Mortazavi Responds to Arrest Warrant News: I Have Not Been Summoned or Invited

Two days after the lawyer for the family of Mohsen Rouhalamini announced the issuance of an arrest warrant for Saeed Mortazavi, the former prosecutor of Tehran, Mr. Mortazavi stated that he has not been summoned. According to "Borna", Saeed Mortazavi wrote in a note on Tuesday, March 5: "So far, no summons or invitation has been issued to me or my guarantor by the enforcement of judgments; therefore, if any action has been taken without following the legal procedures, I have been unaware of it, and it has been contrary to the law and the usual practice in the enforcement of judgments and legal procedures." Mir Majid Taheri, the lawyer for the Rouhalamini family, stated on Saturday that during his follow-up with the enforcement of judgments, he was informed that "an arrest warrant for Saeed Mortazavi, the then prosecutor of Tehran, has been issued for the execution of a two-year prison sentence for complicity in murder." Abdolhossein Rouhalamini, the father of Mohsen Rouhalamini, one of the victims of the 2009 Kahrizak detention center, previously announced that the prison sentence for Saeed Mortazavi in this case was communicated for execution last Wednesday. Mohsen Rouhalamini was arrested on July 9, 2009, amid protests over the announced results of that year's presidential election and was transferred to Kahrizak detention center, where he later died from severe injuries caused by beatings. In addition to Mohsen Rouhalamini, Mohammad Kamrani and Amir Javadi Far also died at Kahrizak detention center, and two others, Ramin Ghahramani and Ahmad Najati Kargar, also lost their lives after being released. In this case, Saeed Mortazavi, the then prosecutor of Tehran, had issued the order for the transfer of detainees to Kahrizak detention center and was one of the main defendants in this case. Mortazavi: I Take Pride in My Past. Saeed Mortazavi also wrote in his response: "I take pride in having served for many years in the most dangerous positions of the judiciary and, based on the judiciary's assessment, being recognized as a national exemplary manager in the role of Tehran's prosecutor, and I have always adhered to the laws and regulations of the country, and God willing, I hope to remain on this path." While Saeed Mortazavi has defended his record, recently, Ali Younesi, the Minister of Intelligence in Mohammad Khatami's government, accused him of ignoring the Ministry of Intelligence's report that Zahra Kazemi, the Iranian-Canadian journalist-photographer, was not a spy. Zahra Kazemi was arrested in 2003 outside Evin prison and later died. Her death severely strained relations between Canada and Iran. Following Ali Younesi's statements, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the Tehran prosecutor, stated on Sunday, March 4, that the case against Saeed Mortazavi regarding Zahra Kazemi's death is still open. Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi added: "The charges against the former Tehran prosecutor in the Zahra Kazemi case will be investigated in the Tehran Criminal Court." Saeed Mortazavi was a judge of the Press Court in Iran for years and issued orders to suspend dozens of publications and arrest many journalists.