18 - 24 January 2001
Issue No.517
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 18 - 24 January 2001 Issue No.517 |
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Digging in
Last year was grim for President Mohamed Khatami and his drive to modernise the Islamic Republic of Iran. This year is likely to be even worse. In a harsh verdict representing the fury of the hard-line establishment at Iran's dissenting intellectuals, politicians and religious figures, eight of the country's most prominent reformers have been sentenced to between four and ten years for partaking in a political conference last year in Berlin.
The verdicts could damage Iran's improved ties with Europe, and come at a time when there is also serious domestic strife. Khatami has raised doubts about his wish to stand for a second term in the June elections. The question now is whether the trial, which has tarnished Iran's image abroad and sent eight more of Khatami's key supporters to prison, will be the knock-out punch to his credibility.
The 17 activists tried were arrested for their role in a conference that explored possible reforms in Iran. The conference was interrupted by opposition exiles in what conservatives say was a plot to overthrow the Republic, and reformists believe was in fact a conservative ploy to undermine their movement. The prosecution in the end convicted 11 of the 17 for undermining state security, among other crimes.
Investigative journalist Akbar Ganji received the harshest sentence. The best-known of the reformists, he had captivated the nation for months by exposing in a now-defunct reformist newspaper alleged state-sponsorship of a series of murders of political dissidents in the latter months of 1998. Ganji's investigation rocked the Islamic Republic to its core and is credited with bringing down the powerful former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Ganji will now spend ten years in prison, followed by five years in exile in a remote desert area in southern Iran.
Hasan Yousefi-Eshkevar, a well-known dissident cleric and hero to students, was sentenced some weeks ago, not by the same Tehran Revolutionary Court but the Special Court for Clergy. He was given the death sentence for undermining the Islamic Republic at the German conference.
Two translators, Said Sadr and Khalil Rostam-Khani, were jailed for 10 and 9 years, respectively.
Two of Iran's most prominent women activists, lawyer Mehrangiz Kar and publisher Shahla Lahiji, were both sentenced to four years. Kar faces prison despite being seriously ill with breast cancer, and has been denied the possibility of treatment abroad.
In a blow to the student movement, which has given the impression in recent months that it is becoming more radical, the court sentenced the most well-known student leader in the country, Ali Afshari, to five years. Long-time nationalist opposition activist Ezatollah Sahabi was given four and a half years.
Six defendants, including Tehran MP Jamileh Kadivar and publisher Hamireza Jalaipour, were acquitted.
The Berlin case has been viewed by Iranian analysts as an attack on Khatami's political and social reforms, a message by hard-liners that neither open political debate nor even a lawful opposition to the regime will be permitted.
Khatami is said to be engaged in private talks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei regarding the prospects for expanding his powers under a second term. Without clear support, it is doubted that Khatami will want to repeat the experience of his first term, namely powerlessness in the face of repeated setbacks and forced compromise on basic promises.
The severity of the verdicts was far greater than expected, especially considering political concessions Khatami has recently made. A hard-line backlash, which began after reformists took control of parliament last May, had been stepped up in the past two months and had seemingly climaxed with the forced resignation of liberal Cultural Minister Ataollah Mohajerani.
This week, President Khatami reminded parliament that the aim of the revolution was to make the will of the people of paramount importance. As the power-shifting continues during the six months preceding the June election, most Iranian analysts close to the reform movement still believe Khatami will run. However, Iranians who expected real change from their moderate president may have decided that there is nothing to gain anyway from getting the leader they want if he is not empowered to carry out the programme of reform.
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