Wow. Sad, for those that wanted their personal freedom in Iran. They get to face an islamist judge, and will likely face a harsh sentence.
Iran: Senior political reformers on trial
Tehran, 25 August (AKI) – Iran on Tuesday began the trial of several leading reformers – the fourth launched against people accused of fomenting the massive street protests that followed the disputed 12 June presidential election.
Iran’s former deputy intelligence minister and prominent reformist Saad Hajjaraian is among those being tried in a Revolutionary Court, Iran’s official English language Press TV reported.
Others include former economy minister Mohsen Safaie-Farahani, former mines and industries minister Behzad Nabavi, and two leading economists, Saeed Leylaz and Kian Tajbaksh.
Former deputy interior minister Mostafa Tajzadeh, former deputy foreign minister Mohsen Aminzadeh, former government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, are also among those facing charges.
Most of the officials facing trial held their positions during the 1997-2005 presidency of Mohammad Khatami.
Khatami backed defeated moderate opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi in the presidential election.
Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi have both claimed that the vote was rigged to secure the re-election of hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Thousands were arrested during clashes between opposition supporters and Iranian security forces in the weeks after the election.
Iran has already held three mass trials this month of over 100 reformists on charges including acts against national security – a crime punishable by death under Iran’s Islamic legal system.
Khatami said has said the trials violate Iran’s Constitution.
Mousavi has alleged confessions made by some of the accused were made under duress.
Karoubi has claimed people detained in the unrest have been subjected to physical violence including brutal rapes.
Senior police and judiciary officials have acknowledged that there has been some mistreatment and have called for those responsible to be punished.
Several hundred of those detained are believed to still be in jail, including journalists, activists and lawyers.
At least 30 people died in the street protests, which Iran claims were orchestrated by western countries such as the United States and Britain.
The US and Britain deny these charges and have condemned the trials.
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