Death sentence sought for man on Iranian pamphlets charge

Sadr is accused of having used the embassy to distribute the pamphlets. The prosecutor at Teheran's revolutionary court demanded implementation of article 186 of the Islamic law which says that helping opposition forces in realising their aims is equal to "Moharabeh", the Arabic term for "fighting God", which is usually subject to the death sentence.

Sadr, who is in his early fifties, has for a long time been translator at the German embassy. He has been a political activist both before and since the 1979 Islamic revolution. In 1980, he was convicted and jailed on charges linked to his affiliations with a communist party but was released early and returned to his embassy job.

The prosecutor said that Sadr's earlier links with opposition groups should be considered in his new charges.

Sadr, arrested after police found the pamphlets in his apartment during a raid, is said to be unable to pay bail of 500 million rials (167,000 dollars).

He is also one of five people indicted in connection with a controversial conference held in the German capital of Berlin last April, it was reported Monday. Another is a German national, Thomas Hartmann,

The five are accused of "blatant propaganda" against Iran's Islamic system and cooperation with the opposition rebel group People's Mujaheddin (MKO) and will be tried in their absence if they fail to appear in court.

Hartmann is said to have been a key coordinator of the Berlin conference, which was held to discuss Iran's political future following the parliamentary elections in February in which the reformists scored victories.

The conference, sponsored by the Heinrich Boell Foundation, was, disrupted by dissident Iranians who sang, danced and removed some of their clothing. All defendants have denied the charges.

(dpa)