Iran’s Rouhani dismisses outcry over journalist’s execution
Iran hanged journalist and blogger Ruhollah Zam on Saturday after a court found him guilty of "corruption on earth."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday defended the execution of a Paris-based Iranian journalist whose death triggered widespread condemnation in France and around the world.
Iran hanged Ruhollah Zam on Saturday after a court found him guilty of “corruption on earth,” a vague but serious charge that often is used to punish alleged espionage or an attempted government overthrow.
European countries “have the right to comment, but Zam was executed upon a court’s ruling,” Reuters reports Rouhani told a televised news conference. “I think it’s unlikely that this will hurt Iran-Europe relations.”
Zam ran an opposition news site and Telegram channel with more than 1 million followers, which, according to The Associated Press, published embarrassing information about the regime as well as the locations of anti-government protests in 2017.
