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| Ex-Iran president attacks trial | Ex-Iran president attacks trial |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has criticised the trial of people accused of violence after June's disputed presidential election. | Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has criticised the trial of people accused of violence after June's disputed presidential election. |
| Mr Khatami's website said the trial would damage confidence in Iran's Islamic establishment, AP reports. | |
| More than 100 people went on trial on Saturday, including several leading reformists, on charges including rioting, vandalism, and conspiracy. | |
| The poll was won by incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. | The poll was won by incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. |
| But opposition groups alleged widespread vote-rigging. Post-election protests saw the largest mass demonstrations in Iran since the 1979 revolution, which brought about the current Islamic system of government. | |
| At least 30 people were killed in confrontations between demonstrators and security forces. | |
| Many protesters insisted that the main opposition candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi, was the real winner of the 12 June election. | |
| 'Against constitution' | |
| On Mr Khatami's website he expressed hope that Saturday's trial would not "lead to ignorance of the real crimes", the Associated Press reports. | |
| IRAN UNREST 12 June Presidential election saw incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected with 63% of voteMain challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi called for result to be annulled, alleging poll fraudMass street protests saw at least 30 people killed and foreign media restricted Profile: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Q&A: Election aftermath | |
| The BBC's Kasra Naji says the timing and scale of the trial came as a surprise and suggests Iran's leadership wants to send a message to stop any more protests. | |
| The AFP news agency quotes Mr Khatami as making more outspoken criticism of the trial. | |
| "What was done yesterday is against the constitution, regular laws and rights of the citizens," his office quoted him as saying. | |
| "The most important problem with the trial procedure is that it was not held in an open session. The lawyers and the defendants were not informed of the contents of the cases ahead of the trial." | |
| Some of the defendants told the court their earlier claims of fraud during the 12 June poll were baseless, official media said. | |
| But Iran's largest reformist party, Mosharekat, dismissed the court appearance as a "show trial and said the confessions had been forced. | |
| The defendants included supporters of opposition leaders Mr Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi - both defeated in the election - and aides of Mr Khatami. |