Tehran Prosecutor: Presidential Advisor Has Insulted the Judiciary

The Tehran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor reacted on Tuesday, November 25, to the statements made by the presidential advisor at the Press Exhibition, calling Hesameddin Ashna's remarks "insulting." Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi stated in comments reported by the Tasnim news agency, "Mr. Dr. Rouhani, the respected President, made statements at the Press Exhibition, and then an individual insulted the judiciary in support of him, stating that several volumes of press law books should be sent to the judiciary. Such remarks from someone who claims to be familiar with legal issues are considered insulting." The Tehran prosecutor referred to the comments made by Hesameddin Ashna, the legal advisor to the president, who on November 20, at the Press Exhibition during the unveiling of the second volume of the book "Press Law," said: "I request the Press Affairs Department to donate a copy of Professor Kazem Motamednejad's Press Law book to the judiciary." The Tehran prosecutor emphasized: "Such statements, which are cloaked as insults to the officials of the judiciary, especially the head of the judiciary, will naturally provoke a reaction." According to the Mizan news agency, Mr. Dolatabadi, speaking at the "18th meeting of the Tehran Prosecutor's Deputy Council," also stated: "No one has the right to insult the branches of the country and officials, especially the head of the judiciary." The Tehran prosecutor believes that "the judiciary is the guarantor of the integrity of all institutions and should not be insulted" because "if someone undermines or insults the judiciary, it will pave the way for others as well." On another note, referring to the interview of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, head of the Expediency Discernment Council, with the Arman newspaper on Tuesday, he rejected this Iranian official's statements regarding the transfer of Mehdi Hashemi, his son, from prison to the hospital at the order of the Supreme Leader. Mr. Dolatabadi said: "The Tehran prosecutor's office completely denies this claim after reviewing and obtaining information from relevant officials." He further referred to news published in the media regarding the travel of some foreign actresses and models to Iran for surgery, stating that these reports were the basis for the prosecutor's office's actions in investigating the matter and forming a case. He added: "Recently, some news sites reported that a foreign model entered Iran for surgery, and following police investigations and the prosecutor's order, the individual involved was arrested, and during a search of the suspect's home, fifty bottles of alcoholic beverages were discovered." The Tehran prosecutor stated: "Performing cosmetic surgery in Iran is not a crime, but the entry of an individual who, according to reports, has been active in modeling and 'vulgar' matters warrants investigation." According to the Tehran prosecutor, "investigations revealed that there are companies that guide individuals entering the country from abroad and introduce them to such centers." In recent months, reports have emerged in the media and social networks about the travel of several foreign actors from 'porn' films to Iran, the most famous of which was the trip of Kennedy Charms, a British model and actress. These trips have provoked reactions from conservative media, which have accused the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Intelligence of "why there is no proper filter for the entry of foreigners into Iran." The Iranian Foreign Ministry claims that the travel of these individuals was conducted under another name. Hassan Qashqavi, the parliamentary and consular deputy of this ministry, stated: "Of course, such cases happen very rarely, and certainly when the electronic visa is launched, it is natural that we will face such cases."