Dr Seyyed Hashem AghajariIran 
Dr Seyyed Hashem Aghajari was arrested in August 2002. Aghajari was charged with apostasy after making a philosophical speech in which he rejected demands to "blindly follow" clerical rule. He repeatedly denied that his speech was intended as an attack on Islam or the Prophet and apologized for any inadvertent offense his remarks may have caused. He was sentenced in November to 74 lashes, eight years' imprisonment and death. He faced vaguely worded accusations consisting of defamation and insult charges, notably of religious figures and leaders.
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