Hadi Ghabel

Hadi Ghabel is an Iranian cleric and member of the central council of the reformist Islamic Iran Participation Front. He was imprisoned on April 7, 2008 to begin a 40- month jail term following prosecution and conviction by the Special Court for the Clergy. The Special Court, charged with investigating other clerics for alleged crimes, has prosecuted clerics who challenge official religious interpretations of the Islamic Republic. According to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, "the court’s prosecution of religious scholars, based solely on their beliefs and opinions constitutes a form of modern inquisition aimed at rooting out clerics whose beliefs are considered politically threatening."

According to roozonline, security agents approached Ghabel’s house in April 2008 "on the pretext of having religious ‎questions." When the cleric appeared at the front of his house, the agents "pushed their way ‎inside and after searching the rooms confiscated his papers, writings and computer, and ‎took him to prison." After his arrest, Hadi Ghabel was taken to ‎the Clerics Court and "interrogated repeatedly during his two month detention" despite "the express legal provisions that political crimes must be reviewed in the ‎presence of a jury and must be public." [ [http://www.roozonline.com/english/archives/2008/04/ghabel_ends_up_in_prison_too.html Ghabel Ends Up in Prison Too. A Judgment Calculated to be Implemented after Elections - 2008.04.09] ]

Ghabel was sentenced to one year in prison for “acting against national security,” 10 months for “propaganda against state,” 15 months for “disturbing public opinion,” 100 days for “aspersion of the clergy,” and a financial fine of 5 million Rials ($550 USD) for “insulting the authorities.” He was also defrocked.

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* [http://www.iranhumanrights.org/themes/rights-crisis-escalates.html RIGHTS CRISIS ESCALATES, September 2008]
* [http://www.roozonline.com/english/archives/2008/04/ghabel_ends_up_in_prison_too.html Ghabel Ends Up in Prison Too. A Judgment Calculated to be Implemented after Elections - 2008.04.09]