Iranian Judiciary Summons 20 Reformists to Court
May 26, 2004
Reuters
Khaleej Times Onlinel
TEHRAN -- Twenty senior Iranian reformists may face judicial charges for criticising the disqualification of hundreds of candidates in February’s parliamentary elections, the official IRNA news agency said on Wednesday.
“Two deputy interior ministers and 18 governors have been summoned to court for charges linked to February’s elections,” IRNA quoted an unnamed Interior Ministry source as saying.
IRNA said the officials would face charges such as inciting public opinion and spreading lies.
Interior ministry and judiciary officials could not be reached for comment.
Iran’s reformist-run interior ministry and state and city governors were highly critical of the unelected Guardian Council hardline watchdog for banning more than 2,000 mostly reformist would-be candidates from the February 20 vote.
Islamic conservatives won a comfortable majority in the election, labelled a sham by reformists, and will take up their seats in the new parliament on Thursday.
Nearly a dozen pro-reform lawmakers, including the younger brother of President Mohammad Khatami, have been summoned by the hardline judiciary in recent months on a range of charges including making “provocative speeches” about the election.
None have been convicted so far and analysts doubted the new cases would result in jail terms.
“The conservatives do not need such harsh measures ahead of the presidential elections in mid-2005 as they are sure about their victory,” said one political analyst, who declined to be identified.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2004/May/middleeast_May730.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
2,500 candidates disqualified. Mr. Khatami elected after 95% of candidates were disqualified. 20 members of former Parliament charged for questioning the disqualifications.
Islamic Democracy at work.