Mortazavi Busts the Cash

Mortazavi Busts the Cash

Former Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi, notorious for his nearly decade long spree imprisoning the country's independent journalists, is said to have emerged from court this week having secured 3 billion tomans bail (1 million U.S. dollars) in only two hours. Judicial authorities are trying Mortazavi for various offenses related to his role in the abuse and torture of prisoners at the Kahrizak detention center in 2009, as well as other charges concerning his stint as head of Iran's Social Welfare Organisation. It is unclear precisely what charges gave rise to such a high bail, but Mortazavi's ability to swiftly produce such cash were discussed widely online by Iranian media. Mortazavi denied to state news agency IRNA that he had been issued any bail at all.