Iran: France’s meddling in our judicial cases unjustifiable, lacks validity

Iran has rejected France’s meddling in its judicial affairs, saying investigations into and subsequent issuance of sentences regarding the crimes of Iranian citizens rests solely with the country’s Judiciary.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran does not accept any interference in its internal affairs,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Wednesday.

He added that only Iran’s courts have the jurisdiction to hear cases and issue verdicts on the crimes of Iranian citizens in fair trials and within the framework of the rules and civil rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

He noted that France’s meddling in Iran’s judicial cases was “unjustifiable and lacked validity.”

The remarks came a day after France’s Foreign Ministry said the recent death sentence issued by Iran’s Judiciary for Rouhollah Zam, the administrator of Amad News -- a counterrevolutionary website --  was “a serious blow to freedom of expression and press freedom in Iran" and described it as “unjust, inhumane and ineffective.” 

Iran’s Judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Esmaeili announced on Tuesday that the investigations into Zam’s case had been finalized, and that he had been found guilty of corruption on earth, among other crimes.

Admin of anti-Iran website gets death penalty for corruption on earth

The Iranian Judiciary sentences Rouhollah Zam, the administrator of the Amad News counterrevolutionary website, to death for corruption on earth.

“The court has considered 13 counts of charges together as instances of corruption on earth, and therefore passed the death sentence,” Esmaeili said.

“Regarding several other charges, he has been sentenced to life in prison, but the ruling is not final and can be appealed at the Supreme Court,” the official added.

Amad News was notorious for disseminating incriminating content against the Islamic establishment, insulting the sanctity of Iranian Muslims and publishing fake news in order to drive a wedge between the Iranian people and government.

The remarks come as France has already threatened to take a tougher stance with Iran after Tehran sentenced an Iranian-French academic to prison. 

Fariba Adelkhah, a 60-year-old anthropologist and researcher at Sciences Po's Center for International Studies (CERI) in Paris, was arrested in Iran in June 2019 on espionage charges.

Iran rejects France’s threats, says will brook no meddling in its judicial affairs

Iran’s Foreign Ministry dismisses any interference in its judicial affairs.

In October last year, Mousavi said that Iran’s national law does not recognize the dual citizenship of Iranian citizens, and thus Adelkhah is regarded as an Iranian national.

He, however, said that as an Iranian national, she enjoys full citizenship rights, adding that the Iranian Judiciary is carefully pursuing her case within the framework of the country’s fair trial law.

Mousavi said in his Wednesday remarks that the two Iranian citizens had been convicted based on their committed crimes and were now serving their sentences. 

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