Iran court jails ‘president Rouhani’s brother for corruption’

Hossein Fereydoun also ordered to pay fine, pay back bribes he was alleged to have received

DUBAI/ TEHRAN: An Iranian court sentenced the brother of President Hassan Rouhani to five years in prison, a judiciary spokesperson was quoted as saying on Tuesday by the semi-official Fars news.

In May, Hossein Fereydoun was sentenced to an unspecified jail term in a corruption case that the president's supporters allege was politically motivated. Judiciary spokesperson Gholamhossein Esmaili said Freydoun was jailed for five years but he may face further charges in another case, without giving details, Fars reported.

"Regarding the case of Hossein Fereydoun, the sentence of seven years handed down by the court of first instance has been reduced to five years," Gholamhossein Esmaili told a press conference.

Esmaili said the sentence was final as there was no further avenue of appeal.

Fereydoun was also ordered to pay a fine and to pay back the bribes he was alleged to have received, the spokesperson said without giving any figures.

Fereydoun acted as a key adviser and gatekeeper to the president before his arrest in July 2017.

The brothers do not share the same name because Rouhani changed his when he was younger to a word meaning "cleric".

Fereydoun's trial opened in February. Very few details have emerged in the Iranian press.