Zarif's Court Appearance Postponed, Safarzai's Trial Held

Isa Saharkhiz's lawyer has announced that the trial of this imprisoned journalist has been postponed from Saturday to another date. Meanwhile, the website Kaleme reported that Saman Safarzai, another imprisoned journalist, was tried on Saturday, March 15, on charges of 'propaganda against the regime.' According to ISNA news agency, Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai, Isa Saharkhiz's lawyer, reported on Saturday, March 15, that his client's trial was supposed to take place in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mohammad Mogheiseh, but the session was 'rescheduled.' According to Mr. Alizadeh Tabatabai, the trial session is expected to be held by the end of the year, with the date to be announced. Mr. Alizadeh Tabatabai's statements come as Saham News, close to Mehdi Karroubi, reported that Isa Saharkhiz's trial was held for 'only 5 minutes' and 'without his lawyer's presence.' The website stated that Mr. Saharkhiz has 'suffered a severe weight loss of about 20 kg and is in poor health due to medication and lack of food.' Mehdi Saharkhiz, Isa Saharkhiz's son, had previously reported that his father has been on a 'dry hunger strike' since February 11. Regarding Isa Saharkhiz's case, Mr. Alizadeh Tabatabai stated on Tuesday, January 31, that despite the investigating judge's opposing view, based on the prosecutor's and the head of Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court's opinion, his client and Ehsan Mazandarani, another imprisoned journalist, have been charged with heavier crimes such as 'acting against national security through assembly and collusion' and 'insulting officials.' According to Mr. Alizadeh Tabatabai, the investigating judge believed that the actions of these journalists only constituted the charge of 'propaganda against the regime,' but the prosecutor argued that these actions, in addition to 'propaganda against the regime,' also constituted charges of 'acting against national security through assembly and collusion' and 'insulting officials' of the Islamic Republic. Isa Saharkhiz, Ehsan Mazandarani, Afrin Chitsaz, and Saman Safarzai were arrested on November 2. Regarding Mr. Safarzai, however, the Kaleme website, close to Mir Hossein Mousavi, reported on Saturday in a brief news item that he was tried in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court on charges of 'propaganda against the regime.' The IRGC had announced after the arrest of these four journalists that they had arrested 'members of a Western government infiltration network.' Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's Attorney General, also referred to these journalists on Wednesday, November 2, as 'an infiltration network in the media and social networks' and also as 'spy elements and American mercenaries.' However, on the same day, Hassan Rouhani, Iran's President, warned that 'the word infiltration should not be played with.' In this regard, Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, also confirmed that the aim of these arrests was 'political settlement,' and Ali Motahari, a representative from Tehran in the parliament, expressed concern that the aim of these arrests was 'to create fear in journalists' expression before the elections.' In this context, Saman Safarzai's trial will be 'held.' Reporters Without Borders: Isa Saharkhiz's life is in danger. Isa Saharkhiz, an imprisoned journalist, has gone on a dry hunger strike. Disagreement between the investigating judge and the prosecutor regarding the charges against two imprisoned journalists. Concerns about Isa Saharkhiz's health in prison. Changing the battlefield of 'proxies'; war against the people in the streets of Iran. The first paragraph; the responsibility of the opposition and the possibility of radicalizing Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis.