Ali-Zamani: Iran’s First Post-Election Death Sentence

Has been issued by the Iranian revolutionary court to Iranian activist Mohammad Reza Ali-Zamani, 37, following a conviction on the grounds of muhabereh (taking up arms against Iran’s Islamic system).

Ali-Zamani admitted working for the exile group the Iran Monarchy Committee during the public mass trials that commenced in August.

According to prosecutors, Ali-Zamani plotted political assassinations with US military officials in Iraq before returning to the Republic with the aim of “causing disruption during and after the election”.

He is further accused of meeting an American called “Frank” in Irbil and trading information on Iran’s domestic conditions in return for money.

It is further alleged that he received instructions on how to build a chemical weapon and furnished two US military officers “Mike” and “Robert” with details on Iranian officials targeted for assassination.

It goes on and inexorably on, though it has been argued that despite the bluster the prosecution has very little tangible evidence to go on.

Given that torture is the instrument du jour in Iranian trials and justice conspicuous in its absence, it is unlikely the fact that the man is potentially innocent will stay the hand of the executioner.

And so another innocent civilian dies in the name of political rights and personal liberty and the senseless machine that is the Iranian government grinds ever onwards, with impunity.