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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran MPs hail judgeÂ’s suspension in torture deaths
2010-08-31
TEHRAN - Iranian MPs have praised the judiciary for suspending TehranÂ’s former prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi over the torture deaths of three protesters in custody after last yearÂ’s presidential election, a newspaper reported on Monday.
Not nearly justice enough ...
Earlier this month, the judiciary announced the suspension of three high-ranking but unidentified judiciary officials, paving the way for their trial over the deaths in IranÂ’s Kahrizak detention centre.

“The suspension of the former prosecutor and two other judges accused in this case is comforting,” said 216 of 290 lawmakers in a statement published by the Shargh newspaper. “What happened in Kahrizak ... broke the heart of ... our Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei).”
No it didn't: Khamenei was in on it, ordered it, approved it, and protects those who did it. Mortazavi drew the short straw but they'll take care of him when people aren't watching ...
Kahrizak was closed in July on the orders of Khamenei after at least three people, arrested during the post-election unrest, died in custody there.

The son of an adviser to the defeated presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaie was one of the three detainees over whose deaths the judiciary officials face charges.

It was the first time in the history of IranÂ’s judiciary, established in 1908, that high-ranking judges had been suspended, the newspaper said. Under IranÂ’s Islamic law, a judge can be tried only after being suspended.

“Now that Mortazavi and the other two judges have no judicial immunity, they can be put on trial for their crimes,” said a lawyer who asked not to be identified.

In January, a parliamentary investigation found Mortazavi responsible for sending protesters to Kahrizak, a detention centre south of Tehran, demanding his punishment. After the investigation, Iran’s top judge demoted Mortazavi to a lesser position. Mortazavi rejected the inquiry, accusing lawmakers of “showing sympathy for a bunch of hooligans”.

Ahmadinejad, in a clear gesture of support, appointed Mortazavi as the head of an anti-smuggling committee.

Iranian police confirmed in August last year that serious violations had taken place at Kahrizak. The authorities initially said the detainees had died of meningitis, but the coronerÂ’s office denied this.
The broken bones, shattered skulls and bruises were not quite in keeping with a death from infectious disease ...
In June, two prison officials were convicted and sentenced to death for torturing and killing the three detainees. Nine other suspects were sentenced to prison terms and flogging.

Mortazavi was involved in the case of Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi who died in custody in 2003. He has ordered closure of dozens of reformist publications and sentenced dissidents to jail in the past 10 years.
So he's been a bad boy for a long time ...
Posted by:Steve White

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