Release of Abdollah Nouri from Prison - 2002-11-05

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran, granted clemency to Abdollah Nouri, the former Minister of Interior, who had been sentenced to five years in prison for political and religious dissent. Mr. Nouri is considered an active and prominent reformist. The Islamic Republic News Agency reports that the reason for his pardon was the death of Alireza Nouri, Abdollah Nouri's brother, in a car accident that occurred last week on one of the roads in northern Iran. Alireza Nouri was one of the reformist representatives in the Islamic Consultative Assembly. The former Minister of Interior is an ally and supporter of Mohammad Khatami, the President of Iran, who was convicted in 1999 by the Special Clerical Court for anti-Islamic propaganda and other charges. However, on Tuesday, Iranian authorities imprisoned Abbas Abdi, another prominent reformist. Mr. Abdi, a journalist and member of the Islamic Participation Front, was arrested after police searched his home in Tehran. A week prior, hardliners in Iran had accused the Future Research Institute, where Abbas Abdi worked, of publishing false polling results and receiving money from polling organizations based in the United States.