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scene of such crimes. [He goes on to say that he has already asked for his discharge but has not yet received an answer]. 45_ACT15
Another Western diplomat describes how the culture of being present at cruel executions, and even taking part in it, was common practice at the court of the Sháh and even seen as sign of loyalty to the sovereign. Describing what happened to the contingent of Bábís that were especially brought to the court itself for their execution, it is noted:
His Excellency [the Grand Vazír] resolved to divide the execution of the victims among the different departments of the state; the only person he exempted was himself. First came the Sháh … To save the dignity of the crown, the steward of the household, as the Sháh’s representative, fired the first shot at the conspirator selected as his victim, and his deputies, the farráshes [attendants], completed the work. The Prime Minister’s son headed the Home Office, and slew another Bábí. Then came the Foreign Office. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs … with averted face made the first swordcut, and then the Under-Secretary of State and clerks of the Foreign Office hewed their victim into pieces. The priesthood, the merchants, the artillery, the infantry, had each their allotted Bábí. Even the Sháh’s admirable French physician, the late lamented Dr. Cloquet, was invited to show his loyalty by following the example of the rest of the Court. He excused himself, and pleasantly said he killed too many men professionally to permit him to increase their number by any voluntary homicide on his part. 46_ACT15
As for the general populace, giving vent to barbaric acts was common. They were steeped in blind fanaticism and bitter hatred fueled by their religious leaders, and misled by propaganda and misinformation put out by the authorities. 47_ACT15 Accounts
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