60 detained in Iran accused of running "obscene" sites

Spokesman for Iran's judiciary, Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejei

Spokesman for Iranian judiciary, Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejei told a press conference today that 60 individuals have been arrested in connection with running "obscene" Persian websites.

Ejei added that these individuals had organized a network in Mashhad, Tabriz, Esfahan, Mazandaran and Shiraz.

These individuals, according to the spokesman for the judiciary, were arrested by the intelligence unit of the Revolutionary Guards and some were released on bail.

Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejei also went on to deny the charges made about the situation of political prisoners in the letter published by detained political activist, Abdollah Momeni.

Earlier, Abdollah Momeni published a letter describing severe forms of abuse and torture which he and some of his inmates have been subjected to and also claiming that his interrogators have told him that the judges have no say in his fate.

Ejei denied these charges saying “physical confrontation and harsh words” might have occurred during the arrests but in prisons there is no need for any abuse.

The spokesman for the judiciary also went on to condemn MirHosein Mousavi for his latest announcement on Saturday. Ejei maintained that the opposition leader has merely “added another document to the legal file against him and this individual and the likes of him will surely be prosecuted.”

Following the controversial re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, MirHosein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, his opponents in the elections, challenged his victory accusing the government of rigging the ballot. Islamic Republic hardliners have repeatedly called for the arrest of these two leaders for their refusal to accept the legitimacy of Ahmadinejad’s government.

While the state’s fierce reaction to street protests has put an end to demonstrations, the opposition leaders continue to issue statement and insist that the resistance movement against the current government is growing.

Mohseni Ejei also referred to the two detained German nationals, who were arrested while making contact with the son and lawyer of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the Iranian woman sentenced to stoning. He noted that the two Germans are suspected of espionage but indicated that they have not been formally charged yet.

He added that there have been no new developments in the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.