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| Axis of Evil |
| Two MPs summoned to court for criticising judiciary |
| 2002-12-12 |
| Two Iranian reformist deputies have been summoned to appear in court for criticising the sentencing to death for blasphemy of dissident academic Hashem Aghajari, reports said Thursday. The reports said Mohammad Kianoush Rad, a young deputy from the southwestern city of Ahvaz, was the subject of a complaint filed by the Revolutionary Guards and hardline Basij militia. The MP had spoken out against the verdict, which has sparked widespread student protests, at Ahvaz university on November 18. After his speech, he was reportedly attacked and badly beaten by Basij members. Yep. Sounds like the Iranian version of civil, well-reasoned discourse... Another MP from the western city of Hamedan where Aghajari is being detained, Hossein Loghmanian, was also summoned over similar criticism of the verdict in a speech to the parliament. In January, Loghmanian was sentenced to six months imprisonment for "insulting the judiciary", but was pardoned by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following protests from the reformist-held parliament. Just as a matter of mechanics, if the judiciary can haul the legislators in because they're not happy with them, it seems only fair that the legislators should be able to haul the judges in, too. But I guess since anybody can be beaten up by the Basij, it all works out in the end. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |