Judiciary under pressure to deal with corruption: Iran ex-prosecutor

TEHRAN, Sept. 27 (MNA) – Judiciary officials are under pressure not to deal seriously with the well-connected corrupt elements, says former national prosecutor general.

“When the corruption cases are referred to the Committee for Campaign against Financial Corruption, the Judiciary is put under pressure through phone calls and meetings,” Ayatollah Abdolnabi Namazi told the Fars News Agency.

“An inappropriate atmosphere is created preventing the Judiciary from dealing independently and freely with the cases and issuing rulings.”

He went on to say that the groundwork is not prepared to tackle the issue of financial corruption, because those who are involved in corruption and those who are granted sizable loans are influential and supported by the people in power.

“Law enforcers should not heed the threats, advices and promises, and senior officials should completely support them… to act independently,” he explained.

There have been some cases that the judge has not heeded the pressures and the threats and been replaced by another judge, he noted.

“When a judge feels that (he) does not have job security, can not act independently,” he added.