Protesters in Iran charged with violence or “terrorist” activities will be given “priority for trial and punishment,” the head of the country’s judiciary said, according to state media.
His comments raise concerns for the thousands of people reported to have been arrested during mass anti-government demonstrations.
Mohseni-Eje’i had spent five hours at a Tehran prison reviewing the status and case files of those recently detained, state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported Wednesday.
He added that the trials of what he called “the main elements” among protesters will be held publicly.
Mohseni-Eje’i has been sanctioned by the United States and European Union for human rights violations against the Iranian people, including overseeing the detention and torture of activists, journalists and protesters.
More than 18,137 people have been arrested since the start of the current protests, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Concerns are mounting for 26-year-old Iranian protester Erfan Soltani, after the US State Department said Iranian authorities were planning on executing him today.
Soltani was not allowed a lawyer or a retrial after being sentenced to death, and his trial was rushed, according to a family member.
Rushed death sentences and sham trials are a common occurrence in Iran, experts have told CNN.
