Iran releases Austrian citizen

The website of Iran's judiciary on Tuesday said Austrian citizen Christian Weber had been freed and handed over to his own country's embassy.

Weber was arrested at about the same time that a months-long nationwide wave of protests shook Iran after the death in custody of Iranian-Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini.

What do we know about the release?

"Austrian citizen Christian Weber, imprisoned in West Azerbaijan province, was released from prison in accordance with Islamic mercy," the judiciary said, according to the Mizan Online website.

Mizan said Weber had been convicted after "committing crimes" in Iran, although it did not specify what those crimes were.

"After his release, the convict was handed over to the Austrian ambassador for his departure," it added.

While Austria confirmed in October 2022 that a citizen had been arrested in Iran, it said the charges were "unrelated" to the protests.

The release came a day after the second anniversary of Amini's death.

The Austrian ambassador to Iran traveled to West Azerbaijan and met with the regional prosecutor at about the same time the release was announced.

What do we know about the case?

A parliamentary inquiry by the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) to the Austrian Foreign Ministry last year said Weber was "abducted and detained there on August 25, 2022, then 27 years old, shortly after crossing the Iranian border to the Iranian state police prison in Urum in northern Iran."

"Allegations of espionage allegedly transmitted by the Somali secret service turned out to be false," the inquiry said.

FPÖ National Council member Martin Graf at the time said Weber was then charged with carrying dangerous weapons.

The arrest came at a time of heightened sensitivity for Iran's leadership as it reeled from protests surrounding Amini's death. The 22-year-old after she was arrested for allegedly violating the country's strict dress code.

rc/sms (AFP, Reuters)