British woman jailed for trying to watch volleyball match in Iran has been freed on bail, say her family

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Ghoncheh Ghavami, of Shepherds Bush, London, served 149 days of a one-year sentence

A London law graduate who was jailed after trying to watch a volleyball game in Iran has been freed on bail, her family have said.

British-Iranian Ghoncheh Ghavami, 25, was part of a group of women arrested for 'propaganda against the regime' in June while staging a protest when they were refused entrance.

She was released from Gharchak prison in Tehran today, the day before her 26th birthday. 

Iran's Sharq newspaper said on its Twitter account that she was released after paying bail amounting to £24,000.

Her brother Iman, who started a petition against her detention, said: 'A few hours ago my sister was bailed out for her birthday on Monday. It is so good to be home. I finally heard her voice after 149 days. It was a very emotional moment. My mother couldn't stop crying.

'She just needs to recover now. I don't think she realises about the campaign to free her. She needs to come to terms with it all. 

'But she is not free yet. Bail is not freedom.

'Yesterday the judge issued the verdict of one year imprisonment and two years prohibition from leaving Iran. Ghoncheh will soon defend her innocence again in the court of appeal.

'We hope she will be vindicated of all charges and be allowed to come back to the UK to continue her studies. 

'You have been by our side throughout this difficult ordeal and I thought to share this moment with you. I hope you stay with us until Ghoncheh is free for good.'

Mr Ghavami said that his sister's health had deteriorated due to hunger strikes she carried out while in prison.

On October 1 she went on 'wet' hunger strike - refusing all food but taking liquid - for 14 days, in protest at the conditions of her detention.

Miss Ghavami’s mother, Susan Moshtaghian, wrote on Facebook: 'Ghoncheh returned home from prison. We picked her up at 3pm from Qarchak prison. 

'She is bailed out till her court of appeal. We thank all of you that stayed with us and I hope the court accept the complete innocence of my daughter.'

Miss Ghavami, circled, was arrested at this impromptu protest outside an international volleyball game which formed when women waiting to go inside were told they would not be allowed to attend

The British-Iranian woman has staged hunger strikes against her detention, while hundreds of thousands of people have signed a petition calling for her release

Miss Ghavami was arrested when she, along with a group of women, protested outside Tehran's Azadi stadium when they were refused entranced to a men's volleyball match between Iran and Italy.

The law graduate from the School of Oriental and African Studies, part of the University of London, was released but rearrested days later when she tried to collect her belongings from a police station and officers discovered dual citizenship.

Iranian prosecutors since accused her of having links to the opposition. She was yesterday sentenced to one-year imprisonment and banned from leaving Iran for two years. 

Following that decision, her mother wrote: 'After all this going back and forth and all the troubles we were given in the past month, they finally sentenced you to one year for a crime you never committed.

'I cannot believe one year imprisonment for volleyball protest which they said had nothing to do with your charges. 

'Or the photo of the grave of Neda Agha Soltan on your mobile phone or a few seconds of a video of the moment of release of a former prisoner who had served a full sentence.

'They held you in the detention centre for 129 days which forced you to go on hunger strike twice in order to demand your basic rights of being given a court hearing and being issued a verdict.

'My dear Ghonche I am so heavy-hearted. In all these days I tried to keep you strong but I wish you were by my side now and would soothe me and remind me that there is a greater judge who would not let our rights be quashed.'

Miss Ghavami’s mother, Susan Moshtaghian (pictured left) wrote on Facebook: 'We thank all of you that stayed with us and I hope the court accept the complete innocence of my daughter' 

Miss Ghavami, from Shepherd's Bush, has staged hunger strikes against her detention, while more than 728,000 supporters have signed an online petition calling for her release. 

Andy Slaughter, the MP for Hammersmith & Shepherds Bush who has been working with the family for several months welcomed the latest developments. 

He said: 'It is a tribute to the campaign her family in Britain and Iran have run over the past five months. Support for her has come from around the world: Ghoncheh is a young woman of great courage.

"Though this is an important development we must continue the campaign until charges against her are dropped and she is free to travel outside Iran. 

'With the family I will be meeting the Foreign Office Minister this week to discuss what more the UK Government can do for Ghoncheh, who is a British citizen.'

It is understood she will stay with her parents in the Iranian capital pending a decision by the Court of Appeal on her sentence. 

The Foreign Office have confirmed reports that Miss Ghavami has been released from jail.

A spokesman said: 'We are aware Ghoncheh Ghavami has been released on bail in Iran. We remain in regular contact with her family.'