Details emerge about show trial detainees being denied their rights

Reporters Without Borders reiterates its condemnation of the Stalin-style prosecutions and trials of critics of President Mahmoud Ahmadinedjad’s reelection that are taking place in Tehran. “The defendants are being denied their most basic rights,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Not only are they not being allowed lawyer visits but the courts are rejecting the defence lawyers they choose. Only lawyers appointed by Tehran state prosecutor Said Mortazavi are being allowed access to the courtrooms.” Online journalist Kaveh Mozafari wrote to the head of the judicial system, Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi, on 10 August criticising the many violations of his rights that have taken place since his arrest on 9 July. “After a month in detention and an arrest warrant issued by the first chamber of the prosecutor’s office for security, I still do not know what I am officially charged with,” the journalists wrote in his letter. “I do not know on what basis I am being accused of activities against national security, disturbing public order and destroying public property. Like others, all I have been given is a copy of the arrest warrant.” Mozafari’s letter continues: “After a month in detention and the end of the interrogations and investigation, I am still waiting, despite the prosecutor general’s promise to finish the investigation of all the cases by 7 August. I was blindfolded during interrogation. I was not questioned about the charges but about my private life and my beliefs. The authorities deny using physical torture at Evin prison but the psychological pressure and violence is real. The basic rights of citizens in detention are being violated.” Four lawyers – Nassrin Soutodeh, Mohammad Mostafai, Abdolssamad Khoramshahi and Mina Jafari – wrote to Ayatollah Shahroudi on 11 August protesting against the fact that officials denied them access to the courtrooms on 8 August and told them the defendants already had a lawyer, one who had been assigned to them. Soutodeh said he was threatened with arrest. On 12 August, United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon received a letter signed by Iranian journalist Akbar Ganji and more than 260 intellectuals and human rights activists from all over the world – including Jürgen Habermas, Noam Chomsky and Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Jean-François Julliard – condemning the rigging of Ahmadinedjad’s reelection and urging the UN not to recognise it. The letter asked the UN secretary-general to propose the creation of an international commission of enquiry into the allegations of electoral fraud and to press the Iranian authorities to annul the results and organise new, free and fair, elections. It also asked him to demand the release of all those arrested during the recent demonstrations and to press the authorities to recognise the principle of free expression. Reporters Without Borders has meanwhile learned of the release of two of the detained journalists. Farhikhtegan reporter Esmail Hagh Parast, who was arrested on 22 June, was freed on 6 August. Photographer Majid Saidi, who was arrested on 11 July, was freed on 10 August.