Iran inquiry rejects accusations of detainee rape

TEHRAN (Reuters) - A top Iranian judicial committee rejected on Saturday accusations by pro-reform cleric Mehdi Karoubi that some jailed protesters had been raped after contested June presidential polls, state media said.

The three-man committee, including the country's most senior prosecutor Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, called in a report for libel charges to be considered against anyone making the claims.

"There are no documents proving the rape of the individuals as claimed by Mr. Karoubi..., and these claims and the submitted documents are fabricated and have been put together to mislead public opinion," said the report, quoted by state television.

Karoubi, who finished fourth in the elections, angered hardliners in August by saying some jailed protesters were raped and abused in jail. He said this month that he had handed over films and other material about abuse of three detainees to a parliamentary investigative committee.

Authorities closed down Karoubi's office on Tuesday, a local news agency said, and opposition websites have reported the detention of two prominent reformists who helped set up an office to look into the situation of post-election detainees and investigate deaths in street unrest after the vote.

Karoubi and opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi, who finished second, say the poll was rigged to secure President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election.

Iranian officials reject the accusation.

The hardline president shored up his position last week when parliament approved most of his new ministers after almost three months of political turmoil in the major oil exporter.

The election and its turbulent aftermath plunged Iran into deep internal crisis. Rights groups say thousands of people, including senior pro-reform figures, were arrested after the poll, though most have been freed.

The opposition says more than 70 people were killed in the unrest. Officials estimate the death toll at up to 36 people including members of the Islamic Basij militia.

Hardliners have portrayed the opposition protests as a foreign-backed bid to undermine the Islamic government system.