Reformists dismiss 'sham' trials

Picture by Hossein Salehi via Fars News agency

Reformists in Iran have dismissed the trials of post-election protests as a "laughable show trial".

100 defendants appeared in court charged with rioting, vandalism and "acting against national security" along with "having ties with counter-revolutionary groups."

However, the country's reformist party, Mosharekat, and former President Mohammad Khatami comdemned the trials saying that any confessions would have been forced. Masharekat said that "even a cooked chicken" would laugh at the court proceedings.

Mir Hossein Mousavi, meanwhile, denied allegations that the protests were fuel by Western powers, on his website.

Hundreds of protestors were arrested during the anti-government demonstrations, 144 of which have now been released. Ayatollah Khamenei ordered the closure of one detention centre after allegations of human rights abuses.

Along with the hundred political prisoners currently on trial another 200 are charged with minor offences.