Lebanese man gets 10-year Iran prison sentence

Lebanese man gets 10-year Iran prison sentence

September 21, 2016
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Tehran — Supporters of a US permanent resident detained for a year in Iran over spying allegations say he’s been sentenced to 10 years in prison and given a $4.2-million fine.

The sentence for Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese citizen who advocates for Internet freedom, comes ahead of Iranian officials attending the United Nations General Assembly this week in New York.

A statement early Tuesday from Jason Poblete, a US lawyer representing Zakka, said a Revolutionary Court in Tehran handed down the sentence in a 60-page verdict that Zakka’s supporters have yet to see.

There was no mention of Zakka’s sentence in Iranian state media.

Iran’s UN mission did not respond to a request for comment.

The Associated Press reported in May that Zakka’s Washington-based nonprofit organization received grants totaling $730,000 from the US government. — AP


September 21, 2016
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