The daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi, detained in Tehran since the end of September, has been sentenced to five years in prison, her lawyer told AFP on Monday.
A former MP and women's rights activist, Faezeh Hachémi Rafsanjani was arrested on September 27 and imprisoned in Evin prison for having incited residents to demonstrate during the protest movement sparked in the country.
“
My client was sentenced to five years in prison by the court of first instance
,” said Me Neda Shams.
Conviction for "propaganda" in 2012
Aged 60, Faezeh Hachémi has already been sentenced several times in the past.
At the end of 2012, she was arrested and sentenced to six months in prison for “
propaganda
” against the Islamic Republic.
Justice accused Faezeh Hachémi of “
collusion against the security of the country, propaganda against the system of the Islamic Republic and disturbance of order by participating in illegal gatherings
”, specified the lawyer.
“
The decision, which is not final, was communicated to me on Wednesday and we will challenge it within the legal time limit
,” added Shams.
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In October, the spokesman for the judiciary Massoud Setayechi announced that the activist had already been sentenced in March "
to 15 months in prison and two years of additional punishment including the prohibition of activities on the internet
".
Strengthening ties with the West
Akbar Hachémi Rafsanjani, president between 1989 and 1997, was a moderate who advocated improving ties with the West.
Iranian authorities generally refer to the protests as "
riots
" encouraged by countries and organizations hostile to Iran.
They claim that hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed during the protests and thousands arrested.
Four men were hanged in connection with the protests.
