Judge to Mashaei: Explain your connections with British spies

Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, a senior manager during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency, stated during the second session of his trial that he wants to defend himself in a 'suit' and described the Revolutionary Court as 'incompetent.' Mashaei has been charged by the Revolutionary Court with three accusations: 'acting against national security, propaganda against the regime, and insulting government officials in the course of their duties.' Mashaei, who was Ahmadinejad's chief of staff, was arrested on March 15, 2018, after he burned Hamid Baqai's sentence in front of the British embassy in Tehran. The website Dowlat-e Bahar reported that Mashaei was brought to court 'by force' and that he had taken off his shirt and thrown it in a corner during the trial. Media close to the Revolutionary Guards, including Fars News Agency, used the term 'transfer' to describe Mashaei's presence in the Revolutionary Court on Sunday. The first branch of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Moussa Ghazanfari Abadi, was responsible for examining Mashaei's charges, and Ghazanfari Abadi announced that the former president's chief of staff had 'refused' to accept his indictment and had dismissed two of his lawyers without introducing a new one. Meanwhile, Mashaei claimed that he had 'not read the indictment' and added that 'they did not allow me to see my lawyers.' IRIB reported that Mashaei, like in the first session, intended to disrupt the order of the session and disrespect the court, which led to a warning from the judge. According to reports, Judge Ghazanfari Abadi asked Mashaei, 'Mr. Mashaei, why did you want to see Jason Rezaian? Who are Pantea Fiyouzi and Azita Shafazand? Why did you not receive the indictment on Wednesday? Explain your connection with British and Israeli spies; what connection did Leila Zend have with Britain? Why did the British security service tell you to theorize the process of using the social base of reformists?' The judge accused him of 'seeking the presidency through the hypocritical movement and the countries of Canada and Britain, making excuses, and in doing so, you are doing injustice to yourself.' Mashaei responded that 'I want to defend myself in a suit' and 'the court is not competent.' Ghazanfari Abadi reacted by saying, 'This is not the British embassy; this is a court. What difference do you and Mr. Baqai have from other people that you consider yourselves special?' The former chief of staff also rejected the court's proposal for a one-month extension to read the indictment and introduce a lawyer. Therefore, at the end of the second session of Mashaei's trial, the judge announced, 'Given the lack of a request for postponement, the last defense from the defendant has been taken, and the court declares the end of the proceedings, and the court's ruling will be issued at an appropriate time.' ISNA reported that another defendant in this case, Ali Akbar Javanfekr, Ahmadinejad's media advisor and former CEO of IRNA, 'neither attended the court nor introduced a lawyer.' Hamid Baqai, Ahmadinejad's executive deputy, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for 'embezzlement' and 'misappropriation of state funds' and has been in prison since March 13, 2018. He has repeatedly stated that he has gone on hunger strike in protest of his sentence. According to IRNA, Mehran Abdollahpour, Baqai's lawyer, announced on Sunday, September 2, that the court session was held without his client’s presence. He stated that the case was formed with two charges of insulting officials and spreading falsehoods, adding: 'Both charges relate to Baqai's statements upon his return to Evin after his medical leave, where he said that people do not know what is happening in prisons (spreading falsehoods) and that he accused the head of the judiciary of being oppressive (insulting officials).' Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly questioned the entire structure of the Islamic Republic and the 'justice' of the judiciary in open letters and various speeches following the arrest of his senior government officials.