NCRI – On Monday, a large crowed of people participated in the funeral of Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri in the holy city of Qom while chanting “Down with principle of Velayat-e Faqih” and “Down with dictator.” Montazeri’s house in Qom and the holy shrine of Hazrat Masumeh and the areas around it were surrounded by suppressive forces during the event.
People expressed their anger and hatred to the Velayat-e Faqih regime (absolute rule of clergy) by chanting anti-regime slogans which included, “Down with principle of Velayat-e Faqih,” “Down with dictator,” “We will continue your path even if the dictator hails bullets on us,” “This is the month of blood, Seyyed-Ali [Khamenei] will be brought down,” “Dictator, shame on you, God bless Montazeri’s soul” and “Dictator should know it will be ousted soon.”
Iranian regime's Anti-riot units were stationed on major roads in various cities since Sunday to prevent people from travelling to Qom. They stopped hundreds of buses in many cities across the country including cities in Western and Eastern Azerbaijan province, Hamedan, Zanjan and Mashad, as they were leaving for Qom. In Qom, the forces stationed at the entry points prevented cars from entering the city. A number of people who had travelled from Tehran, Tabriz and Mashhad to participate in the ceremonies were arrested.
At the end of the burial service, agents of the State Security Force, members of Basij paramilitary and Ministry of Intelligence and Security brutally attacked people who had gathered outside Montazeri's house, tearing up his portraits and banners expressing condolences. Agents used tear and pepper gas to break up the crowd.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
December 21, 2009
