The curfew

Curfew

 

Special rules that apply to political crises and extraordinary situations are called curfews. These laws deprive people of their personal and social rights and freedoms under normal circumstances and force them to execute military orders. Governments are applying these rules more to prevent rebellion and [GS1] insurrection against themselves.

 

Occasionally, an occupying force establishes a curfew to exercise its power over the occupied territories.

 

The common aspects of curfew in all countries are the military regulations domination, censorship, or the seizure of the media, force people to stay home after a certain hour of the night, preventing gatherings of more than three people, the trial of criminals in military courts instead of ordinary courts, establishing rules for ceasefires during wartime and the employing military personnel in responsibilities that are not normally undertaken by the military.

 

The curfew law in Iran was legislated into the constitutional constitution and was adopted in 1911. In this way, the constitutional government could declare curfew under exceptional circumstances.

 

In World War II, when the Allies occupied Iran in September 1941 and Reza Shah fell from the king’s throne, the new government-imposed curfew three times in Tehran. Earlier, after the August coup d’état by Sayyed Ziaoddin Tabatabai and Reza Khan, curfew was declared in the cities of Qom, Qazvin, Semnan, and Damghan.

 

The 19 August 1953 coup d’état led Iran to experience the rule of curfew once again. In the coup, the king’s military dismissed Dr. Mohammad Mosaddeq with the British and American design and they were in charge of the country’s affairs for some time.

In 1963 when people were looking for an opportunity to express their protest against the government, they took to the streets with a loud speech delivered by Imam Khomeyni against the Shah and his government at Feyzieh School of Qom. The massive killing of the people by the Shah’s soldiers did not extinguish the flames of the people’s protests, and because the Shah was afraid of the people’s uprising, he saw curfew as the only way forward. In most cities of Iran, including Tehran, Shiraz, and Qom, a curfew was declared in most of the cities of Iran from Wednesday, 6 June of that year for up to five weeks. On 24 June 1963, the curfew was extended in Tehran and Shiraz for another two months.

 

In 1978, many cities in Iran were the scene of popular protests and opposition to the shah’s government. The most extensive curfew experience occurred this year. After the arrest of Ayatollah Sayyed Jalaluddin Taheri-Esfahani (a militant cleric from Esfahan), the situation in the city of Esfahan was convulsed on 31 July. Markets closed their shops and took sanctuary in Ayatollah Sayyed Hoseyn Khademi’s home and demanded the release of Ayatollah Taheri-Esfahani. At the same time, some of the people of Esfahan held large demonstrations.

 

Imam Khomeyni’s eight article decree during the first Ramadan on the occasion of the events in Esfahan made the protests continue. During several days of marches, Shah Abbas Hotel, several banks, a cinema, and a government office were set on fire and a number of people in Esfahan were killed in clashes with the military. Following these events, the government of Jamshid Amouzegar announced a curfew and a prohibition of commuting in Esfahan and several neighboring cities on 11 August 1978 and appointed Major General Reza Naji to the military command there.

 

Curfew did not stop the people from fighting. Demonstrations continued in other cities, especially in Shiraz and Tabriz. The declaration of Curfew in Esfahan and taking sanctuary on the second day attracted the attention of the foreign media and the world realized the Iranian people’s hatred of the Shah. Prayers marched in major cities after Eid al-Fitr prayer on 4 September 1978. The demonstration in Tehran was so well organized that SAVAK and Law Enforcement Forces were heavily influenced by crowds and slogans, and the demonstrations (except in a few cities) ended quietly and without clashes.

 

Two days later (16 September 1978), the government banned public gatherings and marches. Two days later (16 September 1978), the government banned public gatherings and marches in public passages. However, on 7 September, more than half a million people marched on the streets protesting the government’s decision to oppose the demonstrations. The protests and rallies of the people of Tehran in Shahyad (Azadi) Square, the largest community to date made the Shah more concerned. So late that night a cabinet held a meeting and curfew was voted on. The following day, on 8 September 1978, curfew was declared in Tehran and eleven other cities, and General Gholam-Ali Oveysi was appointed to the Tehran Military Command by retaining command of the ground force. On 8 September, the people of Tehran gathered in Jaleh (Martyrs) Square, while many were unaware of the curfew (due to its announcement in the early morning hours).

 

Pre-military troops opened fire on the people after gathering in Jaleh Square, killing hundreds and wounding hundreds of people, marked the bloodiest day of the revolution in the history of the revolution.

 

The terrible event of 8 September 9, called Black Friday, was a leaf from the memories of the revolution, and its review began a new phase in the Iranian people’s revolution. The strike by workers and oil industry workers and marketers following Black Friday crippled the country’s economy and put the Shah on the brink of collapse.

 

Curfew continued until the victory of the revolution. One day before the end of the monarchy in Iran, the last prime minister of the king, Shapour Bakhtiar, who had failed in his efforts to maintain power, increased the hours of curfew. In doing so, they decided to create a situation in which they could bomb the residence of Imam Khomeyni and arrest the other leaders of the revolution by carrying out a coup d’état. Immediately after announcing the increase in curfew, Imam Khomeyni announced his historic decree: “People do not obey the curfew laws at all.” Curfew is deceitful and against the law.

 

Hearing these words, the streets were barricaded to confront the military, and people’s demonstrations swept many streets during the hours of the curfew. The royal reign collapsed in Iran on 11 February.

 

Following the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the adoption of the constitution, curfew was banned. Article Seventy-Nine of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran states: Establishment of curfew is prohibited. In a state of war and in emergencies like that, the government has the right to temporarily impose necessary restrictions upon the approval of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. But its duration, however, cannot exceed thirty days. And if the need persists, the government is obliged to get permission from the parliament again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Archive of The History of the Islamic Revolution