Row deepens over Iranian cleric

Hassan Youssefi-Eshkavari (left) was arrested in August

By the BBC's Sadeq Saba

Hardline judicial authorities in Iran appear to be backing down on the charge of apostasy brought against a jailed pro-reform cleric, Hassan Yousefi-Eshkavari.

The head of the special court for the clergy has spoken out against the charge, saying he will appeal against it as it contradicts the definition of apostasy laid down by the founder of Islamic Iran, the late Ayatollah Khomeini.

The charge of waging war against God conflicts with legal criteria in the codified laws

Clergy court head Gholam-Hussain Mohseni-Ejeei

Mr Eshkavari was tried 10 days ago and accused of several serious offences, including waging war against God, spreading corruption on earth, sedition and apostasy.

Most of these charges can normally carry the death penalty according to Iran's strict sharia laws.

A final verdict is expected in the next few days.

Angry clerics

The indictment against Mr Eshkavari was so harsh that it looks as if it has now backfired.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is against reformists

Given that he himself is a Muslim believer, the blasphemy charge angered some of the most senior clerics in Iran, who have come openly to his rescue in the past few days.

Supporters of Iran's reformist president, Mohammad Khatami, fear that the real aim of the hardline special clerical court was to weaken the reformist movement by silencing outspoken liberal clerics.

Pro-reform political groups and the chairman of the Iranian parliament, Mehdi Karrubi, have dismissed the apostasy charge as unacceptable.

An influential pro-reform student group at the weekend also questioned the silence of the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, who controls the clerical court.

Veil row

It appears that these pressures have proved effective and now the head of the special clerical court, Gholam-Hussain Mohseni-Ejeei, himself has joined reformists to protest.

Charges against Eshkevari

Spreading anti-Iranian propaganda

Insulting Islamic values

Acting against national security interests

He said the apostasy charge against Mr Eshkavari contradicted both the definition of this crime in the Iranian penal code and its definition in the writings of Ayatollah Khamenei.

Mr Eshkavari's outspoken defence of the separation of state from religion and his denial of compulsory veiling for women has angered the conservative establishment.

His closed-door trial and lack of access to the lawyer of his choice has been condemned by Iranian and European politicians as well as international human rights groups.

Mr Eshkavari is among a growing number of younger clerics in Iran who have been questioning some of the basic values of the Islamic Republic.