DUBAI, Feb 13 (Reuters) – Iran on Friday released on bail three prominent reformist figures arrested last week amid a sweeping government crackdown on dissent, one of their lawyers told the semi-official ISNA news agency.
Lawyer Hojjat Kermani said the freed activists included Azar Mansouri, head of the moderate Reform Front coalition, along with Javad Emam and Ebrahim Asgharzadeh. He said he was not told what charges his clients may face.
The releases come as authorities try to quell the country’s bloodiest unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution through a campaign of mass arrests and intimidation.
The U.S.-based rights group HRANA said about 53,000 people have so far been arrested, and the total number of killed had reached 7,008, including 6,509 protesters. Reuters could not independently verify the figures, and Iranian officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Ethan Smith)
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