Iran frees British embassy staffer on bail
July 20th, 2009 - 3:01 am ICT by IANSTehran, July 20 (DPA) Iran Sunday freed a British embassy staffer, the last of nine arrested on suspicion in fomenting dissent after alleged fraud in Iran’s June 12 presidential elections.
Hossein Rassam, chief analyst of the British embassy, had been detained for more than three weeks. He was released on a bail amounting to almost $100,000.
Rassam was picked up from the notorious Evin prison in northern Tehran by his wife and lawyer.
Rassam told his wife that he was well and happy to get back home.
Rassam - and the British embassy - are suspected of involvement in the recent popular protest demonstrations against alleged fraud in the June 12 presidential election.
Nine Iranian embassy staff members were arrested last month. The others were all released after a few days.
There has been speculations that the British embassy has enabled several protesters to seek asylum in Britain, including a key witness to the killing of Neda Aqa-Soltan, whose death at a protest rally June 20 sparked international outrage.
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