Iran confirms death sentence for opposition activists

The death sentence for 6 opposition activists arrested in protests after last year's disputed presidential election in Iran have been confirmed, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said Saturday.

The 6 were accused of belonging to the exiled and outlawed People's Mujahedeen, the opposition group the Islamic republic's regime calls "the hypocrites."

Three were arrested after opposition protests during the Shiite mourning holiday of Ashura last December, Dolatabadi said, naming them as "Ahmad Daneshpour Moghadam, Mohsen Daneshpour Moghadam and Alireza Ghanbari."

"Their death sentences have been confirmed, but they have asked to be pardoned," the Fars news agency quoted Dolatabadi as saying.

It quoted the prosecutor as saying the death penalty for the other three, Mohammad Ali Saremi, Jafar Kazemi and Mohammad-Ali Haj-Aghai who were arrested in September last year, had also been confirmed.

Dolatabadi had announced in January that 10 people arrested during opposition protests that followed the re-election last June of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been sentenced to hang.

He added that 3 other people had been sentenced to jail after an appeal court overturned death sentences against them.

Motahare Bahrami Haqiqi, Reyhane Haj Ebrahim and Hadi Qaemi had been arrested during Ashura protests in December.

Meanwhile ISNA news agency, quoting a statement from the prosecutor's office, said that a death sentence against student Mohammad Amin Valian was reduced to 3 1/2 years in prison by an appeal court.

Azar Mansouri, a senior leader of reformist political party the Islamic Iran Participation Front, was handed a 3-year prison term in an appeal court, ISNA said.

Elsewhere the ILNA news agency reported that Masoud Bastani, a reformist journalist, was handed a 6-year jail term in an appeal court.

On January 28, Iran hanged 2 men convicted of being Mohareb (enemies of God), in the 1st executions of dissidents since the post-poll protests erupted.

They "belonged to the monarchist group Tondar (the Kingdom Assembly of Iran). During their trials they confessed to obtaining explosives and planning to assassinate officials," Dolatabadi said at the time.

The authorities arrested an estimated 4,000 people including journalists and reformist politicians in a massive crackdown in the weeks after the election.

Stiff jail terms have been handed down to several people convicted of taking part in the unrest, although some have been released on bail pending possible appeals.

On Saturday the lawyer for French researcher Clotilde Reiss, who was arrested last July for allegedly participating in demonstrations, will be allowed to leave the country soon, after a large fine was paid.

Last Sunday Iran also hanged five militants, including a Kurdish woman, convicted of bombing government offices and a gas pipeline to Turkey and described as being Mohareb, state media reported.

Source: Agence France-Presse, May 15, 2010

Tehran’s Prosecutor: Six death sentences issued, 217 imprisonments confirmed

Tehran’s Prosecutor: 217 prison sentences have been confirmed, six death sentences have been issued, and Mousavi’s support of the five executed is considered a crime.

RAHANA - Tehran’s prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi referred to the recent protests against the executions of Farzad Kamangar, Shirin Alam Hooli, Mehdi Eslamian, Farhad Vakili, and Ali Heydarian as “an atmosphere of arrogance by the world media.” He added that the statements made by Mir Hossein Mousavi are considered crimes. “His support of these individuals is a new crime and this matter will be looked into when the day of sentencing arrives for the opposition.”

In an interview with Fars News, Dolatabadi stated that ten death sentences were issued against individuals arrested after the election, particularly on Ashura. He added that the death sentences for Ahmad Daneshpour Moghadam, Mohsen Daneshpour Moghadam, and Alireza Ghanbari was confirmed by the Appeals Court. The three prisoners have filed an amnesty appeal.

Dolatabadi added, “Three other individuals, Motehareh Bahrami Haghighi, Reyhane Haj Ebrahim Dabagh, and Hadi Ghaemi were sentenced to death by the lower court, but their sentences were reduced to imprisonment in the appeals court.”

Tehran’s prosecutor stated that Arsalan Abadi and Mohammad Amin Valian have been acquitted from the crime of Mohareb (enemy of God) and added, “The sentences for the 217 people arrested after the election is final. The appeals have been looked at and the sentences are now final.”

Jafari Dolatabadi added: “We currently have three confirmed death sentences for Mohamad Ali Saremi, Jafar NamMohamad Ali, Jafar Kazemi, and Mohamad Ali Haj Aghai.” He added that the three prisoners are supporters of the opposition.

Tehran’s prosecutor stated, “The prosecutor charged ten individuals with the crime of being a Mohareb in connection with the events of Ashura. Of these ten, Arsalan Abadi and Mohammad Amin Valian were acquitted of their charges. The charges associated with three individuals were confirmed, the charges associated with three others were reduced, and the charges associated with the final two individuals have not been addressed as we await their trail.”

In reference to Mir Hossein Mousavi’s threat to confront the judiciary system in the future, Dolatabadi stated, “If he has not been arrested yet, it is not due to our inability, lack of intention, neglect or because we agree with them, but rather because the timing is currently not right.” He added, “When the time is right, much like a fruit that has ripened, action shall be taken.”

Source: Persian2English, May 15, 2010

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