The Iranian government has reportedly pardoned and released 80 political prisoners, most of whom were detained in connection with the 2009 protests against alleged election fraud in the re-election of then president Mahmud Ahmadinejad.
Last week, 16 political prisoners were released from the Evin prison in northern Tehran, including a human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh.
According to news.com.au, at least 100 political prisoners remain in jail in Iran and the move of freeing them has been hailed by many as a great policy success for President Hassan Rowhani, who put the release of political prisoners high on his election campaign agenda.