ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Iranian media published photos of a trial investigating the 2020 shootdown of a Ukrainian passenger jet by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

According to AP, the photos were released to dismiss criticism of the hearing being conducted behind closed doors. The photos, however, had the opposite effect.

Online, people heavily criticized the sign seen behind the judge that read "The court reviewing the incident of flight PS752 Ukraine." Those protesting the sign criticized the fact that the sign did not admit the involvement of the Guard in the shootdown.

Iran's IRNA news agency said that the trial started on Sunday and will focus on 10 suspects, but Iranian media has not released details about the suspects.

Families of the victims claimed that the defendants were not present at the hearing on Sunday.

Security officers and Red Crescent workers are seen at the site where the Ukraine International Airlines plane crashed after take-off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport, on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran January 8, 2020. (credit: NAZANIN TABATABAEE/WANA
Security officers and Red Crescent workers are seen at the site where the Ukraine International Airlines plane crashed after take-off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport, on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran January 8, 2020. (credit: NAZANIN TABATABAEE/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS)

The IRGC shot down the plane on January 8, 2020, killing 176 passengers onboard. Iran initially refused to admit that the plane was shot down, claiming that the crash was due to technical failure but later admitted it was shot down.