An Iranian court has sentenced former vice president Mohammed Ali Abtahi to six years in prison on charges relating to the protests that erupted in the wake of the June 2009 presidential election.

However, the official IRNA press bureau has announced that Mr Abtahi has been released on 471,000 euros bail, pending appeal. Under Iranian law, any sentence of more than three months is subject to appeal; a convict can be granted bail for the 20-day period allowed to lodge an appeal.

Mr Abtahi, who served during the 1997-2005 presidency of the reformist Mohammed Khatami, is the most senior reformer to be jailed in connection with the massive demonstrations that took place after the election results were announced.

Thousands of people were arrested and dozens were killed during the protests. Several media outlets including a reform website reported that Mr Abtahi was found guilty on charges including, "plotting against the country's security, propaganda against the regime, insulting the president and taking part in illegal demonstrations".

Iran courts have now sentenced five people to death in connection with the protests and 81 people have been sentenced to 15 years in jail. The protests plunged the country into the worst crisis since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The opposition movement says the vote was rigged but the government to denied the accusation and claimed the protests were a foreign-backed attempt to undermine the state.

On Sunday, opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi called on the government to stop intimidating people to try and change their political views. Mr Mousavi's Kaleme website quoted him as saying, "the government should not intimidate people to change their behalf... this movement will continue and we are ready to pay any price".

On Friday, the UN General Assembly's human rights committee condemned Iran for its violent crackdown on protesters. The resolution, "expresses its deep concern at the serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations".