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In trial, Hajjarian quits opposition party
Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:37:43 GMT
As Iran puts on trial many top Reformist figures allegedly involved in the recent post-vote unrest,
opposition activist Saeed Hajjarian announces resignation from his party.
“In his defense statement, Hajjarian resigned from the Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF),” Fars
News Agency reported on Tuesday.
The defense statement of Hajjarian, who suffers from partial paralysis, was read by another
member of the IIFP, Saeed Shariati.
“I have never been involved in cruelty and enmity towards the Iranian nation and the Islamic
establishment,” the statement read.
“I express my hatred with all the moves that threatened the country's security,” it added.
The fourth session of trials for those allegedly involved in the unrest sparked in the aftermath of
Iran's 10th presidential election was held in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran on Tuesday.
Top political figures as well as journalists and academics were among some 20 people in the
dock.
The prosecutor called for ‘maximum punishment' for Hajjarian ‘considering the importance of the
case'.
Iran has already staged mass trials of around 140 people on charges of conspiring with foreign
powers to stage a ‘velvet coup d'etat' using ‘acts of terrorism, subversion and a mass campaign' to
undermine the disputed vote.
The opposition and their supporters have condemned the trials as a ‘sham', arguing that the
detainees' confessions lack credibility as they may have been forced.
Iran's June 12 presidential election, which saw the disputed victory of President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, resulted in widespread protests across the country, with thousands being arrested
on charges of attempting to overthrow the government.
Hajjarian, a Reformist editor and advisor to former president Moham mad Khatami, is said to be
one of Iran's most influential intellectuals and ‘the brain of the reformist movement'.
In 2000, he survived an unsuccessful assassination attempt by extremist elements, and has been
left semi-paralyzed ever since.
He was arrested shortly after the vote.
SF/AKM
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