Iranian protester Erfan Sultani, who was previously facing a death sentence by hanging, has been freed on bail, as confirmed by his attorney.
The 26-year-old proprietor of a clothing store was apprehended during a series of protests against the government and swiftly condemned to death by an Iranian court.
He was taken into custody on January 8 amidst the ongoing unrest in Iran since late last year. His anxious family waited for days to learn of his fate, only to discover that he had been charged with moharebeh, a grave offense in Iranian law typically used against perceived threats to the state.
Initially informed that he had been sentenced to death and granted only a brief farewell, his distraught family members received a glimmer of hope when his lawyer, Amir Mousakhani, revealed that Erfan had been released the previous day and had all his personal belongings returned, including his cellphone.
A bail amount of “two billion tomans” (approximately $12,600) was paid for his release, according to Mr. Mousakhani speaking to the AFP news agency.
In January, the Iranian judiciary stated that he had been detained in a facility in Karaj, outside Tehran, on grounds of national security. Despite claims by the US State Department that he had been sentenced to death, Iran’s justice system refuted this, asserting that the charges against him did not carry a capital punishment and that his case was still under scrutiny.
Iran has reported over 3,000 deaths during the protests that commenced as peaceful demonstrations on December 28. While the government contends that the majority of fatalities consist of security personnel and innocent bystanders killed in terrorist acts, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has verified 6,713 deaths, primarily of protesters.
The protest activities have diminished in recent weeks. Previously, US President Donald Trump had cautioned Iran that severe measures would be taken if the country proceeded with executing protesters.
