will be the first ones to be harmed.
