Ahmadinejad: Whistleblowers Against Baghaei Were Under Pressure and Wrote to the Leader

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claims that individuals who exposed Hamid Baghaei under pressure have written to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, and judicial authorities should publish their letters. Ahmadinejad made this statement in a video message published on the Government of Spring website. He referred to two clips totaling nearly eight minutes that the Mizan news agency, affiliated with the Iranian judiciary, released on Sunday, March 18. In these clips, several individuals, whose faces are not shown and are introduced as 'former deputies and managers of Baghaei in the Cultural Heritage Organization,' claim that he forced them to engage in 'fictitious document creation.' The Mizan news agency reported on the 'manifest and hidden dimensions' of Hamid Baghaei's case, Ahmadinejad's deputy during his presidency, presenting 'evidence' regarding 'fictitious document creation,' 'embezzlement,' and the 'billion-dollar bag' issue related to Baghaei. Ahmadinejad stated that 'if they had a small document against Mr. Baghaei, they would definitely hold an open court and publish it. There was no need to go and publish some materials from 2011 that have been proven false, and those individuals have come out and said they wrote under pressure.' He mentioned that these individuals 'wrote letters, their letters went to the Leader, and that letter is in the file, so let’s publish it; this behavior is ugly.' He expressed that he and his team have 'ideological and political disagreements' with the judiciary and other officials, calling for an open trial for Hamid Baghaei and Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, two senior managers from his presidency who are currently imprisoned. Hamid Baghaei, one of Ahmadinejad's closest allies, was transferred to prison on March 12, 2018, after being sentenced to fifteen years in prison, and according to his supporters, he has been on a hunger strike since then. Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Ahmadinejad's chief of staff, was arrested two days after he burned the court ruling against Baghaei in front of the British embassy in Tehran. Ahmadinejad, who had remained silent in the face of the crackdown following the 2009 protests, continued in his message to speak of 'hundreds' of men, women, and youth who have been pursued in unjust and oppressive ways. He stated, 'Today, many young people, hundreds of men and women who are protesting this situation, have been pursued in the worst way. Many of them have been arrested and imprisoned. Some have been shackled, some have been handcuffed. They have not recognized any rights for them. This is very bad.' The former president criticized that during the New Year, 'judicial officials go on leave, vacation, and travel, while they send the youth of the people to solitary confinement and under such interrogations,' stating that these actions 'have no end.' He urged judicial officials to be 'men' and engage in 'theoretical discussions' in ideological and political disagreements. The former president, whose opponents criticize his approach and debate style during the 2009 televised debates, told judicial officials, 'If the actions you are taking for the country are correct, logical, and defensible, then come and defend and debate.' He noted that some 'have settled in many government positions today. They think they are above the people. They think they are responsible for limiting people's freedoms. They think they should decide on behalf of the people.' Ahmadinejad added, without naming any specific individuals, that these people 'believe they have the right to eliminate anyone who opposes them.' While he continues to criticize various sectors of the Islamic Republic, his critics argue that the reason for his criticisms is the Supreme Leader's opposition to his re-entry into presidential competition, the arrest of his former managers, and pressure on some of his associates and supporters. Ahmadinejad has repeatedly stated that the judiciary has deviated from the 'path of justice' and is 'serving the desires and interests' of its officials. He has also written several letters to the Supreme Leader, severely criticizing the country's situation and calling for the dismissal of the head of the judiciary and 'immediate and free elections' in the country without interference from 'security institutions' and 'the engineering of the Guardian Council.' The former president has also issued a call for all individuals who have been subjected to 'oppression and injustice' in judicial cases to send their files and documents to his office. It remains unclear what actions the former president will take regarding these cases.