Baghaei: My Trial is Political

The second closed session of the trial of Hamid Reza Baghaei, the executive deputy of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was held on Sunday, October 22. Before entering the court, he stated that his trial is 'political.' According to ISNA news agency, Hamid Reza Baghaei added, 'Since 2011, a group came and said there is a deviant current and accused us of corruption.' When asked whether his complaints had been addressed, he expressed ignorance. On Sunday, he was accompanied by Ali Akbar Javankir, Ahmadinejad's media advisor, but he was not allowed to enter the court. The former executive deputy of the Iranian president is facing financial charges, and the first session regarding his accusations was held in Branch 1057 of the Special Court for Government Employees. Hamid Reza Baghaei was supported by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the presidential election on May 18 this year, but his qualifications were rejected by the Guardian Council. He was arrested in June 2015 amid the 'revelations' of officials from Hassan Rouhani's government about the 'corruption' of Ahmadinejad's administration and spent over 200 days in prison. The details of Hamid Reza Baghaei's case were not clarified by judicial authorities at that time, and no indictment was issued against him. His lawyer at that time cited 'embezzlement' as the reason for his client's arrest. Hamid Reza Baghaei was also arrested for the second time in July of this year. According to Ali Akbar Javankir, this arrest was carried out at the order of the investigator of his case in front of his home. He was released after 18 days upon providing a bail of 20 billion tomans. Upon his release from prison, Hamid Reza Baghaei launched a severe attack on the judiciary, calling Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesman for the judiciary, a 'liar' and stating that he would soon be 'overthrown.' These remarks led to the opening of another case against Hamid Baghaei. Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei had previously stated that Hamid Baghaei 'was in a suite that had a refrigerator, television, and sufficient light, and everything... better than some homes.' The spokesman for the judiciary also mentioned that a handwritten note from Baghaei exists, in which he wrote, 'I am very comfortable in this suite. It is better for me to stay in this suite than in general ward.' After Baghaei's second arrest, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a protest letter to the judiciary asking why, after seven and a half months of detention of his former deputy, he should be arrested again, calling this action a form of 'political maneuvering.' Ahmadinejad also wrote, 'During the seven and a half months, he was not even allowed to buy food from outside, despite knowing that he has digestive issues. For about five months, he was in the custody of the Ministry of Intelligence and did not see sunlight.' However, the spokesman for the judiciary accused Ahmadinejad of lying, stating that Hamid Reza Baghaei owes the Ministry of Intelligence for food that was obtained from outside. Meanwhile, according to Fayyaz Shajai, the head of the Court of Audit, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has seven definitive and enforceable sentences in this court, five of which are related to oil. Mohammad Reza Rahimi, Ahmadinejad's first deputy, and Ali Akbar Javankir, his media advisor, are among the senior officials of the previous government who have been imprisoned.