Iran opposition activist accused of stoking protests said to go on trial

Ruhollah Zam was living in exile in Paris, where he ran a social media channel; he was arrested by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

TEHRAN, Iran — An Iranian opposition figure who had been living in exile before being arrested in a Revolutionary Guards operation went on trial in Tehran on Monday, Fars news agency said.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the arrest of Ruhollah Zam in October, describing him as a “counterrevolutionary” who was “directed by France’s intelligence service.”

It did not specify where he was arrested.

Zam, who reportedly lived in Paris, ran a channel on the Telegram messaging app called Amadnews.

He was accused by authorities of playing an active role in anti-government protests sparked by economic hardship during the winter of 2017-18.

Telegram shut down Amadnews in 2018 after Iran demanded it remove the account for inciting an “armed uprising.”

At Monday’s court hearing, the prosecution read Zam’s indictment containing 15 counts, said Fars, which is close to ultra-conservatives.

Iranian state television announced meanwhile that it would broadcast a “documentary” about Zam on Monday evening.

Amnesty International has repeatedly called on Iran to stop broadcasting videos of “confessions” by suspects, saying they “violate the defendants’ rights.”