Iran tries 5 people over December unrest

Five people detained in connection with violent anti-government protests in Iran last month went on trial on Monday on charges that could carry the death sentence, an Iranian news agency reported.

The ISNA news agency did not identify the five accused, but the official IRNA news agency earlier said they were members of the armed People's Mujahideen Organisation of Iran (PMOI), an exile group opposed to the Islamic system of government. It was the first trial reported by Iranian media of people detained in connection with Dec. 27 protests, in which eight people were killed. (Reuters)