Trial of eight environmental activists in Tehran
The trial of eight environmental activists was held in closed session at the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided over by Judge Salavati. A portion of the indictment was read out in court. No further details about the court session were released.
IRNA news agency reported on Wednesday, January 30, that Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided over by Judge Salavati, held a closed-door trial of eight environmental activists. According to the news agency, the environmental activists’ appointed lawyers were present at the court session, and a representative of the Tehran prosecutor read out part of the indictment in the case.
Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, the lawyer defending two environmental activists, told IRNA that "the reason for summoning the defendants to the court branch is still unclear."
Mr. Aghasi, the defense attorney for environmental activist Sam Rajabi, said that contrary to what the Judiciary Media Center announced, he was prevented from entering the courtroom as his client's designated attorney.
Agassi also said that the remaining defendants used lawyers trusted by the head of the judiciary.
IRNA explained about the “environmental defendants”: “The so-called environmental activists case has eight defendants, four of whom have been indicted on charges of corruption on earth, three on charges of espionage, and one on charges of gathering and colluding against national security. The four defendants in this case were initially charged with espionage, which was later changed to corruption on earth.”
Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei had previously announced in November of this year that the title of the indictment against the environmental activists had been changed. According to Ejei, the initial title of the charge against these individuals was “espionage,” and according to Article 286 of the Islamic Penal Code, some espionage can even amount to “corruption on earth.”
Ejei also said that the tools and equipment of environmental activists were examined, and based on the report of experts from the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the confessions of the defendants, these individuals were found to be subject to Article 286 of the Islamic Penal Code.
Source: DW
