Ali Malihi, a senior member of the student organization Danesh Amoukhtegan (Tahkim-e Vahdat Alumni) , has been released on bail after a 14-month wait in jail.
Malihi was arrested at his home in February 2010. Danesh Amoukhtegan Organization had endorsed a rival of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, in the 2009 presidential elections. Karroubi later challenged the election outcome along with the other major presidential candidate, MirHosein Mousavi.
Both challengers are currently being held under house arrest by the Islamic Republic and are cut off from all communication with the outside world.
In addition, several executive members of Danesh Amoukhtegan Organization have been behind bars since the 2009 election protests and the crackdown that followed. Among the detained activists are Ahmad Zeidabadi, the group’s secretary general, and spokesman Abdollah Momeni.
Malihi was charged with “assembly and collusion with the intention of disturbing the domestic security of the regime, propaganda against the regime, participation in illegal gatherings, publishing falsehoods and insulting the president.” His sentence is four years in prison.
Hassan Asadi and Ali Jamali are two other senior members of the Danesh Amoukhtegan Organization currently serving jail terms.
