Iran's Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi Blasts Due Process of Law
Mehr News Agency, 22 July 2011
Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi Slams Judiciary; Court Verdicts 'Feeble'
Qom, Mehr News Agency: The Shi'ite source of emulation has described court sentences as feeble and has called on judicial authorities to dispense justice based on the style of the courts of Amir ol-Mo'menin ["Lord of the Faithful," the First Shi'ite imam Ali]. According to Mehr News Agency, Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi made the remarks in reference to the frequent crimes committed by thugs and hooligans.
Addressing tens of thousands of pilgrims at the courtyard of Quds Razavi [Shrine of Imam Reza, the eighth Shi'ite imam] in Mashhad, on 21 July, Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi highlighted the frequent crimes committed by thugs and hooligans and the resulting threat to public security. He said, “Security problems in society cannot be resolved with such a judicial mechanism. Yesterday, they stabbed a young seminarian in the eye, yet the assailants have not been brought to justice. Today, they cut the aorta of another young seminarian for Promotion of Virtue and Prohibition of Vice. And then they stabbed to death the country's strongest man [Ruhollah Dadashi]. In such a situation, we can only expect more dreadful incidents to follow.” He continued, “The main problem of our judiciary is that it follows the style of the unhealthy Western judiciary system. In other words, once the file has been transferred from the police to the judiciary, there is the process of appointing a lawyer, followed by the lawyer's advice to the offender to retract the frank recorded confessions made in the initial stages and to accuse the police of torture, and, subsequently, months of waiting for the trial, then the preliminary verdict, followed by the appeal court stage, and, ultimately, after several months, some feeble verdict is issued. Not only does this fail to act as a deterrent, but it serves to make the thugs and hooligans even more audacious.
The source of emulation added [1] : with such a mechanism, we can never establish security in the country and deal with thugs, hooligans, and those who disrupt public security, especially if their crimes are organized and directed by the enemies.
Judiciary Must Adopt Style of the Courts of Amir ol-Mo'menin
Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi said, “I propose that our judiciary adopts the style of the courts of Amir ol-Mo'menin Ali -- May God's blessing be upon him -- with courts made up of several courageous mojtaheds [Islamic scholars qualified in interpreting the Shari'a], who would diligently, yet rapidly, by doing away with all the procedures, bring the criminals to justice, handing out maximum sentences befitting their crimes. That would serve as a lesson to others who will take heed; and the honourable Majles could resolve all its legal issues.
He called on the judicial authorities to make sure that they read verses 59 and 60 of Sura Al-Ahzab to see the uncompromising and tough ruling issued by the Holy Koran for those who harass our public honour.
The congregation demonstrated their approval of Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi's remarks by constant effusive cries of “Allah Akbar!”, thus showing their frustration at the status quo and expectation for decisive measures to establish security for the public.
Ramadan: Month of Extinguishing Civil Wars
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi said that the Holy Koran must not be merely for reciting, memorizing, or for international competitions. He added, “The Koran is a book that provides guidance and morality for human beings, to save them from 'manifest error.'” Attention must be paid to its themes, and they must be implemented, especially in the forthcoming holy month of Ramadan.
The ayatollah expressed hope that, in the holy month of Ramadan, the fires of civil war in Islamic countries would be extinguished, rights of nations realized and their demands met, alongside the establishment of justice and order, since the current conditions would only bring about the destruction of Islamic states.
[End]
[1] "Source of Emulation" or "Religious Reference" is the label provided to Shia authority, a Grand Ayatollah with the authority to make legal decisions within the confines of Islamic law for followers and less-credentialed clerics. After the Qur'an and the Prophets and Imams, marājiʿ are the highest authority on religious laws in Usuli Shia Islam.