Iranian Scholar Sentenced to Die
A hard-line court has sentenced to death a prominent scholar and close ally of President Mohammad Khatami for insulting Islam’s prophet, his lawyer said Thursday.
Hashem Aghajari was found guilty of insulting Muhammad and questioning the hard-line clergy’s interpretation of Islam in a speech he made in June in the western city of Hamadan, said his lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht.
Nikbakht said his client, a leading member of the reformist political party Moujahedeen of the Islamic Revolution, also was sentenced to 74 lashes, banned from teaching for 10 years and exiled to three remote Iranian cities for eight years. Iran frequently issues such multiple sentences in cases where it wants to make an example of the accused.
Aghajari, 45, a history professor, was detained in August after a closed hearing. He remained in custody. Aghajari’s lawyer said he would appeal the verdict.
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