Arrest of the Editor-in-Chief of Ahmadinejad's Support Website and Conclusion of Baqai's Court Sessions

Simultaneously with reports of the arrest of the editor-in-chief of the government website 'Dolat Bahar,' close to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the court session for Hamid Baqai, former Vice President, concluded without his presence, and Mr. Baqai described this court as 'preordained' and 'directive.' The Dolat Bahar website reported that Mohammad Hossein Heydari, the editor-in-chief of this website, was arrested on Tuesday, November 21, after visiting the Cultural and Media Prosecutor's Office, and a bail of 100 million tomans was issued for him. Telegram channels close to Ahmadinejad reported on Wednesday, November 23, that the Dolat Bahar website and Ahmadinejad's official website were filtered due to publishing his remarks at the Abd al-Azim Hasani shrine in Shahr-e Rey. Although both websites are still accessible. Two days later, Amir Mohabian, the editor-in-chief of the Arya news agency, announced that this news agency was filtered due to the publication of a video of Ahmadinejad's speech in Shahr-e Rey. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, while among his three managers at the Abd al-Azim Hasani shrine, accused the judiciary of attempting a 'conspiracy' against him and his close associates through the arrest of Baqai, but Baqai has thwarted this 'conspiracy' by resisting pressures. On Wednesday, November 23, Baqai, while refusing to attend his court session, announced that he, along with Ali Akbar Javanfekr, Ahmadinejad's advisor, and Habibollah Khorasani, the former accountant of the presidency, would stage a sit-in in protest against the judiciary's behavior at the shrine. They ended their sit-in after an attack by forces known as 'plainclothes agents,' but Baqai did not attend his subsequent court sessions either. Meanwhile, ISNA news agency reported that the fourth session of Baqai's court was held on Tuesday without his presence, and the court sessions concluded. According to this news agency, the judge has conducted inquiries, and after receiving responses, a verdict for Baqai will be issued. In response to this news, Baqai tweeted: 'What conclusion of which trial! A flimsy indictment! A preordained court! A directive judge! A verdict ready to type! Thank you, gentlemen Sadegh Larijani, Sheikh Hossein Taeb, and Hassan Rouhani!' Baqai and Khorasani had previously filed a complaint against their judge with the Disciplinary Court for Judges. These two Ahmadinejad associates, along with Ali Akbar Javanfekr, had previously requested the Supreme Leader to appoint Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, head of the Expediency Discernment Council, to handle their case. Baqai was arrested in 2015 due to financial charges, and afterwards, Ahmadinejad's associates reported that he was released by the Supreme Leader's order. He was also arrested in July of this year and released on a bail of 20 billion tomans. Baqai, along with Ahmadinejad, had run for the presidential election in 2017, but the Guardian Council rejected both of their qualifications. The accusations against Baqai include 'requesting a total bonus of 300 million tomans for 16 government members,' 'assisting the International University of Iranians,' 'supporting the Iranian House Organization,' 'aiding the state newspaper Iran,' and 'colluding in contracts and transactions of five companies.' However, Baqai has denied these accusations, stating that the charges and evidence in his case are 'illegal.' Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, former President Ahmadinejad's chief of staff, also appeared in court on Tuesday on charges of 'insulting' the leadership, 'illegal appropriation of state property, insulting system officials, and spreading falsehoods,' and was released on bail. In this context, Baqai and Khorasani filed a complaint against their judge, Ahmadinejad again protested the judicial persecution of his former managers, and the sit-in of Ahmadinejad's associates at the Abd al-Azim shrine ended. 'Plainclothes agents' attacked Ahmadinejad's associates at the Abd al-Azim shrine. The three Ahmadinejad managers requested their case to be reviewed by Hashemi Shahroudi. The Dolat Bahar website was taken offline; Ahmadinejad stated: 'We oppose the Larijani brothers.' Baqai staged a sit-in at the Abd al-Azim shrine instead of attending court. Mashaei was summoned to the Revolutionary Court on charges of 'insulting the leadership and propaganda against the regime.'