Iranian Majlis Speaker, Mehdi Karroubi Sunday strongly criticized the recent death sentence against academician and writer Hashem Aghajari, and vowed the issue would be resolved soon.
"I, as a cleric and the spokesman of religious dignitaries with whom I have contacted, announce my hatred and disgust at this 'shameful verdict'," Karroubi said before the Majlis open session, according to IRNA. He further called on the political parties to keep calm regarding the verdict against Aghajari, voicing assurances that the issue is already solved and would be terminated soon.
The Majlis speaker said Aghajari's death sentence affected the whole system and the Islamic Revolution, and hoped such cases would never be repeated in the future. According to Karroubi, the Judiciary must consider the consequences of Aghajari's verdict, warning that it could harm the image of the country and Shi'ism.
"We all called for the issue to be terminated, and urged the religious authorities and the Judiciary not to pursue the issue," he aired. "But regretfully a certain part of the political parties and the Judiciary did not heed our urge."
He said it had been earlier decided that Aghajari's case be closed after he apologies in that connection in a letter, and regretted that certain parties worsened the issue to turn it into a 'bitter and very ugly incident.'
"I declare that the verdict only signifies the idea of a judge, while other judges, the Judiciary, and religious authorities do not accept it, and never consider Aghajari as an apostate," he said. (Albawaba.com)
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