One of the most powerful clerics of Iran, Ayatollah Lankarani, has issued the fatwa of killing Rafigh Taghi and Samir Sedaghat Oghloo. We We undersign the petition strongly oppose this fatwa of murder that has basically been issued by the Islamic Republic of Irans authorities against writers and critics of religion in Azerbaijan! For the ones who are familiar with Salman Rushdie, this is another Death Fatwa for additional writers, another violation of Human rights.

In November 15, 2006, Rafigh Taghi who is the journalist and columnist of San-at, a newspaper in the Republic of Azerbaijan writes an article with the title of Europe and Us. In his article, while quoting from prophet Mohamed and The Koran, article he calls Mohamed an aggressor and concludes: This religion is the religion of aggression against humanity. Islamic gangs of Hezbollah are immediately organized to protest in the streets of Tabriz and Ardebil (Iran) and manipulate the mass in Azerbaijan: Rafigh Taghi who resides in Baku, along with Samir Sedaghat Oghloo the editor of the journal, are immediately thrown into jail for writing a critic on this subject. Irans officials go even one step further and ask the government of Azerbaijan to apologize for insulting the Moslems!!

On Wednesday of November 29, 2006, one of the influential Mullahs of Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Lankarani, shamelessly issues the Fatwa of killing of these two individuals.

This is an example of how the Political Islam treats religions critics and opponents. The Islamic Republic of Iran has officially and openly ordered Islamic terror gangs to assassinate these two individuals, wherever they spot them.

This is ugly face of the criminal Political Islam. They have come to power with murder, Death Fatwa, stoning and execution, and will continue their existence with these crimes. This is a movement that cannot tolerate even a caricature or any criticism and immediately orders bloodshed. This movement should be dealt with maximum international aversion and protest, and be condemned at a worldwide level. We, the citizens of the world, should not allow bunch of Mullahs and reactionaries in Iran or anywhere else, issue such murder rulings and bloodshed.

All the Human Rights Organizations, all intellectuals and all freedom lovers should not allow the freedom of speech being slaughtered by these practices and should stand against these murderers. We have to come into the field and defend secularism, defend the separation of religion from political power and defend the Right of criticism and unconditional right of Freedom of Speech.

Political Islam is the dark movement against humanity and against women. This movement is trying to spread its dark shadow over the entire world. This situation cannot be tolerated. One should not be submissive in front of such a Middle Age and anti-human movement. The Humanity and the freedom front should firmly oppose the anti-human front of the Political Islam. With our union, we should defend the modern mans achievements.

Saving the lives of Rafigh Taghi and Samir Sedaghat Oghloo is the duty of the modern man, and the duty of the international front of protest against Political Islam.

By signing this scroll of protest and by defending the freedom of speech, the international front against political Islam should rise against the fatwa of killing and assassination.

Defend the followings:

1-Unconditional Freedom of Speech is the right of any human being.

2- The fatwa of killing these two writers is condemned.

3- Ayatollah Lankarani should be arrested and tried for issuing Death Fatwa and encouraging killing of these two writers.

4- The government of Azerbaijan should be condemned for violating of the freedom of speech and for arresting these writers.

5- Rafigh Taghi and Samir Sedaghat Oghloo should be freed immediately.

6- The Islamic Republic of Iran is the founder and center of propagation of such practices, and has in the past issued the same kind of Fatwa for Salman Rushdie. This government should be isolated and condemned for its criminal acts.