Imprisoned Iranian journalist Akbar Ganji is on compassionate leave, said deputy prosecutor for prisons' affairs in Tehran on Saturday.

Mahmoud Salarkia further told IRNA the inmate's leave started Friday night.

He said Ganji was granted the leave to be with his family on the eve of Iranian New Year (starting March 21).

Masoumeh Shafei, Ganji's wife, told reporters today that the release came as a surprise. "He was released last night," Shafei said. "I did not know when he would be released. I was surprised about it, I am really happy."

Salarkia said that Ganji's prison term is going to end on March 30.

Ganji was imprisoned in 2000 after writing a series of articles linking senior officials to the murder of political prisoners.

See ISNA's report (in Persian)

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