Iran President Defends Execution of Journalist Ruhollah Zam
Journalist Ruhollah Zam speaks during his trial in a Revolutionary Court, Tehran, Iran (Ali Shirband/Mizan)
UPDATE, DEC 15: President Hassan Rouhani has defended the execution of journalist Ruhollah Zam.
In a Monday press conference, Rouhani responded to international criticism of Saturday’s hanging. He said European countries “have the right to comment, but Zam was executed upon a court’s ruling”.
The President maintained that Iran’s judiciary is independent, and asserted, “I think it’s unlikely that this will hurt Iran-Europe relations.”
UPDATE, DEC 14: Stung by international criticism of their execution of journalist Ruhollah Zam, Iranian authorities have summoned the German and French Ambassadors in Tehran.