Lawyers for the Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA find Osama bin Laden, are appealing his conviction.br br Last week, Shakeel Afridi was convicted by a Pakistani tribal court and sentenced to 33 years in prison.br br A Pakistani official said says the conviction was based on treason charges for working with the CIA to conspire against the state ---- an announcement that rankled the U.S. and caused relations between the two countries to sink even lower.br br Court documents now say the doctor was convicted based on his assistance to Lakshar-e-Islam militant group.br br A commander with Lakshar-e-Islam denies any link to Afridi. The doctor's attorney and brother insist that Afridi is being used a scapegoat.br br In Washington, government sources say the United States is working on winning Afridi's release from jail.br br Deborah Gembara, Reuters.