Motahari Calls for Public Trial of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Ali Motahari, the Deputy Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, has called for a public trial of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, stating that he and his associates are 'not at the level' to be considered part of opposition groups. Meanwhile, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Ahmadinejad's chief of staff during his presidency, accused the judiciary of becoming 'a tool for exerting authority and consolidating the power of certain individuals and groups through confrontation and suppression of dissenting and critical individuals and groups.' On Wednesday, December 6, Motahari emphasized in an interview with ISNA news agency that Ahmadinejad's court should be held publicly so he can answer for his 'violations' and 'illegal actions' during his presidency. The Deputy Speaker also responded to a question by stating that 'the owners of the Zanbiliyeh sect are not at a level to be considered opposition in the country.' After Hamid Baghaei, Ahmadinejad's executive assistant, presented his defense in a red basket during a court session, the judiciary's news site, Mizan, referred to Ahmadinejad's associates as 'the Zanbiliyeh sect.' On December 9, Motahari had also called for the public trial of Ahmadinejad, Baghaei, and Mashaei in an interview with the 'Etemad' newspaper. He also mentioned the possibility of Ahmadinejad having access to documents from 'influential individuals' in the Islamic Republic, suggesting that he might have had access to certain files while serving as the head of the Ministry of Intelligence after the dismissal of Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei in 2009, although he stated he had no specific information. A case has been opened against Ahmadinejad in the Iranian judiciary for several years, but his trial has been postponed multiple times and has not yet taken place. Previous reports indicated that rulings against Ahmadinejad had been issued by the Court of Audit, and on November 30, Fazel Mousavi, a representative from Zanjan in the eighth parliament, announced that the Court of Audit had issued '11 definitive rulings' against Ahmadinejad. The Court of Audit, a supervisory body affiliated with the parliament, can issue rulings such as 'dismissal from public service' against government officials. The court sessions for Hamid Baghaei and Habibollah Khorasani, the financial officer of the presidency during Ahmadinejad's term, have been held, but their verdicts have not yet been announced. These two officials, along with Ali Akbar Javanfekr, Ahmadinejad's advisor, have been summoned in another case on charges of 'propaganda against the regime and spreading falsehoods to disturb public opinion.' In the meantime, the website 'Dolat Bahar' published Mashaei's letter to Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesperson for the judiciary, written on December 3. In this letter, he described the actions against Baghaei and other close associates of Ahmadinejad as a continuation of a 'half-finished political-judicial operation' designed to 'disable' the tenth government. Mashaei also accused the judiciary of attempting to 'suffocate' the protests of Ahmadinejad's associates against its behavior 'in the bud' through intimidation and threats. He stated that the 'negative mindset' towards the judiciary has been formed in the minds of the people for years and has continuously developed and deepened over time, reaching a very high level currently. The head of Ahmadinejad's office emphasized that the judiciary has become 'a tool for exerting authority and consolidating the power of certain individuals and groups through confrontation and suppression of dissenting and critical individuals and groups' in the public perception, especially among political, social, cultural, artistic, and economic elites. In 2011, following reports about the potential arrest of Mohammad Reza Rahimi, the first vice president, and Hamid Baghaei, Ahmadinejad stated that 'the cabinet is a red line; if they want to infringe upon it, I must fulfill my legal duty, and this will certainly harm the country.' The Supreme Leader and the institutions under his supervision had consistently supported Ahmadinejad and his government until the issue of the dismissal of Heydar Moslehi, the Minister of Intelligence, arose. However, after the dismissal of the Minister of Intelligence and the infamous '11-day house arrest' of Ahmadinejad, some close associates of Ayatollah Khamenei began to attack him. In this letter, Mashaei also stated that the judiciary, by adopting non-revolutionary, un-Islamic, political-factional positions and repeatedly violating the constitution and ordinary laws, has not only failed to prevent crime and corruption but has also destroyed many remedial and compensatory opportunities. He added that 'the cumulative effect of these factors and personal behaviors, along with some rumors circulating in society about judicial officials, has led to a weakening of their social credibility.' Recently, Ahmadinejad and his associates have used terms such as 'oppressor,' 'dictator,' and 'deviant' to describe judicial officials.