News, April 12, 2002: Dr. Yadollah Sahabi a leading Iranian reformist dies in Jam Hospital in Tehran , at 96 years old.  

Dr. Yadollah Sahabi fought all his life for establishment of freedom and democracy in Iran. He belonged to the so-called National-Religious group. Dr. Sahabi formerly was a member of Iran National Front during premiership of Dr. Mossadegh and after coup d'etat of 1953. He then together with Mr. Mehdi Bazargan and others organized Nehzat Azadi( Freedom Movement of Iran ) in 1962. And finally like many others independently continued his struggle for freedom of Iran. He was number times jailed at Shah's time and Islamic Republic period. He was a professor of university. His son Mr. ezzat-ollah Sahabi was treated harshly in prison last year for opposing dictatorial regime of the present rulers.

  April 12, 2002

  Leading Iranian Reformist Dies

  By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 12:19 p.m. ET

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Yadollah Sahabi, an influential reformist who questioned the unlimited powers of Iran's ruling clerics, died Friday. He was 96.

Sahabi had been treated at Tehran's Jam Hospital for several days, according to his daughter Zohreh.

A former legislator, Sahabi often criticized the strict control Islamic religious leaders exercise over most aspects of Iranian life. Because of his age and stature, he was spared the arrests and harassment faced by many other reformists.

After the 1979 Islamic revolution, Sahabi was a top aide of Mehdi Bazargan, who briefly served as prime minister but resigned to protest what he considered excesses by the new authorities.

Sahabi's son, Ezatollah, was among 40 dissidents arrested in December 2000 and charged with plotting to overthrow the Islamic establishment. He was freed on bail last month and now is a leader of the National Religious Alliance, a liberal political group.

Sahabi is survived by five sons and two daughters and a number of grandchildren. His funeral will be held Sunday at Tehran University, followed by burial at a Tehran cemetery.