Trials Begin for Iranians Accused of Fomenting Post-Election Unrest

By VOA News 02 August 2009

Scene in Tehran court room where trials are taking place

A trial opened in Iran Saturday for about 100 activists and political moderates accused of trying to topple the country's government.

Prominent reformists arrested during the country's post-election unrest appeared in a packed courtroom in Tehran.

The defendants include former vice president Mohammad Ali Abtahi, former parliament vice-speaker Behzad Nabavi and onetime government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh.

Some defendants, including Abtahi, retracted their claims that Iran's June presidential election was rigged.

U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch says authorities have used harsh interrogations and beatings in an effort to extract false confessions from the detainees. And it says some prominent lawyers were recently arrested to prevent them from representing the defendants in court.

Abtahi's lawyer, Salih Nikbakht, told VOA, Kurdish service, he was not told about the trial before it started, and said he was barred from entering the courtroom when he arrived.

Mohammad Ali Abtahi (c) gives testimony at revolutionary court in Tehran, 01 Aug 2009 (Picture obtained from Fars News Agency)

The Fars news agency says Abtahi also denounced former presidents Mohammed Khatami and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani for trying to "take revenge" on re-elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The trial opened four days before Mr. Ahmadinejad is due to be sworn into office for a second term. Those on trial are facing charges related to mass protests following the June 12 presidential election.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

source: http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-08-02-voa1.cfm