University honour for Khatami sparks outrage

THE former president of Iran flew into a political storm yesterday, as he arrived at a British university to be awarded an honorary degree.

Mohammad Khatami was met with protests as he visited St Andrews University to receive his degree, deliver a speech and officially open its Institute for Iranian Studies.

His visit has provoked fury from human rights organisations and politicians.

They claim people were tortured, jailed and executed during Mr Khatami’s presidency.

The Islamic scholar is the most senior Iranian politician to visit Britain since the Shah in 1972.

Mr Khatami arrived at the university’s Iranian institute, which had a large police presence, around 4pm, an hour behind schedule.

He was met by university principal and vice chancellor Dr Brian Laing and Dr Ali Ansari, the institute’s director.

At 5pm, he was due to give a keynote speech to an audience at the Younger Hall and receive his degree. Outside the Younger Hall a small group of protesters had gathered.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell condemned the visit, claiming the former premier should be put on trial for alleged torture offences rather than feted by academics.

Mr Tatchell said during Khatami’s eight-year tenure, thousands of Iranians were detained without trial and subjected to savage torture by the country’s secret police — with more than 200 people executed.

Under British law, Mr Tatchell argued, these allegations mean the former leader should be arrested and questioned by police.

Mr Tatchell said despite such a request by two Iranian refugees who claim to have suffered under the regime, the British authorities have refused to act.

“What is the point of having human rights laws if people accused of serious crimes like torture are never even questioned by the police, let alone brought before a judge to have the evidence against them assessed?” the human rights campaigner said.