Iranian journalist who received death sentence may be freed

Radio Netherlands ^ | November 10 2002

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Iran's speaker of parliament, Medhi Karubi, has promised that the journalist and scientist Hashem Aghajari, who was recently sentenced to death, will be freed from jail. The speaker of parliament expressed his disgust at the verdict and emphasised that Mr Aghajari will be able to return to his family in the near future.

It is believed that Mr Karubi was referring to a bill passed on Sunday morning by the Iranian parliament, giving President Mohammad Khatami the power to suspend court rulings. In Iran there is a power struggle between parliament, which has a reformist majority, and the judiciary, that is controlled by conservatives.

Mr Aghajari was sentenced to death four days ago for allegedly insulting Islam. He had strongly criticised religious leaders. Earlier in the day arond 500 students demonstrated in Teheran against the death sentence.

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Ping

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http://www.irna.com/en/tnews/021110150006.etn00.shtml



Two Iranian MPs resign to protest Aghajari' death sentence

Tehran, Nov 10, IRNA -- Two MPs from the western province of Hamedan where a court early this week sentenced university professor Hashem Aghajari to death have resigned in protest to the verdict.

Hossein Loqmanian, whose imprisonment this year turned into an impasse between the Parliament and Judiciary, and Mohammad-Reza Ali-Hosseini formally submitted their resignation to the Parliament's
Presiding Board.