Trial of Three Public Opinion Experts in Tehran - 2002-12-03

The trial of three Iranians whose work involved public opinion assessment has begun in Tehran, accused of espionage and disseminating false surveys about public opinion in Iran. Portions of the 400-page indictment against the defendants, named Hossein Ghazian, Abbas Abdi, and Behrouz Gharanpaye, were read in court, which was held with the presence of a judge and some spectators but without a jury. A series of charges have been attributed to them in connection with a public opinion survey prepared and published by these three individuals. Their report, based on the public opinion of Iranians, indicated that most people in Iran desire renewed dialogue and understanding with the United States. The defendants have acknowledged that they prepared that public opinion survey with the approval of Mohammad Khatami, the reformist President of Iran, but denied other charges. Their findings have angered hardliners within the Islamic Republic regime, as they portray the U.S. as the 'Great Satan' and an enemy of the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Republic police have shut down institutions involved in conducting that public opinion survey. Reformist members of parliament claim that the initiation of this case has political motivations, and Mr. Khatami has assigned a special committee to monitor and oversee the trial proceedings.