With the Iranian soccer team's victory over Wales in the World Cup group stage on Friday, the country released more than 700 prisoners, including those arrested in recent demonstrations.
According to the Iranian judiciary's Mizan Online website, which reported that 709 detainees from different prisons in the country were released after Iran's 2-0 victory in the week, some of those released had been arrested in recent events, indirectly referring to the demonstrations in Iran in the last two months.
The website did not provide further details. Demonstrations and protests continued in Iran after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman arrested by police for violating the country's dress code for women, died in custody on September 16, and after other media outlets reported that Hengameh Ghaziani, a prominent Iranian actress, had been arrested in support of the protests, but had been released on bail.
In addition, a former famous player, Ghafouri, and a dissident, Hossein Ronaghi, who were also involved in the demonstrations, were released on bail, while Mahmoud Shahriari, 63, a former State-run television presenter, was released after two months in prison for inciting riots. According to the Iranian judiciary, more than 2,000 people have been arrested in connection with the recent demonstrations.
As for the Iranian players' refusal to sing the national anthem before last week's game, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) demanded a meeting and threatened the players with jail or torture for their families if they did so at the game against the U.S. in the early hours of Wednesday morning, according to reports by the U.K.'s Mirror newspaper and the U.S.'s CNN.
