Tehran Prosecutor: Some Officials Support Security Convicts Without Awareness

Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the Tehran prosecutor, criticized on Tuesday the support from members of parliament and other officials of the Islamic Republic for political prisoners, stating that it is presented under the guise of compassion, support for citizens' rights, and reminders to the judiciary. According to the Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary, Jafari Dolatabadi said during a meeting of the 'Council of Deputy Prosecutors of Tehran on the Implementation of Sentences': 'What has been reflected in the media these days is the support of some representatives and officials for certain security convicts, which is presented under the guise of compassion, support for citizens' rights, and reminders to the judiciary.' He pointed to the hunger strike of Arash Sadeghi and the reactions to it, stating: 'The prosecutor's representative has met with him several times and emphasized that to agree to his leave, he must end his hunger strike, but it is observed that on Twitter and other social media, from members of parliament to some city council members, support is shown for this security convict.' Jafari Dolatabadi questioned how some officials can support security convicts without being aware of the contents of their cases, stating that some officials support these individuals in such a way that it seems their letters and follow-ups will grant the convict leave. He continued: 'Officials must first be informed about the status of the cases of convicts before supporting or commenting on them.' He added that some officials support convicts without being informed about their cases, which is incorrect and can be exploited by the enemy. The same statements made by some officials regarding certain security convicts are echoed by some human rights organizations. Jafari Dolatabadi made these remarks just hours after Arash Sadeghi ended his hunger strike. Sadeghi had been on hunger strike for over 70 days demanding the release of his wife, Golrokh Iraee. Several members of parliament, a city council member, and the vice president for women's affairs had called for addressing the requests of this political prisoner. The Tehran prosecutor criticized the support from representatives and officials for those he labeled as security convicts, stating that if there are objections to the issued sentences, representatives can take action by sending a bill against them. According to Sadeghi's lawyer, he has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran for 'collusion and conspiracy against the regime, insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic, and forming an illegal group,' and is expected to be granted medical leave upon posting bail of one billion tomans. Jafari Dolatabadi also mentioned that '70 individuals convicted of espionage are serving time in Tehran's prisons.' He clarified that these individuals have provided information about the country in various fields, including nuclear, military, political, social, and cultural, to enemies. While this judiciary official reported the existence of 70 espionage convicts in Tehran's prisons, the judiciary rarely provides information about this category of prisoners in Iran. Shahram Amiri, who was referred to as a 'researcher' in Iran, was one of those executed for espionage in July of this year. Amiri disappeared during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia in June 2009 and returned to Tehran about a year later through the Iranian interests office in Washington.