DAR AL ISLAM - IRAN: NAZANIN FATEHI HAS BEEN SPARED FROM THE DEATH SENTENCE

Islamic Court Frees Iranian Teen From Death Sentence Following International Campaign Waged by Former Miss Canada
TEHRAN, Iran, Jan. 31

CNW/ --After two grueling years in prison, Iranian teen Nazanin Fatehi was released today and spared from her original death sentence following an international campaign spearheaded by former Miss World Canada Nazanin Afshin-Jam.

Emotions ran high at the entrance gate of Evin prison, where 19-year-old
Nazanin Fatehi was greeted by supporters and reunited with her family. Nazanin
had a very emotional reunion with her family members. She could not believe
that this day had arrived. She cried in her mother's arms and embraced her
siblings and father.

After she finished greeting her family, Nazanin's lawyer, Mr. Mostafaei,
said that she told him that she now wants to go to school and study hard to
get her life back. Soon after, Mr. Mostafaei got a phone call from some of
the inmates who Nazanin met and they told him they missed her already.

Her freedom was granted a few days after the required 400 million rials
(approximately $43,000 USD) bail money was handed over to the court.

Most of the bail payment was raised by HelpNazanin.com, a web site
created by pop singer and human rights activist Nazanin Afshin-Jam. Some
donations were collected in Iran, as well as a generous donation from Canadian
Member of Parliament Belinda Stronach.

Fatehi was initially sentenced to death for murder by a court in Iran
after she stabbed, in self-defense, one of three men who attempted to rape her
and her 15-year-old niece in a park in Karaj, a suburb of Tehran, in March
2005. She was 17 at the time.

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Pertinent Links:

1) Islamic Court Frees Iranian Teen From Death Sentence Following International Campaign Waged by Former Miss Canada