Posted on 10/15/2002 3:36:44 PM PDT by knighthawk
TEHRAN, Oct 15 (AFP) - Iran's conservative judiciary has summoned two outspoken reformist members of parliament to answer a barrage of charges recently brought against them, press reports said Tuesday.
Fatemeh Haghighatjou is accused of "spreading lies, insulting Islamic Republic officials and anti-regime propaganda", IRNA reported without giving further details.
She has so far refused to appear before the court, sources close to her said.
Earlier this month Haghighatjou called on MPs to hold a national referendum if a conservative constitutional watchdog, the Guardians Council, blocks proposed laws to end the hardliners' stranglehold on power.
They "must directly refer to the people's vote instead of seeking arbitration by the Expediency Council", another unelected conservative-dominated body, which rules on disputes over legislation and almost invariably comes down against the reformists.
A national referendum would "show their determination to the people in defending the nation's lawful rights", which had been "largely violated", she said.
Haghighatjou was sentenced to 18 months in jail in March after protesting in a speech in parliament to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the arrest of a young journalist.
The other MP, Ahmad Bourghani, a member of the reformist-dominated parliament's presiding board, is expected to answer the summons on Wednesday.
His charges relate to his role as deputy culture minister in setting up a polling institute during President Mohammad Khatami's first term from 1997 to
The National Society of Public Opinion Studies, which is attached to the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance, conducted an opinion poll late last month that found 74.4 percent of Iranians favour dialogue with arch-foe the United States.
The poll drew the wrath of the conservatives and sparked judicial proceedings.
The judiciary ordered the closure of the the institute and hardline judge Saeed Mortazavi brought charges against the head of IRNA, which published the results of the poll.
Few days later, Bourghani told parliament the polling institute had committed no offence and demanded that the courts halt their proceedings.
"Bourghani told parliament the polling institute had committed no offence and demanded that the courts halt their proceedings."
Haghighatjou and Bourghani bump!
Yeah, that'd tick 'em off, all right. Fact is, we aren't the foes of the Iranian people at all - I've liked purt' near every one of 'em I've met. We are the inveterate foes of a fascistic, theocratic thugocracy and I for one will never apologize for it.
Somebody's hearing footsteps. Somebody else is a-catchin' up with them... Shouldn't be long now, months rather than years.
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