WORLD> Middle East
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Iran resumes trial of election protestors
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-09 10:24 The first hearing in the mass trial of about 100 arrested protestors and activists, including former vice president Mohammad Ali Abtahi, was held on August 1. The second hearing was to be held on Thursday, but it was postponed until Saturday due to a demand by the lawyers of the accused.
Charges against the arrested people included "being connected to the terrorist groups, bombing, carrying weapons, raiding the police, Basij (voluntary militia), universities and military bases, sending images to the enemy, organizing vandals and rioters, damaging public and governmental centers," according to IRNA.
Protests gripped Tehran and other Iranian cities after the June 12 presidential election, amid claims that the vote had been rigged in favor of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iran's state media said about 30 people had been killed in relevant clashes, including some in custody. More than 1,000 protestors and dozens of reformist activists were reportedly arrested in the wake of the disputed election. The authorities said most of them have been released.
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