2018 Dervish protests
| 2018 Dervish protests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Iranian Democracy Movement | |||
| Date | 4 February 2018 – 4 March 2018 (1 month) | ||
| Location | Tehran, Iran | ||
| Caused by | Possible arrest of Noor Ali Tabandeh Several Dervishes arrested | ||
| Goals | -Greater religious freedom, especially for Dervishes | ||
| Methods | Demonstrations, riots | ||
| Status | -Protests Quelled -Continued rise of the Iranian Democracy Movement | ||
| Parties | |||
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| Lead figures | |||
| Number | |||
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| Casualties | |||
| Death(s) | Up to 5 protesters 5 security forces | ||
| Injuries | 170+ protesters 30 security forces | ||
| Arrested | 400+ | ||
The 2018 Dervish protests were a series of protests against the Iranian government by the Ni'matullāhī (or Gonabandi) Sufi Order, occurring between February and March 2018 in Tehran. These protests led to clashes between security forces and the dervishes, resulting in the bloody repression of protestors. Tensions between Police, the IRGC, and the Basij with a number of Gonabadi Dervishes eventually led to the deaths of six people, the execution of Dervishes, and the arrest of hundreds of wounded Dervishes on March.
The United States called the repression of the Dervishes the largest repression of religious minorities in the Islamic Republic, while the Ministry of Interior of Iran called the protests a plot to expand its scope to the national level by creating regional unrest.