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Iran resumes trial of election protestors

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-09 10:24

TEHRAN: The second hearing for the trial of protestors and activists who were arrested after the disputed presidential election resumed in Tehran on Saturday, the official IRNA news agency reported.

A female French national and two Iranian staff members of the French and British embassies in Tehran were among the accused who were put on trial for their charges related to the post-election unrest, IRNA said.

Clotilde Reiss, the French national is tried at a revolutionary court in Tehran, capital of Iran, August 8, 2009, for connection with the unrest erupting after the country's disputed June presidential election. [Xinhua]

Clotilde Reiss, the French national, was arrested in Tehran on July 1 on charges of "collecting information and provoking rioters after the June 12 presidential election," the report said.

Reiss confessed her "mistakes" of participating in post-election protests in Iran and providing information to the French embassy, according to IRNA.

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"I took part in the gatherings for personal purpose and it was a mistake," Reiss said. "I did this out of curiosity... and no one had asked me to do anything."

She also said that she wrote a one-page report about the post-election situation in Isfahan and gave it to the cultural section of the French embassy.

"I apologize to the Iranian nation and the court and hope they will pardon me," said Reiss, who had been working as a lecturer for the Isfahan Technical University in central Iran.

Hossein Rassam, the British embassy's local staffer, and Nazak Afshar, an Iranian employee of the French embassy in Tehran, were also in the dock Saturday at the 15th branch of the Revolutionary Court.

Protestors are tried at a revolutionary court in Tehran, capital of Iran, August 8, 2009, for connection with the unrest erupting after the country's disputed June presidential election. [Xinhua]

Rassam, who worked as a political analyst for the British embassy in Tehran, "expressed his regret over the past activities and mistakes... and asked for forgiveness," IRNA reported.

Rassam told the court that he had been gathering information on post-election unrest for the British government, IRNA reported, adding that he has been charged with spying and "acting against national security."

Afshar also told the court that she was involved in post-election activities, including participating in opposition rallies, IRNA reported.

She has been charged with "provoking unrest and being involved in riots," IRNA said.

Ali Tajernia, a former reformist member of parliament, and Shahaboddin Tabatabaei, a senior member of the Islamic Iran Participation Front, were also put on trial Saturday.

An indictment read by Tehran's deputy prosecutor at the beginning of the second trial said Western states, Britain in particular, played a key role in recent street riots aiming at "soft overthrow" of the Islamic regime.

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