Jailed Iranian-British Woman Released On Bail

November 23, 2014

The family of Ghoncheh Ghavami, a British-Iranian citizen jailed in Iran reportedly for trying to attend a volleyball match, said Ghavami has been released on bail.

Ghavami was freed on November 23, pending a decision by the Court of Appeal on her sentence, her brother told the AFP news agency.

Ghavami, 25, was detained in June after trying to attend a men's volleyball match in Tehran, in defiance of hard-liners' push for gender segregation.

Iranian prosecutors have since accused her of having links to the opposition.

ISNA news agency quoted on November 18 a statement by Tehran's prosecutor's office as saying Ghavami was active in opposition protests abroad.

It also said Ghavami was in contact with foreign satellite channels such as the BBC Persian service, which is banned in Iran.

Ghavami's family has denied the charges.

Based on reporting by BBC and AFP