Iran to resume political trials

Press, 7 April 1979, Page 9

Iran to resume political trials

NZPA-Reuter Teheran Iran’s revolutionary Government has sanctioned the death sentence for political trimes, and said that trials of political prisoners could start immediately under new tegulations. The Teheran newspaper, *'Eteiaat,” reported that Amir Abbas Hoveyda, Prime Minister to the ousted Shah for 13 years, would be in the first group to be tried under the new rules antounced on Thursday. Infortned legal sources said the first trials were expected to begin today. At least 49 of the Shah’s officials were executed byfiring squads after the February revolution before Iran’s unofficial Head of State, Ayatollah Ruhollah 1 Khomeiny, last month sus- i pended secret trials and exe-i tutions. Word that political trials i lould resume immediately I was given by the Assistant Prime Minister (Dr Amir En-i tezam), who said the regulations had been approved by Iran's secret Revolutiontry Council. “Etelaat” said other members' of the group facing trials under the new rules Included the last head of the Shah’s Savak secret police,. General Nasser Moqadam, I the former Air Force Chief, > General Amir Hossein! Habi’i, the former Teheran! Mayor, Golam Reza Nikpay, snd the former head of Air Force counter-espionage, identified only as Genera! Berenjian. Punishments for those found guilty of anti-revolu-tionary acts, torture, consolidating the Shah’s rule and Other such offences include hanging, exile, imprisonment. and the confiscation of property. Verdicts must be carried’

1 out within 24 hours of a sentence being passed. The new regulations did j not say whether the accused I would be allowed a defence > lawyer, an idea derided by I Ayatollah Khomeiny in a rei cent televisioii speech. The right of appeal is given only ,Ito those tried in their abt'sence. :! Trials would be open to i i the public, unless the prei -siding judge — a Muslim I ! clergyman — decides other-j .wit the published text said. About 1300 political pris- ; loners are being held in ■ .Teheran’s main Qasr Jail, 'according to the public pros- : ecutor’s office and Iranian ■ human-rights lawyers. ] No figures for the total ■'number of political prisoners ’in Iran have been published so far. j Mr Hoveyda’s appearance [before a secret revolutionary | court last month brought a wave of protests from leadling politicians all over the world. It was reported to ■ have infuriated the Prime I Minister (Dr Mehdi Bazarllgan), a prominent humanI rights activist under the Shah. Dr Hoveyda was charged jion 17 counts at what was ; [officially later described as a • preliminary hearing. The [prosecutor demanded the .[death sentence for the forimer Prime Ministe/. who , ' was reappointed by the Shah II at the end of last year after an absence from ••'olitics. - Meanwhile a Government , official has said that orders for 4000 British super-Chief-tain tanks and several United States airborne radar unite were being cancelled. He added Iran “did not I need” submarines and frigates ordered from West Germany and the Netherlands. : Also’ unwanted were some fast small craft ordered from I France.