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Iran - post-election protests
Reformist says no election fraud, at protesters' trial
Article published on the 2009-08-01 Latest update 2009-08-01 13:46 TU
ProtestErs gather during a march on a street in Tehran in this picture uploaded on Twitter on 20 June
( Photo: Reuters )
Top Iranian reformist Mohammad Ali Abtahi said on Saturday that claims of fraud in June's election are "a lie", according to a pro-government news agency. He was speaking during a trial in which he and about 100 other people are accused rioting and counter-revolutionary activity during protests after the poll.
"I say to all my friends and all friends who hear us, that the issue of fraud in Iran was a lie and was brought up to create riots so Iran becomes like Afghanistan and Iraq and suffers damage and hardship," Abtahi told the court, according to the Fars news agency. "And if this happened, there would no name and trace of the revolution left."
Abtahi was Vice-President during the reforming presidency of Mohammad Khatami in 1998-2005.
Iranian media say the accused are charged with having "participated in riots, acting against national security, disturbing public order, vandalising public and government property, having ties with counter-revolutionary groups and of planning to launch a velvet revolution".
All of the accused supported opposition candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, who claimed that the election was stolen by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his supporters.
Among the accused are:
Mohsen Aminzadeh and Mohsen Safai-Farahani, deputy ministers under Khatami;
Mohsen Mirdamadi, current head of the Islamic Iran Participation Front;
Behzad Nabavi of the Islamic Republic Mujahedeen Organisation;
Mohammad Atrianfar of the Executives of Construction.
They could face up to five years in jail, according to Fars, unless they are charged with being a mohareb (enemyof God), which could mean the death penalty.
Most of the roughly 2,000 people arrested during the protests against the election results have been freed but about 250 remain in prison.
Ahmedinejad on Friday denied rumours of a rift with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, after hardliners criticised his sacking of Inelligence Minister Gholan Mohseni Ejei and the appointment of aide Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie as Vice-President. He was later forced to sack Mashaie.
 Prominent reformist leaders among 'rioters' on trial |
Background
