Iran - protests

Iran's Ahmadinejad tells judges to free protesters

Article published on the 2009-07-28 Latest update 2009-07-29 11:15 TU

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
(Photo: Reuters)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the judicial chief on Tuesday to free the detained election protesters who are not facing serious charges. He ordered them to be freed within 10 days as an exercise in "Islamic compassion."

"A considerable time has passed since their arrests. We want to accelerate the examination of the accused and we order that the maximum Islamic compassion be shown towards the compatriots who took this path unconsciously," Ahmadinejad wrote in a letter to top judicial official Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi.

Ahmadinejad added that he wanted the families to "be happy" about their loved ones' release, which would be made in time for detainees to go home and celebrate the birthday of Imam Mahdi on 7 August.

Protesters hit the streets last month, calling the 12 June presidential elections a fraud after Ahmadinejad won by a large margin.

Those arrested were "provoked by some people and some political groups who were backed by the propoganda made by our enemies," according to Ahmadinejad in his letter.

Some 30 people were killed and hundreds were rounded up and remain in detention.