Editor jailed over Iran protests

Thursday, December 03, 2009

A NEWSPAPER editor and well-known critic of Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been sentenced to nine years in jail for fomenting unrest after June’s elections.

Saeed Laylaz, whose daily paper Sarmayeh was banned last month, was found guilty of taking part in illegal gatherings and holding classified information, his lawyer Mahmoud Alizadeh-Tabatabaie said. "I was informed about the verdict verbally, but as soon as I receive the formal written verdict we will have 20 days to appeal."

Iran has held several trials related to protests after the June presidential election that returned Ahmadinejad to power.

Five people have been sentenced to death and more than 80 others have been jailed.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, December 03, 2009