Tehran - Former Iranian vice president Mohammad-Ali Abtahi was sentenced to a six-year jail term for his involvement in post- election unrest in June, a news report said Sunday. Abtahi, deputy to reformist president Mohammad Khatami from 1997 to 2005, was an advisor to moderate presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi in the June 12 presidential election controversially won by incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The Iranian judiciary confirmed the six-year jail-term imposed for offences against national security and conducting propaganda against the Islamic establishment.
ISNA news agency reported that Abtahi was, however, released on bail of 700,000 dollars until the start of an appeal hearing. Abtahi's lawyer said that he would appeal the verdict within the legal three-week period.
Abtahi was arrested right after the post-election unrest and charged by a revolutionary court with plotting to overthrow the Islamic government.
According to the Tehran daily Jahan'e Eqtesad, he was informed about his sentence on Saturday.
After Abtahi made a televised confession in which he expressed regret for trying to weaken the establishment and praised prison conditions, many believed he would receive a lenient sentence.
More than 100 dissidents, including other former reformist officials, are still in jail for claiming the polls were rigged and refusing to acknowledge Ahmadinejad's re-election.
