Iran's top leader approves special corruption courts

Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's Supreme Leader has approved a request by the judiciary to set up special courts to punish corrupt officials.

The official IRNA news agency Saturday reports Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying punishments should be "carried out quick and fair."

Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, said the courts should be "firm."

The request by the judiciary said the courts should be eligible to try all suspects, including "official and military" people. Sentencing can include the death penalty.

The decision comes following outcries over alleged corruption of some officials. Last week, the judiciary detained the former deputy governor of Iran's Central Bank on corruption charges.