WANA (Sep 22) – The spokesperson for the Iranian Athletics Federation, Iraj Akbarlou, overseeing the case of Iranian athletes in South Korea, has provided a detailed update following the latest court session.

 

Details of the Latest Court Session

Iraj Akbarlou explained that the most recent hearing took place last Tuesday, with the complainant present. In previous sessions, only her lawyer attended, but at the request of the Iranian legal team and with the judge’s approval, the complainant herself appeared.

 

South Korean law stipulates that the complainant and defendants do not sit together during criminal trials; either a partition is placed between them, or the complainant speaks from a separate room via a microphone.

 

The spokesperson explained that South Korean criminal courts place significant emphasis on the personal character of defendants to determine whether an incident is isolated or part of a pattern.

 

As part of this process, the defendants’ mobile phones are examined for messages and activity from the six months prior to their arrest, including deleted content. In this case, investigators reviewed all messages, jokes, entertainment content, internet searches, and social media activity, including Instagram.

He added that the Iranian legal team discovered material on social media about the complainant predating the alleged incident — a risky move, as if disallowed, it could have been considered a severe accusation.

 

During the court session, the judge — described as impartial — questioned the complainant, who gave an incorrect answer. A video was then shown, despite the complainant’s lawyers objecting, as they argued she should not have been cross-examined. The video revealed statements contradicting her court testimony.

 

Legal Representation and Proceedings

The case is being handled by a legal firm rather than a single lawyer, as is common in Iran. Sixteen lawyers were assigned to support the Iranian athletes, each specializing in different aspects of the case. The risky evidence presented by the Iranian team was accepted by the judge, leading to a confession from the complainant that changed the course of the case.

 

Although the complainant’s lawyers argued that the defendants had confessed during police interrogation, the judge insisted on forming an independent judgment. Considering the false claims and the fact that the Iranian athletes had been detained for over three months, all previous police interrogation files were rendered irrelevant. The court decided to hold two more sessions in which the judge would personally question the athletes with a translator present, as if they had just been arrested.

 

Current Status of the Defendants

The spokesperson emphasized that the athletes are now fully informed and able to respond confidently, unlike at the start of the case when they were in shock and unaware of the legal process.

The fourth court session is scheduled for October, and the fifth and final session is in early November, with a ruling expected by the end of November. The spokesperson confirmed that the initial serious charge of gang rape, which carried a potential life sentence, has been dropped.

 

When asked if the complainant’s case is nullified, he said, “Yes. The original charge has been dismissed, and the matter will now be followed up on and examined in a different manner.”

 

He added that four Iranian athletes remain in detention. The fourth athlete, who had been temporarily released, was re-arrested following a renewed complaint. Authorities initially sought to file a separate case against him in another court, but the Iranian lawyers successfully argued that all four cases should be treated together. All four athletes are now held in separate cells.

 

Background

Following reports in South Korean media, three members of Iran’s national track and field team — including two athletes and one coach — have been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a South Korean woman in the city of Gumi. The incident allegedly took place on the sidelines of the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships.

 

According to South Korean police, the three men met the woman at a local bar and later took her to their hotel, where the alleged assault occurred. The young woman filed a complaint with the police, leading to the suspects’ immediate arrest at the scene.