Rouhani's brother handed 'unspecified jail term' in graft case

Hossein Fereydoun, who was arrested in 2017 before being released on bail, was sentenced to an unspecified jail term, state news reported.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab

04 May, 2019

Fereydoun was arrested in 2017 [Getty]

The brother of Iran’s president has been sentenced to an unspecified jail term by an Iranian court, state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday, as part of a corruption case perceived to be politically motivated by loyalists of Hassan Rouhani.

“This person (Hossein Fereydoun) was found not guilty on some charges, while he was sentenced to prison on other accusations,” IRNA quoted judiciary official Hamidreza Hosseini as saying.

No further details were disclosed as the sentence could still be appealed, Hosseini said, according to the news agency.

Fereydoun’s trial, along with six co-defendants, began in February, although the judiciary failed to provide details of the charges at the time. He was arrested in 2017 before being released on bail.

Supporters of the Iranian president believe the charges are an attempt by the hardline judiciary to discredit the pragmatic Rouhani. The judiciary denies the allegations.

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