Sentence for Former Industry Minister's Daughter; Destruction of One Billion Tomans Worth of Medicine at Personal Expense

The spokesperson for the 'Organization of Trade Violations' announced that a sentence has been issued and executed in the case of the daughter of Iran's former Minister of Industry on charges of 'hoarding medicine.' Some Iranian media had previously reported the discovery of a warehouse of medicine by the Organization of Trade Violations, stating that this warehouse belonged to a drug distribution company managed by Shabnam Nematizadeh, daughter of Mohammad Reza Nematizadeh, Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade in Hassan Rouhani's first government. According to the Mehr News Agency, the spokesperson of the Organization of Trade Violations said on Tuesday, September 6, that a sentence in the amount of 1.2 billion tomans had been issued and executed against the former minister's daughter. Mr. Raigani stated that according to this ruling, 'all medicines in this lady's warehouse have been destroyed at her own expense.' The figure of 1.2 billion tomans announced regarding the value of these medicines comes while the Shargh newspaper had previously reported that the value of the medicines discovered in this warehouse was about 6 billion tomans. However, this report did not specify how much of the medicines had expired and how much was still valid. The spokesperson of the Organization of Trade Violations stated that 'a large number of these medicines had expired' but 'were kept with the intention of being reintroduced to the market.' Shabnam Nematizadeh denied this accusation in an interview with Shargh newspaper, stating that she had informed the Ministry of Health about the list of medicines that had expired. Mr. Raigani also reported that another case against the former minister's daughter for 'smuggling 5 billion tomans worth of medicine' was not under the jurisdiction of the Organization of Trade Violations and had been referred to the Prosecutor's Office in Karaj province. He did not provide details on this case. Ms. Nematizadeh also denied reports that she had prior knowledge of the list of 'urgent' medicines before they were publicly announced. 'Urgent' medicines are those needed for special patients and cancer patients that must be distributed quickly. Previously, the economic activities of the children of some Islamic Republic officials had also become controversial. Zahra Ahmadi Danesh Ashtiani, daughter of the Minister of Education in Rouhani's first government, Yaser Ramin, son of Mohammad Ali Ramin, Nasser Vaez Tabasi, son of Abbas Vaez Tabasi, Mohammad Dari Najaf Abadi, son of Ghorban Ali Dari Najaf Abadi, and Mehdi Moghaddai, son of Morteza Moghaddai are among the children of Islamic Republic officials who have faced legal cases regarding their economic activities.