Mohammad Ali Taheri
 | This article may be unbalanced toward certain viewpoints. (December 2015) |
Mohammad Ali Taheri (Persian: محمد علی طاهری) is an Iranian cognitive researcher and spiritual theorist. He is also the founder of two schools of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) under Faradarmani (Meta-Healing) and Psymentology. He was born in Kermanshah, Iran in 1956. His mystical school of thought is called Erfan Keyhani (Halgheh) also known as the school of Interuniversal (Cosmic) Mysticism. He has authored several books on these topics and also taught at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. As of 2018 he is also an 8 year Prisoner of Conscience (P.O.C) of Amnesty International and is presently held in, section 2-A of Evin Prison in Tehran, which is run by the IRGC.He has a large following of devoted students, that over the course of nearly 2 decades is estimated at over 2 million. The theocratic & ecclesiastic establishment in Iran, have been engaged in a decade long falsification of his thoughts by embarking on a vehement demonization campaign as a result of which many of his students too have been arrested over the years and charged with upsetting national security, among others. Mohammad Ali Taheri has maintained a non-political stance throughout the years however his accusers continue to use political strands in weaving a complex web of allegations, that have kept him in detainment for 8 years. As of 2018, and in response to his continued illegal detainment, he has written 3 letters of complaint to the Iranian parliament, informing the public on the devious and nefarious manner in which great many prisoners of conscience in Iran, who are typically regarded as threats to national security, are mistreated by the intelligence & security system in Iran, with total impunity and no transparent legal oversight. In his letters he has shed light on many aspects of the ongoing systematic violations of human rights in Iran and the lack of accountability and corruption pervading the country's judicial system.
Imprisonment and death penalty
Taheri was arrested in 2010 on charges of "acting against national security". He was released after being held in solitary confinement for 67 days. On May 4, 2011, he was arrested again. Taheri has been held in detainment in Evin Prison since May 2011.[1]
On October 30, 2011, after three court sessions, Branch 26 of Tehran Islamic Revolutionary Court sentenced him to five years in prison for blasphemy, 74 lashes for touching the wrists of female patients, and 900 million Toman in fines (approximately $300,000) for "interfering in medical science, earning illegitimate funds, and distribution of audio-visual products and use of academic titles".[1]
In August 2015 Taheri was sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court on charges of Fesad fel Arz (corruption on earth) and establishing a “diversionary cult”.[2] UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein expressed alarm at the imposition of the death penalty on Mohammad Ali Taheri.[3] His lawyer said on 21 January 2018 that, “My client was brought to court but because the court refused to recognize me as his lawyer, he announced that he would not participate in the trial. In the end, the trial was not held”.[4]
Published works
Human From Another Look discusses the principles of alternative medicine. Persian and Arabic translations have been published in Lebanon.
References
- ^ a b "After Years in Solitary Confinement, Mohammad Ali Taheri Faces New Trial on Corruption on Earth Charges". International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ^ "Human rights in Iran are still atrocious: While Iran reopens to the West, repression still prevails at home". The Economist. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
- ^ "Death sentence on alternative health practitioner highlights alarming use of capital punishment in Iran". Ahmed Shaheed. August 5, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
- ^ Lawyer banned from defending client in trial