Ex-deputy minister gets five-year jail term over protests in Iran

Houshang Azhari confirmed initial reports by opposition websites and said that the appeal court cut the initial sentence of 15 years by two thirds.

Tajzadeh, who served under former president Mohammad Khatami, was a supporter of the opposition Green Movement leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi in June's disputed presidential election and has not yet acknowledged Ahmadinejad's re-election.

Tajzadeh is also a founding member of the secular opposition group MIRO.

Along with the opposition, Tajzadeh accused the president of election fraud and refused to acknowledge his victory.

/Trend News/