Fifth Day of Student Protests in Iran - 2002-11-13

On the fifth day of student protests in Iran, President Mohammad Khatami stated that the death sentence issued for a dissenting university professor was inappropriate and should not have been issued. This is the first time the reformist leader of Iran has commented on the court ruling against Hashem Aghajari. Aghajari was sentenced to death last week for questioning the role of clerics in the Islamic Republic. Aghajari, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, has informed his defense attorney that he is ready to die and does not intend to appeal the court's ruling. Meanwhile, thousands of students have protested for the fifth consecutive day in Tehran against the ruling against Aghajari, demanding freedom of expression and political reforms. These developments may indicate a show of strength from the moderate president against hardline conservatives. Last week, the Islamic Consultative Assembly approved two draft bills that could expand the president's powers. Khatami has noted that if conservatives attempt to obstruct the parliament's decisions, he will resign from his position. President Khatami, who was elected president twice with significant votes from Iranians in 1997 and 2001, has realized that conservatives, who control the judiciary, armed forces, and radio-television, are blocking his efforts to promote democracy in Iran. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most powerful figure in the Islamic Republic, earlier this week issued an indirect warning to parliament, the government, and the judiciary to resolve their disputes.