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London (CNN) -- The lawyer for Amir Hekmati, an American sentenced to death in Iran for espionage, has called for the ex-Marine's case to be judged on humanitarian, not political grounds.

Pierre Prosper, who has been engaged by the 28-year-old's family to try to secure his release and return home, said Hekmati was at risk of falling victim to the animosity between the United States and Iran.

"What worries me most is that this case is entrapped in an intense political environment," the U.S.-based lawyer told CNN.

"We want to remove it from the political environment and establish a humanitarian corridor of communication and see if we can just talk about Amir as a human being."