June 28, 2019
Mohammad-Ali Taheri, the leader of what Iran has labeled a “deviant” spiritual movement, was freed in April after his prison sentence was completed.
Taheri, 63, was twice condemned to death by Iranian courts, but his sentenced was eventually reduced to 7-1/2 years by an appeals court.
His attorney, Mohammad Zaman Daryabari, told the Center for Human Rights in Iran that the Judiciary had freed Taheri April 17. A week later, the Judiciary announced that Taheri had been released on the completion of his sentence.
It said Taheri was also fined and made subject to conditions, “which are still in place,” but did elaborate on those conditions.
Taheri had been in prison continuously since May 2011, facing a variety of charges, including touching the wrists of female followers. But his core problem with the authorities was that he was propounding a philosophy at odds with Shiite Islam, to which the clergy takes offense.
Taheri founded two schools of alternative medicine that he called Faradarmani and Psymen-tology. His mystical school of thought is called Erfan-e Keyhani (Halgheh), also known as the school of Interuniversal (Cosmic) Mysticism.
Taheri says mental illness is initiated by a person’s world-view and thoughts. All human mental activity gives off a radiation, which aligns with either a positive or negative network, and attracts a consciousness-based positive or negative reaction.
Taheri claims that when people use their mental energy to direct enthusiasm toward gaining power, this can manifest negatively as mental or physical illness. However, when mental activity directs enthusiasm toward unifying endeavors, the result is revelations.
Taheri founded his movement in the early 2000s and was allowed to propound his theories without suppression for several years, even appearing on state television and giving public classes before he gained popularity and then drew the ire of the clergy and state.