Watchdog

The United States has welcomed the release of Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani reportedly sentenced to death on charges of apostasy.

Nadarkhani’s lawyer told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda that his client had been acquitted of apostasy and freed on September 8.

The lawyer said Nadarkhani who had been held since 2009 had been sentenced to three years imprisonment for proselytizing Muslims but he was released because he had already served the term.

The State Department said in a statement that, despite this "welcome news," the status of religious freedom in Iran remains "grave."

The statement added that many more Iranians remain in prison and face persecution simply because of their faith.

The U.S. said it will continue to stand with the people of Iran who struggle to have their fundamental human rights respected.

Activists of the opposition Tell The Truth civic movement in Belarus say their colleague, Paval Vinahradau, has been detained.

Vinahradau's wife, Svyatlana, says no reasons for her husband's arrest were given.

News of Vinahradau's arrest comes a day after the offices of the Tell The Truth campaign group in Minsk were searched by police and KGB officers.

The group's computers and other equipment were sealed and all printed materials were confiscated on September 6.

The activists say the printed materials were mainly parliamentary election campaign documents.

Parliamentary elections in Belarus are scheduled for September 23.

The Tell The Truth movement, which encourages Belarusians to speak out about social problems, was launched in 2010 by opposition politician and former Belarusian presidential candidate Uladzimer Nyaklyaeu.

Vinahradau this year served 10 days in jail over a "toy protest" in February in which toys were set up holding signs with appeals like "Where is the freedom of the press?" and "Toys against lawlessness."

Based on reports by charter97.org and Interfax