Ahmad Ghabel

Ahmad Ghabel (Persian: احمد قابل‎) was an Iranian Hojjatoleslam Shia Muslim cleric, theologian, seminary lecturer, researcher, and author.[1]

Ahmad Ghabel
Born1954
Torbat-e Jam, Imperial State of Iran
Died(2012-10-22)October 22, 2012
Mashhad, Islamic Republic of Iran
NationalityIranian
Other namesAhmad Qabel
OccupationMuslim cleric

He was a follower of the dissident cleric Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri and was detained several times by the Iranian government.[1] He died in 22 October 2012 while on hospital arrest.

Biography

While working as a journalist for Hayat-é-No he was arrested on 31 December 2001, upon orders of the Special Court for the Clergy. This earned the protest of the international press watchdog group Reporters Without Borders [2] After his release he went into exile in Tajikistan.

Ghabel has issued a fatwa about hijab or head and neck covering for Muslim women. He argues that only covering the body of Muslim women is obligatory, and covering other parts of the body like hair and neck are recommended.[3]

In December 2009, he was arrested on his way to Qom to attend the funeral of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri. Before this he was working on a project entitled "Wisdom and Religion". According to kaleme, a reformist website, he was freed on bail after 170 days in jail but was then re-arrested in the summer 2010 for exposing "secret mass executions at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad and his criticism of the Supreme Leader,".[4]

On December 14, 2010 he was convicted of working against the ruling system and insulting the country's supreme leader, and was sentenced to 20 months in jail and was given 20 days to appeal.[4] He started serving his sentence in July 2011 but was transferred to a hospital that summer in order to do surgery on a brain tumor.[1]

He died in 22 October 2012 while on hospital arrest, after a six-day coma.[1]

See also
  • Iranian reform movement

References
  1. "Prominent Iranian Dissident Cleric Ahmad Ghabel Dies". Radio Free Europe. 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  2. PRESS ORGANISATIONS URGES IRANIAN CLERICS TO RELEASE JOURNALISTS, PARIS 4 Jan. 2002 (IPS)
  3. "An interview with him".
  4. Iran reformer sentenced to jail, exile and fine, By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, The Associated Press, December 15, 2010;



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