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Iran allows prison leave for detained French academic — supporters

By AFP - Aug 09,2022 - Last updated at Aug 09,2022

PARIS — Iranian authorities have allowed a French-Iranian academic held in the country for the last three years to take brief leave from prison, her supporters said on Tuesday.

Fariba Adelkhah has been given a five-day furlough, which can be extended, from Tehran’s Evin prison where she is being held in a case that has raised tensions between Tehran and Paris, a statement from her support group said.

Activists say that at least 20 foreign and dual nationals are being held by Tehran on baseless charges, in a deliberate policy of hostage diplomacy aimed at extracting concessions from the West.

Her temporary release comes at a crucial time in the negotiations between world powers and Iran over the Iranian nuclear programme, with Tehran studying a final proposal from the EU aimed at salvaging a 2015 deal.

“Fariba has been granted a five-day period of leave, which is potentially renewable, and of course under judicial supervision,” her supporters said in a statement.

“We are delighted... but can only emphasise that this unacceptable deprivation of liberty is within the framework of a public policy of hostage taking by Iran,” the statement added.

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