Spain Apologises for Jailing Homosexual in the 1970s
THE TELEGRAPH: Spain has apologised to a man jailed for being homosexual in the 1970s under a law introduced by General Francisco Franco.

Antoni Ruiz, 50, has become the first Spaniard to receive official recognition of his suffering more than three decades after he was imprisoned for his sexual orientation.

An estimated 5,000 men served prison sentences during the dictatorship of Gen Franco when homosexuality was made illegal but Mr Ruiz was one of the few sentenced for the crime following the death of the dictator in November 1975.

In 1976, at the age of 17, Mr Ruiz, from Valencia, told family members that he was gay. At the time homosexuality was still banned and when his parents confided in a Catholic monk, he denounced their son to the authorities.

He was sentenced to three months in prison and was then banished from his home town for a further year.

Mr Ruiz, who heads an association for former prisoners, received a formal letter of apology from Spain's justice minister last week and an offer of financial compensation amounting to 4,000 euros (£3,600). >>> Fiona Govan in Madrid | Sunday, December 06, 2009

Iran Sentences Former Vice-president to Six Years as Trails of Dissidents Reach a Peak
THE TELEGRAPH: A former Iranian vice-president was sentenced to six years in prison as reprisals meted out to leaders of street protests against the disputed presidential elections claimed their highest profile victim.

Former Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Ali Abtahi. Photo: The Telegraph
Mohammad Ali Abtahi, who was vice-president and a key aide to the leading reformist Mohammad Khatami from 1997-2005, was found guilty of conspiring against Iran's national security, state newsagencies reported yesterday.

He was arrested shortly after the presidential election in June as hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets of Tehran claiming the results, which gave an overwhelming victory to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, were rigged.

State news agencies said he appeared before a court in Tehran on Saturday and was found guilty of charges including "gathering and plotting against the country's security", insulting the president, taking part in illegal demonstrations and issuing propaganda against the regime.

"Abtahi was sentenced to six years in prison for acting against national security and propaganda activity," a court spokesman said. >>> Richard Spencer in Dubai | Sunday, November 22, 2009