Iran's judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei has told judges to avoid leniency and "unnecessary compassion" when it comes to prosecuting "the main elements of the riots," as anti-government protests continued despite a deadly crackdown and crippling internet blackouts.
"Lenient verdicts will be injustice toward the public," the hard-line cleric declared at a meeting in Tehran on Oct. 13. He advised the judges to show clemency toward the "less guilty" and "deceived" individuals by releasing some of them pending commitments of "acceptable behavior."
