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Iran officials arrest 7 alleged US operatives ahead of scheduled protests

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Iranian authorities have arrested seven for allegedly planning to provoke rioting on February 11, the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, including several in the employ of the US Central Intelligence Agency, according to a statement released Sunday by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security. The seven people detained were said to be linked to the US-funded Radio Farda, a Prague-based Persian language radio station that has been blocked by the Iranian government, and was described in the statement as a counter-revolutionary and Zionist satellite channel. According to Iranian authorities, the seven were trained in Dubai and Istanbul and played a key role in the anti-government protests held in Tehran last December, during the Shi'ite holy day of Ashura. According to authorities, they were to flee the country after February 11. Last week, Fars News Agency reported that Iran will soon execute nine people for their roles in last summer's post-election protests. The nine protesters were charged with the capital crime of moharebeh, which means waging war against God. Two others were executed for the same crime last month. Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has condemned the hangings, which he views as being aimed at deterring protesters from taking to the streets during the coming anniversary. The Iranian government has faced significant international scrutiny for its handling of the post-election protests and treatment of thousands arrested as a result. Last month, Amnesty International labeled human rights violations committed by the Iranian government following the election among the worst of the past 20 years. In September, human rights groups called for the UN General Assembly to appoint a special envoy to investigate allegations of rights violations. Alleged human rights abuses of detainees include sexual assault, beatings, and forced confessions.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on February 07, 2010 (boomark / email).