The Special Clerical Court in Hamedan sentenced Mamosta Barzan Maleki to one year of imprisonment and permanent revocation of his clerical title on charges of “propaganda against the regime.” He had previously been subjected to security-related arrests.
Issuance of Prison Sentence and Defrocking of Mamosta Barzan Maleki
Iran Human Rights Society, Saturday, 28 June 2025 – Mamosta Barzan Maleki, a Sunni cleric from Sanandaj and the imam of Sheikhayn Grand Mosque, was sentenced by the Special Clerical Court in Hamedan to one year of imprisonment and permanent defrocking. The verdict was communicated to him via telephone on 28 June 2025.
The charge cited in the ruling is “propaganda against the regime,” a vague and common accusation increasingly used in recent years against independent and critical clerics, particularly in Kurdish regions.
High-Pressure Judicial Process and Repeated Arrests
On 26 May 2025, Mamosta Maleki was summoned to the Special Clerical Court in Hamedan and immediately detained. Just one day prior, he had been interrogated for two hours by security officials at the Sanandaj Intelligence Department.
On 27 May, he was temporarily released on a hefty bail of one billion tomans. The judicial process continued, culminating in a final court session on 25 June, with the official verdict issued three days later.
Security Forces Block Official Trip to Zahedan
Before this judicial case, on 28 January 2025, security forces intercepted Mamosta Maleki and his students en route from Sanandaj to Dehgalan, preventing them from traveling to Zahedan. The trip was planned at the official invitation of Zahedan’s Maki Mosque, a prominent Sunni religious center in Iran.
Mamosta Maleki was set to participate in a religious ceremony but was detained 20 kilometers outside Sanandaj and barred from continuing the journey. This incident is another indication of systemic pressure on Sunni clerics who do not align with the regime’s propaganda.
Security Crackdowns on Non-Government-Aligned Clerics
Mamosta Barzan Maleki is one of dozens of Sunni clerics in Kurdish regions who have faced prosecution, detention, or harsh sentences in recent years. While clerics aligned with the regime operate freely without oversight, independent clerics, especially in peripheral and border areas, face systematic suppression.
Vague charges like “propaganda against the system” or “disturbing public opinion” are commonly used against them without clear legal grounds. Their arrests and trials often lack transparency and effective defense rights.
Heavy Bail and Discriminatory Rulings
The imposition of a one-billion-toman bail for Mamosta Maleki’s temporary release highlights the judiciary’s punitive approach and its use of financial tools to pressure political and ideological defendants.
In addition to the prison sentence, his permanent defrocking goes beyond personal punishment, effectively erasing his social and religious role in the community.
Human Rights Violations in Mamosta Barzan Maleki’s Case
From an international human rights perspective, Mamosta Maleki’s case involves several serious violations:
– Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:
“Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.”
Defrocking due to beliefs is a clear violation of this article.
– Article 19 of the Covenant:
“Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression.”
Using “propaganda against the regime” to censor religious or critical views violates this universal principle.
– Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
“No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile.”
Non-transparent detentions and informal interrogations by intelligence agencies exemplify this violation.
– Article 14 of the Covenant:
“The right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal.”
The Special Clerical Court, with its secretive and internal structure, lacks judicial independence.
The verdict against Mamosta Barzan Maleki is not merely a judicial act but an example of structural suppression targeting religious and ethnic independence in Iran. These actions occur while regime-aligned clerics enjoy immunity and even participate in suppressing their peers.
Courts like the Special Clerical Court have become tools to silence independent voices within religious institutions. The fate of clerics like Mamosta Barzan Maleki reflects a troubling reality where neither religion, belief, nor dissent is free.
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