Tehran Prosecutor's Office Considers Accusing Khuzestan Governor of Receiving Bribes "Illegal"
Following the court's investigation into the charges against Omid Asadbeigi, CEO of the Hafte Tapeh Sugarcane Company, and his statements about paying "bribes to the governor of Khuzestan and his wife," the Tehran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office warned that charging this government official is "unjustified and lacking legal legitimacy."
A number of conservative media outlets recently reported on Mr. Asadbeigi's closed-door trial that he paid the governor's wife $20,000 for one of the governor's and his family's trips, and also paid the governor's wife $200,000 through an intermediary.
Omid Asadbeigi is the first defendant in the case investigating “state currency violations.” He, along with 20 others, are accused of “disrupting the country’s currency and monetary system through major currency smuggling and unauthorized transactions in state currencies.”
However, Gholamreza Shariati, the governor of Khuzestan, called the accusation of receiving a bribe from the CEO of Haft Tappeh Sugar Company "false" and promised that "everything will be clarified" soon.
On Monday, June 25, the Tehran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office issued a statement stating that the issue of charges against the governor of Khuzestan "has not been raised" in this judicial institution, and therefore "charging him is unjustified and lacks legal legitimacy."
Referring to reports about the Omid Asadbeigi trial and the naming of Allamreza Shariati, the announcement states that "the attribution of any accusation or inappropriate information to individuals can only be relied upon if it has gone through its legal process."
The Tehran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office ultimately warned those present at Mr. Asadbeigi's trial that they "must observe legal and ethical standards and avoid publishing the content of the court session, especially regarding individuals for whom a judicial decision has not yet been made."
Gholamreza Shariati has not yet responded to reporters' questions about this accusation.
Source: Radio Farda
