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An informed source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Hossein Derakhshan was released last night on the unprecedented bail amount of $1.5 million. Derakhshan had requested a prison furlough after a lower court sentenced him to 19.5 years in prison in September. The informed source told the Campaign that Derakhshan’s family are immensely happy to see his release and hope that the upcoming appeals court ruling could keep him from returning to prison.

News of Derakhshan’s release was first published by Mashregh News, a website close to Iran’s security circles. The website stated the bail amount to be in the millions. (Mashregh News’ article) Hossein Derakhshan is expected to return to prison over the next few days. Judicial authorities had refused to grant him furlough till now.

Many post-election prisoners such as journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi have been deprived from furlough. Families of several political prisoners have told the Campaign that security authorities set various pre-conditions and conditions for the prison leave of political prisoners, and if the prisoners don’t heed those conditions or if they do not accept them, their furloughs will not be granted, or if, after release, they don’t meet the conditions, they will be returned to prison.

Hossein Derakhshan was charged with ‘cooperation with hostile states, propagating against the regime, propagation in favor of anti-revolutionary groups, insulting sancti... >>>