IRANIAN PRO-REFORM CLERIC MEHDI KARROUBI FACES PROSECUTION

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
15.10.2009 11:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iranian pro-reform cleric Mehdi Karroubi may be
prosecuted over allegations he made following post-election unrest.

Mr Karroubi had said that some of his supporters, detained after
protests over the presidential poll in which he was a candidate,
suffered abuse. The case will go to a clerical court, state news
agency Irna reported.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner but his
challengers said the election was rigged. Tehran prosecutor Abbas
Jafari-Dolatabadi said that as Mr Karroubi was a cleric "his remarks
should be studied at the special court for the clergy".

"But the report of the judiciary panel has been given to us and we
are investigating it," he said. "Some people have also been summoned
in connection with the case."

In August, Mr Karroubi alleged that some of his supporters had
been tortured to death while being held in detention after large
scale post-election protests. He also called for an investigation
into allegations that both male and female detainees were sexually
assaulted and raped in prison.

The allegations have been repeatedly denied by the Iranian authorities,
but police officials have said that some of those held since June
might have been tortured.

Last month, a judiciary panel set up to investigate the allegations
said there was no evidence to prove the individuals Mr Karroubi
claimed had been abused were raped.

"These allegations are unsubstantiated and documents submitted are
totally fabricated and aimed at misleading public opinion," it said,
and recommended that those making the allegations be prosecuted.

In September, officials were quoted by the semi-official Mehr news
agency as saying that one man had died in prison after being beaten.

Irna did not specify which of Mr Karroubi’s comments were being
investigated by the court.

Mr Ahmadinejad’s 12 June re-election was followed by massive street
protests over alleged vote-rigging. At least 30 protesters w killed
in clashes and thousands were arrested.

Most of those detained have been released, but about 200 remain behind
bars and some 110 have been put on trial.

Three opposition activists were sentenced to death on Saturday for
their role in the protests, BBC reported.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress