According to Balochistan Human Rights Group, on the evening of Thursday, January 19th 2023, Maulvi Mohammad Hossein Gergij, who was banned for more than a year before for Friday speech and Leading in Azadshahr, has been banned from “imamat(leading)”, “speech” and “any media activity” by the security authorities late last week.
After Maulvi Mohammad Hossein Gergij led the Friday prayer of the Sunnis at the request of the people, the Special Clergy Court of Gorgan asked Maulvi Gergij to appear in this court on Sunday, January 15th but the Baloch and Turkmen people of the cities Azadshahr and Galikesh and some other cities of Golestan province gathered in front of Maulana Gergij’s house, prevented him from going to the court and asked the authorities to cancel the summons of Maulvi Gergij.
Protest gatherings and sit-ins of people in front of Maulana Mohammad Hossein Gergij’s house continued for several days in a row, until some security officials came to Maulana Gergij’s house on the evening of Thursday, January 19, and announced that he will no longer have the right to “speech, and any media activity”.
On Friday, January 20, people held a protest rally in front of Maulana Mohammad Hossein Gergij’s house after the announcement about the new bans.
Maulvi Gargij addressed the people who had gathered in front of his house through the loudspeaker and said: “Gentlemen told me that it is expedient not to participate in Friday prayers.”
Maulana Gergij further referred to the people’s requests regarding his presence in the Friday prayer and said: “My presence in the Friday prayer is the request of the people, not myself… From the president and the councils to the Friday imam and the congregation, the people choose them.”
It should be noted that instead of Friday prayer, the people performed noon prayer in front of Maulana Gergij’s house on the street.
