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Iran Supreme Leader endorses Ahmadinejad for second term

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday endorsed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for a new four-year term, saying that his election was a vote toward combating poverty, corruption, and discrimination. After praising Ahmadinejad as being a "hard-working and prudent man," Khamenei called for the administration to strictly follow the constitution and to consider the opposition's views. The leader classified the 85 percent turnout for the election as "clear proof" of the voters' dedication to the country and as hope for its improvement. According to the reports, opposition leaders boycotted Monday's ceremony. Khamenei's comments follow a much-disputed election in which opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi lost to Ahmadinejad. On Saturday, Iran began the trials of 100 detained protesters. Last week, Iranian officials announced that 140 people detained during post-election protests would be released and that the judiciary would decide whether to try or release the approximate 500 others. In July, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported that the number of deaths during the protests exceeded government reports. Khamenei granted a request from the Guardian Council of the Constitution in June to accept new complaints from the opposition although he maintained that he would not succumb to pressure over the results.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on August 03, 2009 (boomark / email).