A prominent Iranian political analyst close to reformists said Tuesday (March 13th) he had been sentenced to 18 months in prison for propaganda against the regime, AFP reported.
Sadegh Zibakalam, a professor of political science at the University of Tehran who supports the government of President Hassan Rouhani, said he planned to appeal.
In a video posted on social media, Zibakalam said that in addition to the jail term, he had been ordered to refrain from all political and social media activity as well as writing in the press for two years.
Zibakalam is known for his criticism of Iran's foreign policy.
The judiciary-linked Mizan Online news agency had reported on Monday the start of Zibakalam's trial in a revolutionary court in Tehran.
It said the academic was accused of giving interviews to foreign media deemed hostile by the authorities and of "attempting to call into question the Islamic republic".
On March 7th, the ISNA news agency reported the same court had sentenced reformist former Tehran mayor Gholamhossein Karbaschi to one year in prison for anti-regime propaganda.
