Iran releases female U.S. detainee

TEHRAN, Sept. 14 (MNA) – Sarah Shourd, one of the three U.S. citizens who had been detained in Iran for more than a year, was released from prison on a bail of $500,000 on Tuesday.

Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi announced that Ms. Shourd was handed over to officials at the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which houses the U.S. Interests Section in Iran.

The supervisor of the case informed the Tehran prosecutor of a bank voucher concerning the posting of the bail, and with the prosecutor’s consent, he issued the order for Shourd’s release, the Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

Shourd’s lawyer, Masoud Shafii, also confirmed the report of her client’s release, Reuters reported.

“I am inside Evin prison, doing her paperwork. She has been released and is heading towards the Swiss Embassy,” he said.

Shourd, 32, along with Shane Bauer, 28, and Joshua Fattal, 28, were arrested on July 31, 2009 by Iranian border guards after illegally entering Iran’s territory from Iraq’s Kurdistan region. The three have been charged with illegal entry and espionage.

The Tehran prosecutor said on Sunday that Ms. Shourd had been granted clemency and would be released on a bail of around $500,000 due to the detainee’s poor health.

Officials in Tehran say they have ample evidence to accuse the three U.S. citizens of espionage, and thus they are seeking to bring them on trial.