Scholar faces death penalty in Iran for insulting Muhammad

TEHRAN, Iran -- In the latest setback for reformists in Iran, a hard-line court has sentenced to death a prominent scholar and close ally of President Mohammad Khatami for insulting Islam's prophet, his lawyer said Thursday.

Hashem Aghajari was found guilty of insulting the prophet Muhammad and questioning the hard-line clergy's interpretation of Islam in a speech he made in June in the western city of Hamedan, his lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, said.

Nikbakht said his client, a leading member of the reformist political party, Islamic Revolution Mujahedeen Organization, also was sentenced to 74 lashes, banned from teaching for 10 years and exiled to three remote Iranian cities for eight years.

Iran frequently issues such multiple sentences in cases where it wants to make an example of the accused.