The head of an Iranian lawmaker's office has been sentenced to six years in jail for "insulting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei," reported the official Iranian news agency, IRNA, citing a news agency report.
The student news agency, ISNA, said that "Esma'eil Kazemi, head of the office of the (western) Razan MP, has been handed down a jail sentence for having delivered a speech in support of the prisoners of conscience in which he has allegedly insulted the supreme leader."
The jail sentence against Kazemi has been upheld by the Appeals Court, the agency said. ISNA did not mention the name of the lawmaker, nor did it provide further details.
Khamenei has the final say on all state affairs.
In the past weeks, several MPs have been summoned by conservative-run courts, said IRNA.
Two reformist MPs have thus far been sentenced to jail. Issa Mousavinejad received one year in jail in connection with student unrest, while Hossein Loqmanian received 13 months for "insulting the judiciary."
Fellow lawmakers have denounced the verdicts, saying the Constitution gave legislators immunity for the content of their speeches.
Over 40 pro-reform newspapers have been closed down by the country's courts since April last year leading to the arrest and/or imprisonment of several dissidents and journalists – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
