Source:
RFE/RL
Iran's state media reports that 16 more
opposition activists have been put on trial in Tehran today in connection with
postelection protests in late December. The official IRNA news agency says five
of the defendants are accused of being "mohareb" (enemies of God) and "corrupt
on earth." Both are crimes punishable by death under the Iranian legal system,
which is based on Islamic Shari'a law.
Poster says: Green Movement, Peace & Freedom Movement
Iran's opposition movement is promising more protests on
February 11, the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution
The rest are accused of "gathering and conspiring
against security, propaganda against the system, and seeking to harm security by
inciting unrest and riot," it said.
The trial comes as Amnesty International, along with the United States, the
European Union, and the British government, on January 29 condemned the
executions in Iran of two men who were sentenced to death in trials after June's
disputed Iranian presidential election.
Since August, Iran's hardline government has tried more than 100 political
activists. Eleven people were sentenced to death. More than 80 others have
received prison terms.
|
Basij militants
shooting at protesters during Ashura protests in Tehran on December
27
The opposition supporters have ignored repeated orders and threats
by authorities to stop protesting. They have continued to hold
rallies despite government's refusal to issue them permits. At least
8 people were killed by security forces during the Ashura protests
in Tehran on December 27 when the security forces opened fire on
them and in some cases ran over them with police cars. The
protesters fought back firecely in response to the attack by
security forces and Basij militia. |
Iranian opposition leaders have condemned this
week's execution of two dissidents.
Mir Hossein Musavi and Mehdi Karrubi said the
January 28 hangings of Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani and Arash Rahmani Pour were
aimed at scaring people away from taking part in protests anticipated for
February 11, when Iran marks the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The opposition leaders, quoted by Karrubi's website Sahamnews.org, also agreed
that the pair executed this week appeared to have been arrested months before
the June 12 presidential election and had nothing to do with the violence.
Copyright (c) 2010 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
... Payvand News - 01/30/10 ... --
