Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calls prison sentences of his relatives "cruel"; threatens the judicial system
In his initial reaction to the prison sentences of his relatives, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called them cruel and threatened that those who ordered, executed, and issued these sentences would soon be brought to justice.
In a video message, Mr. Ahmadinejad claimed that if those around him were part of the Bukh Bukh gang, no one would have anything to do with them, and claimed: "Soon a line of regretters and a line of apologists will form in this country, and soon a nation's court will be established."
A day ago, the Chief Justice of Tehran Province announced the sentencing of Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei and Ali Akbar Javanfekr, close associates of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Esfandyar Rahim Mashaei has been sentenced to a total of six years and six months in prison, of which five years will be served, on charges of "propaganda against the system," "gathering and colluding to commit a crime against national security," and "insulting judicial officials." Another case is pending in the judicial system regarding Mr. Rahim Mashaei's other charges.
Ali Akbar Javanfekr has also been sentenced to five years and one month in prison on charges of gathering and colluding to commit a crime against national security.
The arrests and prison sentences for political figures close to the former Iranian president came at a time when US intelligence agencies had predicted in a report in recent months an increasing conflict between political factions and politicians of different stripes in Iran.
According to this prediction, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, will continue to oppose changes in the Islamic Republic's policies towards reform and moderation.
Ahmadinejad and his close associates have long been the target of the wrath of the judiciary. While the crackdown on civil and political activists intensified during his presidency, Ahmadinejad and his close associates have been playing the role of protesters since leaving power.
Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei was a close associate of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his time as mayor of Tehran and his two presidential terms. Mr. Mashaei served as vice president for a time during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency, and then headed the president's office until 2012.
Ali Akbar Javanfekr was a close associate of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his media advisor. During Ahmadinejad's presidency, Mr. Javanfekr was the CEO of IRNA News Agency and the director of IRNA Press Institute.
In 2012, while he was managing the Iran newspaper, he was sentenced to six months in prison for publishing a special article about women, on charges of publishing material that violates Islamic principles, and another six months in prison for publishing material that violates public modesty.
The sentencing of these two individuals comes after Mohammad Reza Rahimi, Ahmadinejad's first vice president in the 10th administration, Hamid Baghaei, another person close to Ahmadinejad and his executive vice president in the 10th administration, and Saeed Mortazavi, head of the Social Security Organization in the 10th administration, were previously sentenced to prison.
In recent months, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly protested in letters against legal cases against people close to him and harshly criticized the judicial system, but the legal prosecution of cases against his close associates continued.
Source: Voice of America
