2018 Dervish protests

<h2 id="background">Background</h2>
The <a href="/facts/Ni%2527matull%25C4%2581h%25C4%25AB/7E36GsYS">Ni'matullāhī</a>, or Gonabandi, are a <a href="/facts/Sufi/NFcCu5gP">Sufi</a> <a href="/facts/Tariqa/YgesnhbA">order</a>; the Iranian government considers them a threat.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a> Conversion to Sufism is frowned upon by the <a href="/facts/Shi%2527a/JIQl7ooz">Shi'a</a> religious establishment.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a>
In January 2012, at least 10 of the group's members were imprisoned in <a href="/facts/Fars_province/rV5P1YEg">Fars province</a>, and others may be held at <a href="/facts/Evin_Prison/kXzJAw8d">Evin Prison</a> in Tehran, including <a href="/facts/Kasra_Nouri/Ggln4QDS">Kasra Nouri</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a>

<h2 id="protests">Protests</h2>
On 19 February, the Sufis organized a <a href="/facts/Sit-in/H8TFDglF">sit-in</a> protest at a police station, located in the <a href="/facts/Pasdaran_(district)/zyJGJr1e">Pasdaran</a> district of Tehran, where one of their members was held. Later, clashes broke out between the Sufi protestors and security forces. Police used <a href="/facts/Tear_gas/SLJoBYEN">tear gas</a> in an attempt to disperse the protesters. Five <a href="/facts/Riot_police/VxInPn8e">riot police</a> were killed.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a>
According to the Iranian press, police arrested around 300 people, and there have been reports that some of the protesters may have been killed.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a> However, the Sufi dervishes gathered around the home of their 90-year-old leader <a href="/facts/Noor_Ali_Tabandeh/kP1JLsta">Noor Ali Tabandeh</a> to protect him from arrest.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a>
In the aftermath of the 19 February, protests, footage emerged that showed several Sufi protesters who were arrested, being tortured by government forces.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a>
On 4 March, it was revealed that one of the protesters had died under the custody of the Iranian government.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a>

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Noor_Ali_Tabandeh/kP1JLsta">Noor Ali Tabandeh</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Kasra_Nouri/Ggln4QDS">Kasra Nouri</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">"UK Parliament Report 2020 – No prosperity without justice: the UK's relationship with Iran Contents". <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmfaff/415/41506.htm#_idTextAnchor049" target="_blank">https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmfaff/415/41506.htm#_idTextAnchor049</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">"Iran: Dervishes Community Attacked by Security Forces". Iran Focus. 6 February 2018. <a href="http://www.iranfocus.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32441:iran-dervishes-community-attacked-by-security-forces&catid=5:human-rights&Itemid=110" target="_blank">http://www.iranfocus.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32441:iran-dervishes-community-attacked-by-security-forces&catid=5:human-rights&Itemid=110</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"Iranian officers die in Sufi clashes". BBC News. 20 February 2018. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43120815" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43120815</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"Five Iranian security officers killed at Sufi protest in Tehran". Reuters. 2018-02-20. Retrieved 2018-06-18. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests-sufis/five-iranian-security-officers-killed-at-sufi-protest-in-tehran-idUSKCN1G41AK" target="_blank">https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests-sufis/five-iranian-security-officers-killed-at-sufi-protest-in-tehran-idUSKCN1G41AK</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">"Gonabadi Dervish protest leaves 5 dead in Tehran". Retrieved 2018-06-18. <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/02/gonabadi-dervish-protest-leaves-5-dead-tehran-180220075337834.html" target="_blank">https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/02/gonabadi-dervish-protest-leaves-5-dead-tehran-180220075337834.html</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">"Gonabadi Dervish protest leaves 5 dead in Tehran". Retrieved 2018-06-18. <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/02/gonabadi-dervish-protest-leaves-5-dead-tehran-180220075337834.html" target="_blank">https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/02/gonabadi-dervish-protest-leaves-5-dead-tehran-180220075337834.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">"Kasra Nouri | Virtual Embassy of the United States Tehran, Iran". Iran.usembassy.gov. 14 March 2012. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2014. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140307155035/http://iran.usembassy.gov/kasranouri.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140307155035/http://iran.usembassy.gov/kasranouri.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">"Iranian officers die in Sufi clashes". BBC News. 20 February 2018. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43120815" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43120815</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">Witschge, Loes. "Iran's Gonabadi Dervishes: A 'long history' of persecution". Retrieved 2018-06-18. <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/iran-gonabadi-dervishes-long-history-persecution-180227193000395.html" target="_blank">https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/iran-gonabadi-dervishes-long-history-persecution-180227193000395.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">"Five Iranian security officers killed at Sufi protest in Tehran". Reuters. 2018-02-20. Retrieved 2018-06-18. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests-sufis/five-iranian-security-officers-killed-at-sufi-protest-in-tehran-idUSKCN1G41AK" target="_blank">https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests-sufis/five-iranian-security-officers-killed-at-sufi-protest-in-tehran-idUSKCN1G41AK</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">"Iranian officers die in Sufi clashes". BBC News. 20 February 2018. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43120815" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43120815</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">خبر, Manoto News – اتاق. "اتاق خبر". اتاق خبر. Retrieved 23 April 2018. <a href="https://www.manoto.news/news/wgte1j/NEWS31127" target="_blank">https://www.manoto.news/news/wgte1j/NEWS31127</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

2018 Dervish protests open-in-new

2018 Dervish protests