By Daily Mail Reporter A former Marine incarcerated in Iran in 2011 and sentence to death on espionage charges was secretly retried and given a 10-year prison term, his new lawyer said. Amir Hekmati has escaped death by being convicted of a new crime - practical collaboration with the American government - by a revolutionary court in December, after being caught working for the CIA. The lawyer, Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaei, also said his client had never been informed about the retrial, conviction or sentence, according to The New York Times. Tabatabaei - who is well-connected to Iran's highest leaders - said he learned of the information in discussions with judiciary officials.
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Amir Hekmati, 31, is a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen born in Arizona and based in Michigan
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He was sentenced to death in Iran, accused of being a CIA spy
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He has always maintained his innocence and said he was visiting family when he was arrested
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Hekmati's sentence has now been reduced to 10 years
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The conviction was secretly overturned by a revolutionary court in December
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His lawyer said there is a chance they could work to get Hekmati released in a few months
Inside @placeholder, Mr. Hekmati’s case is viewed as highly political.