Masih Alinejad's brother sentenced to 8 years in prison

Alireza Alinejad's defense lawyer announced that the Revolutionary Court, in its initial verdict, sentenced his client to eight years in prison.

Alireza Alinejad was arrested in his home in Tehran last October, and according to his sister Masih Alinejad, a journalist living in the United States, the only reason for the arrest was that Alireza is her brother.

Saeed Dehghan, Mr. Alinejad's lawyer, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that the Tehran Revolutionary Court had announced the eight-year prison sentence to him on Wednesday, and it includes five years in prison for "gathering and colluding with the intention of acting against the country's security," two years in prison for "insulting the leadership," and one year in prison for "propaganda against the system."

Masih Alinejad reposted the verdict on his Twitter and wrote: "Eight years in prison for the crime of fraternity."

Ms. Alinejad wrote that "criminals who only know executions and hostage-taking" were unable to hand over her brother "just because of my activities" and to "declare his innocence" after months of pressure and solitary confinement.