Reflections on Afghanistan's Obsession with Religion and Other Side Notes

It has been well over 30 years since Iran’s “hijacked” revolution and the establishment of the Ayatollah Kingdom where the Mullahs rule with an iron fist. Like all other so-called Islamic Republics and Democracies the constitution in Iran guarantees well versed phrases such as the freedom of speech, freedom of association, gender equality, freedom of belief, freedom of movement and many more freedoms but the same constitutions also categorically state and emphasize that “all laws and regulations must conform to the principles of Islam”. Hypocrisy? Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan beg to differ.

A glimpse of the achievements of the Islamic Republic of Iran is as follows:

• Implementation of a 1400 year old system of punishment under Islamic Shariah. Refer to The Stoning of Soraya M.

• Purging of the parties and summary execution of tens of thousands of opponents

• Extra-judicial Killings

• Execution and Disappearance of Political Prisoners

• Number of Capital Punishments every year – second only to China. 388+ executions in 2009 alone

• Persecution of adherents of the Bahai faith

• Persecution, execution and imprisoning of LGBT

• Persecution of Iran’s Kurds

• Persecution of Afghan refugees and massacre of thousands [pdf] of them in the concentration camps of Tal-e Siyah (Black Hill) and Sang-e Sefid (White Stone)

• Execution of Atheists and Women’s Rights activists

• Suppression of the Press and independent journalism

• Treatment and execution of Children as adults including the 2004 execution of 16 year old Atefah Sahaaleh

• Persecution and execution of academics. usually under the notorious Islamic Penal code act Mofsed fil arz (corruption on earth)

• Rape of Prisoners, including gang rape young women and children sanctioned by Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi

• Fraudulent elections and subsequent suppression of mass public protest in the latest chapter of dissent in Iran under the Green movement.

• Summary execution and awarding of death penalty to over 3000 Afghans, mostly refugees.

• … and many more.