Wife Of Lawyer In Stoning Case Released

Lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei

The wife of Iranian lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei, who served as legal defense for a woman sentenced to death by stoning, has been released from prison.

Mostafaei wrote on his Facebook page on August 7 about the release of his wife, Fereshteh Halimi, who had been jailed by the Iranian authorities in an apparent attempt to pressure Mostafaei to back down.

"My wife was released today. I congratulate her on her freedom; she had been taken hostage because of me. I called her today and we had nothing to say to each other besides crying," Mostafei wrote.

As pressure on him grew, Mostafaei fled Iran for Turkey, leaving his family behind. (Read RFE/RL’s interview here.)

Mostafei told Radio Farda on August 7 that he's likely to leave Turkey and seek asylum in Norway.

-- Golnaz Esfandiari