News

Updated: Wednesday, July 29, 2009

17:18GMT—1:18PM/EST

Washington, 29 July (WashingtonTV)—Around 20 people accused of rioting in the wake of Iran’s disputed presidential election last month will be put on trial next week, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The report said that they would face trial on Saturday.

They face charges including bombings, carrying arms and tear-gas, attacking security forces, sending pictures to foreign media, vandalizing public property and organizing rioters.

IRNA said that “at this stage, those who ordered the post-election riots will not be tried.”

On Tuesday, officials said that 140 people detained during the post-election protests were released from Tehran’s Evin Prison.

But about 200 others, accused of more serious crimes, remained behind bars, including 50 who are suspected of masterminding the riots, the Fars news agency reported.

However, Iran’s prosecutor-general, Qorban Ali Dorri-Najafabadi, said today that a “considerable” number of those arrested during the protests would be released by Friday, reports the ISNA news agency.

Meanwhile, defeated presidential candidates, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, today vowed to continue defying authorities and to pay their respects at the graves of slain protesters.

The two men had requested permission to hold a memorial event to ma... >>>