Unconfirmed reports by INN state that “Iranian pro-democracy sources” have alleged that Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi has been speaking publicly on the issue of prison rape
— INN reports that Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi spoke to crowd on prison rape “in Jamkaran, a popular pilgrimage site for Shi’ite Muslims on the outskirts of Qom, on August 11, 2009”
— INN reports that this is “[a]ccording to Iranian pro-democracy sources, the gathered crowd heard from Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi and Ahmadinejad himself regarding the issue”
— “Mesbah-Yazdi is considered Ahmadinejad’s personal spiritual guide”
— According to INN report, Mesbah-Yazdi is quoted as stating: “The necessary precaution is for the interrogator to perform a ritual washing first and say prayers while raping the prisoner. If the prisoner is female, it is permissible to rape through the vagina or anus.”
— According to INN report, Mesbah-Yazdi is quoted as stating: “If the judgment for the [female] prisoner is execution, then rape before execution brings the interrogator a spiritual reward equivalent to making the mandated Haj pilgrimage [to Mecca], but if there is no execution decreed, then the reward would be equivalent to making a pilgrimage to [the Shi’ite holy city of] Karbala.”
— According to INN report, Mesbah-Yazdi is quoted as stating: “The child borne to any weakling [a denigrating term for women – ed.] who is against the Supreme Leader is considered illegitimate, be it a result of rape by her interrogator or through intercourse with her husband, according to the written word in the Koran.”
— August 13, 2009 – Reuters: “Iran cleric says obeying Ahmadinejad like obeying God”
— “A senior Iranian cleric seen as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s spiritual mentor said obeying the head of government was like obeying God, the moderate Etemad-e Melli newspaper said on Thursday.”
— “Firebrand cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi believes the authority of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei comes from God, not from the people.”
— “Mesbah-Yazdi has long held that democracy and elections are incompatible with Islam.”
— Similar report from MEMRI
— November 17, 2006: Ayatollah who backs suicide bombs aims to be Iran’s next spiritual leader
— Supports suicide bombings on his web site