Saaed Mortazavi Arrives in Court

Former Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi arrived in court on Monday, September 1, facing charges of embezzlement and corruption. During his time as head of Iran’s Social Security Fund, Mortazavi was accused of giving a number of contracts to a firm operated by a businessman who had allegedly been involved in a string of illegal and corrupt oil deals. Under Mortazavi’s watch, the Social Security Fund was also accused of issuing gift cards worth billions of rials to officials linked to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s administration.

Today’s hearing took place in a court specially designated for trials against government or former government employees. Mortazavi also faced trial at the beginning of 2013 for his part in the deaths of at least three pro-democracy protesters in 2009, when he was Tehran’s prosecutor. No outcome on the trial has been reached, and it’s widely believed Mortazavi will not face charges for the deaths at Kahrizak Detention Center, or for the arrests of dozens of other protesters at the time. The Canadian government also condemned Mortazavi for his role in the 2003 arrest and detention of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi, who died in prison after being tortured.

Mortazavi is also known for being a serial censor, having shut down a number of newspapers during his time at prosecutor. 

Source:

Fars news agency