Butcher of the press - and torturer of Tehran is appointed prosecutor of democracy protesters

Yesterday, Iran's supreme leader urged tolerance for the voices of the opposition.

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged parliamentarians Wednesday to tolerate the voices of the opposition, government-run Press TV reported.

The Iranian regime does not seem to be heeding that message. They have appointed Saaed Mortazavi to torture interrogate the detained protectors. He is thought to be responsible for the death of a Canadian-Iranian photographer who was tortured, beaten and raped in 2003.

The Iranian regime has appointed one of its most feared prosecutors to interrogate reformists arrested during demonstrations, prompting fears of a brutal crackdown against dissent.

Relatives of several detained protesters have confirmed that the interrogation of prisoners is now being headed by Saaed Mortazavi, a figure known in Iran as “the butcher of the press”. He gained notoriety for his role in the death of a Canadian-Iranian photographer who was tortured, beaten and raped during her detention in 2003.

“The leading role of Saeed Mortazavi in the crackdown in Tehran should set off alarm bells for anyone familiar with his record,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East and North Africa director of Human Rights Watch.