Dozens Complain of Abuse at Iran Jail

Reuters

Dozens of people have filed complaints of mistreatment at an Iranian jail where protesters were held after June's disputed election and seven arrests have been made, an official said in remarks published on Sunday. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in July ordered the closure of Kahrizak detention center south of Tehran, following reports of abuse of people who were detained in street unrest that followed the presidential poll.

At least three people died in custody there and widespread anger erupted as news spread of conditions in the jail. The authorities said last month the head of Kahrizak had been jailed, as well as three policemen who beat detainees. Mohammad-Kazem Bahrami, head of the Armed Forces' Judicial Organization, suggested in comments carried by the Etemad daily that further arrests had been made but gave no details on their identities or positions.

"Until Wednesday, seven people who were accused of being involved in the case have been detained," Bahrami said. He said the Judicial Organization was "seriously following the case of Kahrizak" and had urged people who had been hurt there to come forward and take legal action. "About 104 people have come so far and 90 of them filed their legal complaints," Bahrami added. Etemad's report made no mention of allegations by pro-reform cleric Mehdi Karoubi, who finished fourth in the presidential election, that some detained protesters had been raped.

On Saturday, a top judicial committee rejected Karoubi's accusation and called in a report for libel charges to be considered against anyone making such claims. Karoubi angered hardliners in August by making the rape allegations. He says he has handed over films and other material about abuse of three detainees to a parliamentary committee. Hardliners have called for Karoubi to be arrested or charged if he fails to back up his accusations.

Karoubi and opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi, who finished second, say the poll was rigged to secure President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election. Officials reject the charge. The election and its turbulent aftermath plunged Iran into deep internal crisis. Rights groups say thousands of people, including senior pro-reform figures, were arrested after the poll, though most have been freed.

Iran last month began mass trials of more than 100 people, including a former vice president and other former top officials, accused of fomenting huge opposition protests after the vote. A new court session is due on Monday, media said. The opposition says more than 70 people were killed in the unrest. Officials estimate the death toll at up to 36 people including members of the state's Islamic Basij militia. Hardliners have portrayed the opposition protests as a foreign-backed bid to undermine the Islamic system of government.