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Hunger strike by dervishes in Iran provokes protests

Two hundred dervishes were arrested and then released for protesting against the continued imprisonment of dervishes who are on hunger strike in Iran.
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TEHRAN, Iran — Despite a more moderate government taking power in Iran, street protests organized by the opposition are still a dangerous line to tread. Still, in spite of this, the Gonoabadi dervishes — followers of a branch of Sufi Shiism — organized the largest public gathering of the year in Tehran.

Majzooban Noor, the news website of the Iranian dervishes, reported that over 2,000 dervishes had gathered in front of Tehran's main judicial court on Mar. 8, 2014. The protesters included the families of imprisoned dervishes and a few well-known human rights activists. This rather significant protest is related to the hunger strike of nine imprisoned dervishes.

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