The spokesman for the Iranian judiciary announced that Mehdi Hashemi, the son of Iran’s Expediency Council chief, moderate cleric Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, has been sentenced to imprisonment, cash fines, confiscation of assets and a ban from seeking any government employment.
Fars News Agency reports that Hashemi is facing seven years in jail and cash fines as well as a ban from public service for just one of the charges against him. For another two charges, he has been sentenced to five and three years respectively.
Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesman for the judiciary, said the court rulings will not be finalized until after they have been reviewed by the appellate court, and he can give no further details until then.
Hashemi’s lawyer said last week that the defence has been presented to the court and his side will appeal any ruling other than an acquittal.
Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabayi added that he has kept all the defence documents and court transcripts and will publish them after the court ruling is issued to prove that there is no cause for action.
Radio Zamaneh
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Son Of Former Iranian President Jailed
Iran’s judiciary said on March 15 that the son of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being tried on security and corruption charges.
A judiciary statement did not state the specific charges for which Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani — known in Iran as Mehdi Hashemi — was convicted.
The statement said Hashemi would be banned from public service after his conviction.
It also said Hashemi has 20 days to appeal.
State media reported that Hashemi was accused of involvement in massive protests that followed Iran’s disputed presidential election in 2009.
Hashemi was arrested in 2012 after returning to Tehran from Britain, where he had been living for three years. He was bailed but was later rearrested.
The 45-year-old businessman is the former president’s eldest son.
During the 2009 presidential elections, hard-liners close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini accused Rafsanjani and his family of supporting the opposition Green Movement.
Rafsanjani was president of Iran from 1989 to 1997.
Based on reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, and farsnews.com
RFE/RL