Iran opposition figure goes on trial — report

An Iranian opposition figure who had been living in exile before being arrested in a Revolutionary Guards operation has gone on trial in Tehran, Fars news agency says.

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

Iranian regime's agents have kidnapped & captured Ruhollah Zam, an exiled Iranian journalist.

Zam exposed the evil secrets of the Iran regime since his father is a Shiite cleric who worked for the regime in the 1980s.

We need more heroes like Ruhollah Zam. #IranRegimeChange pic.twitter.com/BXlf7CE81I

— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) October 15, 2019

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

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

Iranian state television announces meanwhile that it will broadcast a “documentary” about Zam this evening.

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

— AFP