Important Questions by Mohammad Mahdavifar (Deminer and Diver of the Sacred Defense) to the Supreme Leader Regarding the Subject of Criticism of the Leader
In the name of God
To the Honorable Supreme Leader, May God Preserve His Power
Peace be upon you and God’s mercy
Your Excellency, on the date of the sixth of Aban, 1388 [October 28, 2009], in a gathering of elite university students of the country in response to one of the elite students, you humbly stated:
“This notion that they said criticism is not directed at the leadership, you go ahead and say that they should criticize. We never said no one should criticize us. We have no problem. I welcome criticism. I welcome criticism.”
In this regard, I have questions that I submit to you.
1) Should criticism of the leadership only be through writing letters to your office and in a confidential manner, or do you mean public criticism of the leadership?
2) Is criticism of the leadership only permissible in a specific domain, or is it possible to criticize leadership in all areas, even in the general policies of the regime that you define?
3) For those who intend to criticize the leadership, should these criticisms be implied and wrapped in layers, or is explicit criticism of the leadership intended?
4) Since inherently any criticism can be interpreted as weakening the leadership or opposing the leadership or insulting the leadership, which institution is responsible for discerning and separating these meanings?
5) Since some judicial and security and intelligence officials of the country may not be sufficiently aware of your instructions on this matter, if someone is summoned to security agencies for criticizing the leadership, interrogated, and a case is formed under various titles, how can they inform the relevant officials of your satisfaction in the matter of criticism of the leadership?
Have the country’s security and judicial institutions been sufficiently instructed not to confront the critics of the leadership?
6) Since among the distinguished less and in the public mind more, it is settled that criticizing the leadership is dangerous and leads to prosecution through the Basij, IRGC, Ministry of Intelligence, security, and the prosecutor’s office. What measures have been taken or are in progress to change this mindset?
7) If someone criticizes the leadership but later it becomes clear that their criticism was incorrect, or in cases where the critic cannot substantiate their criticism, will coercive action be taken against the critic in this case?
8) If a speaker or writer, in their writing or speech, addresses you without the prefix “Supreme Leader” and simply refers to you by name, for example, says Ali Khamenei said so, does using such language warrant reprimand or judicial or security confrontation?
And can your admirers and enthusiasts act coercively in this case?
In principle, how should the behavior and interaction of followers of the leadership be in such situations to meet with your satisfaction?
9) Based on these statements that you made in the gathering of students, is criticism of Imam Khomeini also permissible in the Islamic Republic just like criticism of Your Excellency, or is criticizing Imam Khomeini in any form considered a red line of the regime?
Thank you,
Mohammad Mahdavifar – Aran and Bidgol County
1394/4/28 Hijri [July 19, 2015]