A Revolutionary Court in Tehran reportedly sentenced journalist Ali Farahbakhsh to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of about US$71,000 on 26 March, on charges of espionage and “receiving money from foreigners”. He had been arrested on 27 November 2006, when he returned from a conference in the Thai capital, Bangkok, on government and the media, organised by Thai NGOs. Amnesty International fears that he is a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression and association.
