The American Spectator

AmSpecBlog

Further Cracks in the Iranian Regime

By Doug Bandow on 8.10.09 @ 7:40AM

More public protests are being raised against the abuse of prisoners, and not just from Western-oriented liberals.  Reports the Associated Press:

Iran's Prosecutor General Ghorban Ali Dorri Najafabadi called for those responsible for mistreating detainees to be punished, saying that the protesters weren't even meant to be taken to Kahrizak prison, which has been at the center of abuse claims.

"Unfortunately, negligence and carelessness by some officials caused the Kahrizak incident, which is not defendable," he told the state news agency. "During early days, it is possible there were mistakes and mistreatment due to overcrowding in the prison."

His comments were followed up by police chief Gen. Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam who acknowledged protesters were beaten by their jailers at the same facility and its head has since been arrested along with three guards there and the prison closed down.

The existing regime has lost its legitimacy, which puts it at increasing risk from challenges not just by reformers but also by more pragmatic elements of the Islamic leadership.  Demographics alone--Iran's population, like that in many nations in the Middle East, is very young--will push Tehran towards political change.  Hopefully the next Iranian revolution will result in a more open society, democratic politics, and peaceful foreign policy.