Protesters tortured to confess,says Moussavi

Irans Opposition leader Mir Hussein Moussavi accused authorities on Sunday of using medieval torture to extract confessions from protesters...

Irans Opposition leader Mir Hussein Moussavi accused authorities on Sunday of using medieval torture to extract confessions from protesters on trial over the wave of post-election unrest. Former President Mohammad Khatami also said Saturdays mass trial of 100 protesters was against the constitution,putting him at loggerheads with hardliners who accuse him and Moussavi of treason.

Another 10 people were brought before a revolutionary court on Sunday on charges relating to the massive street protests that erupted after hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejads bitterly disputed election victory in June.

The hardline wing took aim at both Opposition leaders,accusing them of leading a velvet revolution while lodging a judicial complaint against Moussavi.

The scenes that we saw were a clumsy preparation for the launch of the 10th government, Moussavi said on his website about the trial. They expect a court,which itself is fraudulent,to prove that there was no fraud committed in the election, said Moussavi. What are they trying to convince people of8230; by relying on reports from reporters nobody has heard of and relying on confessions which bore the hallmarks medieval-era torture? he asked.

His comments came after some top reformists,including a prominent Khatami aide,made a dramatic reversal at the trial,saying Ahmadinejads victory was clean and that they had been pushed into demonstrating against the results.

Khatamis office quoted him as saying the trial was against the constitution,regular laws and rights of the citizens. Khatami,who served as president before Ahmadinejad in 2005,said the court had relied on confessions taken under certain circumstances which are not valid.

Those on trial face charges including rioting,vandalism,having ties with counter-revolutionary groups and plotting to launch a velvet revolution.

AHMADINEJADS PRESS AIDE RESIGNS

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TEHRAN: A press adviser to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has quit to give the Iranian President a freer hand in his new cabinet appointments following his June election victory,ISNA news agency reported on Sunday. The President is examining necessary changes in the cabinet8230; ethically I see it my duty to step down to give him a free hand to appoint an efficient person to this post, Ali Akbar Javanfekr said. I have not nominated myself for any new posts. AFP

IRAN DETAINS THREE AMERICANS

SULAIMANIYAH IRAQ: Iran has confirmed that it has detained three Americans who were in the area of the Iranian border while on a hiking trip,Kurdish officials said on Sunday. The US State Department has said it was looking into the situation. The Kurdish regional governments envoy to Washington,Qubad Talabani,said the three were tourists. He said they had mistakenly crossed into Iranian territory on Saturday at the border town of Ahmed Awaa. AP