[Change for Equality->http://www.change4equality.net/english/]: Amir YaghoubAli, a member of the One Million Signatures Campaign, has been sentenced to one year mandatory prison term. In an interview with Change for Equality, Nasrin Sotoodeh, the lawyer representing Amir Yaghoubali explained: “today, May 25, 2008, the decision of the court regarding the case of Amir Yaghoubali was officially conveyed me as his lawyer. The courts have found Amir guilty of actions against national security through the spreading of propaganda against the state, and have sentenced him to one year mandatory prison term.”
Sotoodeh explained further that: “Mr. Yaghoubali was arrested in a public park while collecting signatures in support of the Campaign’s petition asking the Parliament for revision of laws that discriminate against women. Since the collection of signatures is not considered to be an illegal act by any of the laws in our country, and as such is a totally legal activity, I along with the other two lawyers, Ms. Shirin Ebadi and Ms. Leila Alikarami, who are also representing Mr. Yaghouba intend to object to the court’s decision and appeal the ruling.”
Amir Yaghoubali is a member of the Men’s Committee of the One Million Signatures Campaign. He was arrested on July 11, 2007, in Andisheh Park in Tehran, while collecting signatures in support of the Campaign’s petition. After his arrest he was transferred to Evin Prison’s Ward 209, managed by the Security Ministry, where he remained in detention for 29 days.
