HRW: Iran: New Judiciary Chief Should Tackle Rights Abuses!

For Immediate Release
Iran: New Judiciary Chief Should Tackle Rights Abuses
Investigate Role of Top Officials in Post-Election Crackdown
(New York, August 28, 2009) –
The new head of Iran’s judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Ardishir Larijani, should immediately open an impartial investigation to determine the role of high-ranking officials in attacks on largely peaceful demonstrators and torture of detainees, Human Rights Watch said today.In a letter to Larijani, Human Rights Watch urged him to investigate those responsible for attacks that wounded hundreds of people and caused the deaths of dozens during the post-election protests, as well as a number of outstanding cases predating the elections. “This will be the most important test for Iran’s judiciary under Ayatollah Larijani’s leadership – does it have the political will to go after those responsible for violence against peaceful protesters and the torture of detainees?” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed Larijani to be the new chief of the judiciary on August 14, 2009. Larijani was previously a member of the country’s Guardian Council.
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http://www.hrw.org/node/85342