JTA reports that the last of the 10 Iranian Jews imprisoned in the city of Shiraz in 1999 have been freed in the last few days. Iranian Jewish activists living in Los Angeles say that the remaining five prisoners were released for a ten-day vacation, but "we're hoping and assuming they will not be required to return." A similar report of their release was publicized several months ago, but turned out to be premature.
The Jews were charged with spying for Israel and the U.S., and were sentenced to between 4 and 13 years in prison. Israel, the U.S., and the prisoners denied all the accusations. A representative of the Iranian Jewish community told Arutz-7 that the heavy international pressure on Iran is what led to their early release. "They don't want to make a big deal of their release, however, because it would look like too much of a surrender; at one point, some of them even faced the death sentence," he said today.
The Jews were charged with spying for Israel and the U.S., and were sentenced to between 4 and 13 years in prison. Israel, the U.S., and the prisoners denied all the accusations. A representative of the Iranian Jewish community told Arutz-7 that the heavy international pressure on Iran is what led to their early release. "They don't want to make a big deal of their release, however, because it would look like too much of a surrender; at one point, some of them even faced the death sentence," he said today.