Iran top judge rejects "political" hanging pressure
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Iran's judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's top judge said on Monday he would not succumb to political pressure from hardliners to carry out more executions against anti-government protesters, saying any such decision would be based on the law.
Iran hanged two people last week in connection with unrest that erupted after last year's disputed June presidential vote. The hangings were condemned by human rights groups and the West, which Iran accuses of backing the opposition.
"These demands (by hardliners) are political in nature and are against the law and Sharia," Sadeq Larijani was quoted as saying on the judiciary's official website Dadsara.
Some hardliners, including an influential cleric, have urged the judiciary to execute more opposition supporters to end the demonstrations which continued on-and-off despite a government crackdown and a wave of arrests.
Larijani, however, did not rule out further executions of those who "harm the Islamic establishment."
"In reviewing detainees' cases, we will only consider the law and Islamic Sharia law (which Iran implements since its 1979 Islamic revolution)," he said.
The two were accused of being part of an anti-revolutionary group that had planned to plant bombs and assassinate officials to create tension in Iran on election day and afterwards. Death sentences against nine others are at the appeal stage.