Sept. 28, 2013: Human rights activists say they hope the news will bode well for at least two other Canadians imprisoned in Iran. Christina Stevens reports.
TORONTO – An Iranian-Canadian is one of 80 political prisoners released on the same week that Iran’s president sounded a much more positive tone on the international stage.
Antonella Mega’s husband, Hamid Ghassemi-Shall, had been in an Iranian prison since he was arrested in 2008 and charged with espionage.
He was sentenced to death in 2009 and an Iranian court later rejected an appeal.
Mega has actively campaigned for her husband’s release.
She said Monday night that she had spoken with her husband following his release but did not know when he would be leaving Iran.
“I spoke to him very briefly and he is just happy that he is released,” Mega said.
Amnesty International Canada announced news of Ghassemi-Shall’s release from death row with a status update on their official Facebook page:
Breaking News! Canadian citizen Hamid Ghassemi Shall has been released from Evin Prison! Updates to come as the details regarding his release are confirmed.
Amnesty International Canada has previously publicized Ghassemi-Shall’s plight, encouraging Canadians to petition Iranian authorities to release him.
Ghassemi-Shall emigrated from Iran after that country’s 1979 revolution.
The Toronto shoe salesman had made several trips back to visit family without incident before his arrest in 2008.
With files from Global News’ David Weisz
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