Tehran frees French academic

May 16, 2010 - ALI AKBAR DAREINI |

TEHRAN

A French academic arrested in Iran following 2009 disputed presidential elections will be allowed to leave the country after paying a $300,000 fine, her lawyer said on Saturday.

Mohammed Ali Mahdavi Sabet said that Clotilde Reiss, 25, will retrieve her passport on Sunday and will be able to leave Iran immediately. Ms Reiss was convicted of provoking unrest and spying in the aftermath of the June election, but the 10-year jail term had been commuted to a fine of $300,000. He said he paid the fine on Saturday.
French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said he took note of the decision and said France was “awaiting her return without delay.” He did not elaborate.
Ms Reiss was arrested in July and released on bail after a month and a half in custody but only on condition that she remain at the French embassy in Tehran until her trial was over. She also was among more than 100 politicians, journalists and activists accused of trying to engineer a “velvet revolution” to overthrow the Islamic leadershipin August. She pleaded innocent. The court verdict was issued Saturday. —AP

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