The trial of Abbas Abdi, who is held over a polling which claimed most Iranians favored ties with the United States, started Wednesday in Tehran. Abdi is accused of "selling information and tampering with the polling," IRNA reported.
Besides Abdi's family, several MPs, including Parliament's Vice-Speaker and head of the Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF), Mohammad Reza Khatami, attended the court trial. The case, which also involves three other people, is related to a survey published by the Ayandeh research institute which claimed most Iranians favored dialogue with the United States.
The court has accused the defendants of carrying out the research on the order of the Washington-based Gallup Organization. Other people involved in the case are Hossein Qazian and Alireza Alavitabar, both related to the Ayandeh research institute.
The fourth defendant in the case, Behrouz Geranpayeh, who is the head of the National Institute for Research and Opinion Polls, faces similar charges which have yet to be brought against him. Qazian, Abdi and Geranpayeh are held in detention. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
