Tehran, Aug 12 (Xinhua) Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani Wednesday dismissed allegations that protesters detained in the post-election unrest were raped as “sheer lies”.
“Following a precise and comprehensive inquiry into (the treatment of) detainees at Kahrizak and Evin prisons, no cases of rape or sexual abuse were found,” Larijani was quoted as saying by the Press TV.
“Claims of sexual abuse of detained protesters are sheer lies,” the Iranian speaker added.
He said that if defeated presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi, who first raised the prisoners’ abuse issue, could present evidence of such outrages, the Majlis (parliament) would investigate them.
Karroubi has sent a letter, which was dated July 29 but revealed 10 days later, to the powerful head of the Assembly of Experts and the Expediency Council Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, urging a probe into various abuses, including “jail rape” reports.
According to the letter, some male and female detainees in Kahrizak prison were said to have been subjected to serious sexual abuse.
Protests gripped Tehran and other Iranian cities after the June 12 presidential election, amid claims that the vote had been rigged in favour of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Iran’s state media said about 30 people had been killed in relevant clashes, including some in custody.
Iran’s judiciary said on Tuesday that 4,000 people were initially arrested by security forces during the post-pll protests and 3,700 were released later.
