Mohseni Ejei: Interrogation of Some Individuals Involved in the Sedition Who Have Become Active Again

As the elections for the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts approach, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesperson for Iran's judiciary, announced the summons and interrogation of those whom he described as "individuals involved in sedition who have become active again." According to the IRNA news agency, during his weekly press conference in Tehran on Sunday, January 3, he reiterated the readiness of intelligence, military, and judicial agencies and their coordination to "warn and deal with illegal actions and crimes both in virtual and non-virtual spaces." Ejei also stated that "there were individuals from the sedition who have resumed their illegal and destructive activities, and these individuals have been summoned and interrogated at various levels." He added that these individuals were "reminded that if they continue, the response will be harsher, and they were released on relatively weak bail." The elections for the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts are scheduled to be held on March 26. In the rhetoric of conservatives and officials close to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, the protests following the announcement of the results of the 2009 presidential election are referred to as "sedition." In recent months, as these elections approach, officials and media close to Ayatollah Khamenei have accused reformists of laying the groundwork for another "sedition" and have warned about their electoral activities and the candidacy of figures close to them, such as Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of the Expediency Discernment Council, and Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini, in the Assembly of Experts elections. Mohseni Ejei did not provide further details about the summoned individuals and their interrogation; however, in recent weeks, reports have emerged of the summons of some reformist figures and activists to the IRGC intelligence or the prosecutor's office, warnings issued to them, or new cases being opened against them. In one of the latest cases, Mohammad Reza Khatami, the former secretary-general of the Participation Front and brother of former President Mohammad Khatami, was summoned to the IRGC on December 20. Khatami stated in an interview with the Jamaran website, affiliated with the Institute for the Compilation and Publication of the Works of Ayatollah Khomeini, that he was summoned due to his speech on December 7, and his case is being "completed" for "submission to the prosecutor's office." Prior to this, reports had emerged regarding the summons of Hossein Marashi, the spokesperson for the Construction Party, and the arrest of Faraj Kamijani, a member of the reformists' policy-making council. Additionally, in recent months, some reformist speeches have been attacked, including those of Mohammad Ali Najafi and Mohsen Mehralizadeh at Allameh Tabatabai University, Abdulvahed Mousavi Lari in Qarchak, Azar Mansouri and Jahanbakhsh Khajani at Shahid Chamran University in Ahvaz, and Azar Mansouri at Yasouj Azad University. In response to these attacks, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei has called on university officials to prevent speeches that "cause tension." The Iranian judiciary has also declared a ban on the publication of images of Mohammad Khatami, the former president, and actions are being taken against publications and media that report on him. Ejei also warned both virtual and non-virtual media to observe "standards" during his weekly meeting on Sunday. Previously, the Attorney General had also warned virtual media in this regard. Meanwhile, on Saturday, January 1, the Mizan news agency, affiliated with the Iranian judiciary, reported the renewed suspension of the reformist newspaper "Bahar." According to this report, the case against this newspaper has been sent to the Culture and Media Court. The report stated that the charges against Bahar are "propaganda against the regime" and publishing content that "damages the foundations of the Islamic Republic of Iran."