Former Iranian president's daughter held on propaganda charges

on 23/09/2012 10:50:28

Iran's authorities have detained the daughter of influential ex-president and political centrist Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

The Sunday report by the official Irna news agency said Tehran's judiciary department took Faezeh Hashemi into custody late yesterday to serve a six-month sentence on charges of making propaganda against the ruling system.

Earlier this year a court convicted her and banned her from political activity for five years.

Her lawyer said the accusations were related to interviews she gave to news websites.

Since the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009, in which Mr Rafsanjani supported Mr Ahmadinejad's reformist challenger, his family has come under pressure from hardliners.

In recent months, there are indications that the 78-year-old former president, who favours a more moderate approach to the West, may be making a political comeback.