Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Faezeh Hashemi, the daughter of former Iranian president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, was sentenced to six months in prison for making anti-government statements, semi-official Mehr News Agency reported Tuesday.





Hashemi was arrested last year for taking part in anti-government protests, and the announcement of her sentence comes as parliamentary elections near.





Her father, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, is a powerful cleric and former parliament speaker. In the past, Rafsanjani has been one of the government's most vocal critics.





Rafsanjani served two terms as president from 1989 to 1997, and is still widely believed to be one of the wealthiest and most politically powerful men in Iran.





He had long been a staunch critic and bitter political rival of Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.





Weeks after the 2009 elections, Rafsanjani condemned the regime's violent crackdown against the opposition movement and spoke out for the people's right to peacefully protest in a speech delivered at Tehran's Friday prayers.





In recent months, Rafsanjani had toned down attacks and made statements of apparent support of the regime and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.





Last March, Rafsanjani was replaced as head of Iran's Assembly of Experts, a powerful committee charged with electing and removing the leader of the Islamic Revolution and supervising his activities.
who is  Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani? Who is her father? Who is Faezeh Hashemi? When was the announcement made? what is Faezeh Hashemi was arrested last year?
former Iranian president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the daughter of former Iranian president, Akbar Tuesday. for taking part in anti-government protests,
question: who is  Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani?, answer: former Iranian president, | question: Who is her father?, answer: Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, | question: Who is Faezeh Hashemi?, answer: the daughter of former Iranian president, Akbar | question: When was the announcement made?, answer: Tuesday. | question: what is Faezeh Hashemi was arrested last year?, answer: for taking part in anti-government protests,