First death sentence given in Iran election protests, Amnesty says

Oct 10, 2009, 5:48 GMT

   London - Iran has handed down the first death sentence related to protests that followed June's disputed presidential election, Amnesty International said as it urged Tehran to rescind the sentence.

   The appeal was made for Mohammad-Reza Ali-Zamani, a monarchist and member of an exiled opposition group, on the occasion of Saturday's World Day Against the Death Penalty, the human rights group said.

   Zamani, 37, was sentenced Thursday by a Tehran Revolutionary Court after he was convicted of 'enmity against God for membership of and activities to further the aims of the terrorist grouplet Anjoman-e Padeshahi-e Iran,' Amnesty International said Friday.

   He was also convicted of 'propaganda against the system,' 'insulting the holy sanctities,' 'gathering and colluding with intent to harm national internal security' and leaving the country illegally to visit Iraq, where he was alleged to have met US military officials, Amnesty said.

   More than 100 people are standing trial because of the protests that followed the June 12 election, which the opposition said the government rigged to result in the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

   Zamani is accused of belonging a group that wants to end the Islamic Republic of Iran and re-establish a monarchy.