AS we go to press a secret trial is taking place in the oil town of Ahwaz in Southern Iran. On trial are 14 members of the Iranian Socialist Workers Party, the Iranian section of the Burth Their crime: supporting Iran's nationalities, Arabs and the Azerbaijanis. lawyers have been permitted to attend the trial, and according to public prosecutor CHICECC HOJABR KHOSRAVI was also arrested with the other comrades, but later released. He is a member of the Central Committee of the SWP. Hojabr explained to Socialist Challenge the background to the attacks being directed against the Iranian Trotskyists:
"They accuse us of being everything under the sun. Agents of imperialism, and so on. But what is the real reason behind the attack on the the demands of that the Kurds, No defence reports from Tehran the has demanded the death major prison. sent LWO charges the Arabs with defending foreign agents! was that lawyers could attend. refused. have called for their execution. appeal democratic rights, While opposed the which is taking place in Iran.' procedures is quite simply a lie.
Lawyers access to these people. know a lawyer who went to LIV see the public UEDSCLULUI prosecuting the SWP militants. He wasn't given any information. denied access to his clients and information about what the charges were.
Once the trials start they are carried without defence counsel, and without evidence. Then there are including myself, were freed because they could pin nothing on us whatsoever. The rest are in independent lawyers Khuzeslan to discover what the charges were against the 14. They were told that they were defending the Arab population of Khuzestan. And since Khomeini arms from that 'The trials are held in complete secret. We have asked that they make it a public trial so But they have We have heard that the prosecutors those who detend especially those who Shah's regime, to join us in struggling against the new wave of repression the summary executio This taking pla throughout Iran and rhetoric about the Islan revolution.
Language The particular reas why the members of 1 SWP were arrested was 1 questien of the natio minorities who in dentally comprise half population of Iran. Unc the Shah they were deni simple rights even right to be taught in th own language - and sin the Shah's overthrow th been mands which by standards are very reaso able wanted degree of regional auto omy, administrative co trol, control over the lor police, etc.
Of all the depressi things I saw in Iran there nothing more depressi than the fact that government ministers. orricial press snowed comprehension as to wh these people wanted. Th accused of bei agents of foreign powe of feudal powers. Tragic It is because of ti that there is now areas and in the Arab ar these people al t demanding minin rights and those who: supporting these deman like the SWP are bei get shot at, arrested killed It is ironic that government talks so mu about the rights of 1 people Eritrea Palestine, but they de ethnic rights to peo inside their own countr Tragically Khome still has considera support in the areas of Iran inhabited out Persian speaking peop I don't think he is going to fall