[JURIST] An Iranian appeals court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence for a 20-year-old student who took part in anti-government protests in December. Mohammad Amin Valian was convicted of Moharebeh, which means waging war against God and is punishable by death under Iranian law. At trial, Vilian testified that he threw stones at the security officers during the protests, but that he did not hit anyone. The protests, which interrupted the Shia Muslim celebration of Ashura, were the largest since those that followed the disputed presidential election in June.
Last month, an Iranian court sentenced one person to death and eight others to prison for their involvement in the December protests. Also in February, Iranian authorities arrested seven people for allegedly planning to provoke rioting on February 11, the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, including several in the employ of the US Central Intelligence Agency. The seven allegedly played a key role in the Ashura protests. The protests resulted in at least four deaths, numerous injuries, and more than 300 arrests.