Grand Ayatollah Saanei: Those protesting to the government not only are not enemies of God but it was their religious duty to self-defend.  After the release of a denial from the office of Grand Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi regarding the so-called Fatwa that was said by the court to have been issued by him and was used as the base for issuing a death penalty for a 20-year old student for allegedly throwing two pieces of stone at plain clothes militia that were brutally beating peaceful demonstrators, the office of Grand Ayatollah Saanei also issued a Fatwa today that stated “When an group of people have an objection to the actions and behaviours of the government and express that, not only they are not enemies of God and their action is to defend their rights but also their objecting is allowed – and even in some cases – is religiously mandated.”

Grand Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi in response to a question that whether or not he had issued a Fatwa (religious ruling) for execution of a student activist said that “there has been absolutely no such Fatwa regarding such persons” issued by him. This is while the court has just issued a death sentence for a 20-year old student activist who was also a member of Mir Hossein Mousavi’s campaign in the city of Damghan and was arrested on Bloody Ashura for the allegation of throwing two pieces of stone at the security officers and plain clothes militia in his defence when they were brutally beating people that left many demonstrators dead. To justify the death penalty for such a minor act as throwing two pieces of stone, the court announced that its ruling was based on Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi’s Fatwa that anyone who was arrested on Bloody Ashura was enemy of God and must be executed.

The death penalty for Mohammad Amin Valian, a 20 year old student and members of central branch of Islamic Association of Students at Damghan University, was confirmed by the court of appeal for the allegation of him fighting against God because he had participate in the peaceful demonstration held on Ashura (the commemoration of martyrdom of the third Imam of Shi’a) which ended in a bloodshed after police and plain clothes militia opened fire on demonstrators. Mohammad Amin Valian who could now be executed any day, is a student activist at Damghan University and a member of Mir Hossein Mousavi’s campaign in the city of Damghan and has been raised in a revolutionary religious family. He has always carried his political views within the boundaries of the law and has no affiliation whatsoever with any illegal group The death penalty for this 20 year old student was issued because of an alleged photo showing him holding a piece of stone which in the government’s view is sufficient for issuing a death sentence. This sentence is so unbelievable that the very same Basiji student who had lobbied to get Mohammad Amin Valian arrested is now feeling so guilty that is collecting signatures from the university students to have his sentence appealed.Mohammad Amin Valian who told the court he had chanted “death to dictator” during the rally has been kept in IRGC’s secret prisons since arrest and has not been allowed to meet with his family or choose an attorney for himself.