Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, an influential reformer, has rejected Saturday’s trial of 100 prominent activists and protesters who were arrested following the June 12 disputed presidential election. Khatami’s website, khatami.ir, said the “show trial” would erode confidence in the ruling establishment.
“The trial on Saturday was a show and the confessions are invalid ... What was called a trial was a violation of the constitution ... Such show trials will directly harm the system and will further damage public trust,” his website reported.
Khatami’s office quoted him as saying, “What was done yesterday is against the constitution, regular laws and rights of the citizens.” “The most important problem with the trial procedure is that it was not held in an open session. The lawyers and the defendants were not informed of the contents of the cases ahead of the trial,” he added.
Iranian authorities detained approximately 2,000 protesters and reformers during the weeks of demonstrations. All but around 250 have since been released.
