Amnesty decries Iran death ruling

Thousands of people were arrested during protests over Iran's election

Amnesty International has urged Iran to lift the death penalty on an opposition activist arrested in the protests after the disputed presidential election.

The group said Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani was the first person sentenced to death over the unrest triggered by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's June re-election.

In a statement, it condemned his "show trial" as a "mockery of justice".

More than 100 people have faced trial before a Tehran Revolutionary Court for their part in the protests.

'Immediate moratorium'

Zamani, 37, belongs to an exiled opposition group which seeks to restore the monarchy in the Islamic Republic.

Several Iranian reform websites reported Thursday's ruling against Zamani, but the government has not confirmed it.

"Amnesty International fears that Zamani's death sentence will pave the way for more death sentences against those being tried on similar offences," the London-based group said in a statement on its website.

Amnesty "[urges] the Iranian authorities to impose an immediate and comprehensive moratorium on executions, as a first step towards ending the use of this punishment," it added.

Mr Ahmadinejad's 12 June re-election was followed by massive street protests over alleged vote-rigging, in which at least 30 protesters were killed in clashes and thousands were arrested.

Most of those detained have been released, but about 200 remain behind bars and some 110 have been put on trial.