An Austrian who was imprisoned in Iran’s northeast has been freed, according to the judiciary on Tuesday.
October 2022 saw Austria acknowledge that one of its nationals had been detained in Iran on “unrelated” accusations following a wave of protests that had shook the Islamic republic at the time.
According to the judiciary’s Mizan Online website, “Austrian citizen Christian Weber, imprisoned in West Azerbaijan province, was released from prison in accordance with Islamic mercy.”
Weber was found guilty, according to the website, of “committing crimes” in Iran, though it did not say what those crimes were.
“After his release, the convict was handed over to the Austrian ambassador for his departure,” said the statement.
Iran was rocked by months-long nationwide protests after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian-Kurd, died in detention in September 2022.
Amini was detained on suspicion of disobeying the rigorous dress code enforced by the Islamic republic, which mandates that women cover their heads and necks and wear modest apparel while they are out in public.
Her passing set off months-long protests in Iran that claimed hundreds of lives, many of them security officers. Numerous protestors were taken into custody.
Amini’s second anniversary was observed in Iran the day before Weber was freed.
At least three French citizens are among the other Europeans detained in Iran.
