DATE=5/15/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAN / JEWS (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262380
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Eight of the 13 Jews on trial in Iran have now
pleaded guilty to charges they spied for Israel. Lisa
Bryant in Cairo reports that so far, only one of the
13 defendants has declared his innocence.
TEXT: Defense lawyers said two more Jews -- a
shopkeeper and a university professor -- have pleaded
guilty to being members of an alleged spy ring.
Both defendants apparently said they collected
information, which they handed over to Israel. Their
confessions were made in court Monday, in the southern
Iranian city of Shiraz.
Their pleas add to a steady stream of confessions made
so far at the spy trial, which opened last month.
Some of the Jewish defendants have later repeated
their confessions to the press or on state television.
A few said they had not been coerced into pleading
guilty.
Defense lawyers say the two who confessed Monday
denied they were founders of the alleged spy ring or
that they spread propaganda against the Iranian
government.
A defense lawyer, Esmail Naseri, also told the
Associated Press news agency (Monday) the defense may
file a lawsuit against the Iranian government if more
confessions are broadcast on television. Mr. Naseri
said the confessions were made without the lawyers'
permission and without a chance for the lawyers to
consult with their clients.
Mr. Naseri and other defense lawyers have also argued
that beyond the guilty pleas, the state has no
evidence to substantiate its spying charges.
The French news agency reports that defense lawyers
also want the court to begin examining Muslims also
charged with spying for Israel. The nine Muslims
facing spy charges are currently free on bail. The
court has said they would be examined separately.
Meanwhile, two lawyers from the French organization
Lawyers Without Borders have volunteered to discuss
the case with the defense team. The two lawyers said
they were in Shiraz to examine Iran's judicial system.
Iran has vowed a fair trial for the Jews. But
international Jewish and human rights groups, who have
lobbied for outside observers to attend the closed-
door proceedings, say they fear this will not happen.
Foreign governments have also voiced concern about the
trial. And Iran's Jewish community says it fears a
possible backlash against the country's 30-thousand
Jews.
The trial in Shiraz is scheduled to resume on
Wednesday. (Signed)
NEB/LB/JWH/KL
15-May-2000 12:03 PM EDT (15-May-2000 1603 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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